Beware The Noonday Devil

Catholic Exchange ^ | December 1, 2007 | Fr. Scalia

[NYer]

The Church's monastic tradition sees as one of the most dangerous enemies of the spiritual life what the psalmist calls "the noonday devil" (Ps 91:6). The monks took this phrase as an apt description of the lethargy or fatigue they battled at about midday.

By that time, they had already risen early for prayers, returned to prayer a number of times, and still had a good chunk of the day ahead of them. They were tired, of course, but not just physically. They were spiritually tired — weary of prayer, exhausted with the things of God. The noonday devil precipitated thoughts of "What's the use? This is pointless." Thus, in the Eastern tradition, Psalm 91 was prayed at midday, to ask for strength against this assault. "Stay awake," Our Lord says (Mt 24:42). And we can hear His words as a warning against the noonday devil. They echo the psalmist's plea for wakefulness: "Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; lighten my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death ... Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law" (Ps 13:3; 119:18).

Our Lord and the psalmist both refer not to physical sleep (our bodies need rest at some point) but to that spiritual drowsiness and slumber that deaden us to God's presence, goodness and truth. Once we have fallen asleep spiritually, then all kinds of mischief creep into our souls. Dozing off spiritually brings about a much greater destruction than falling asleep at the wheel.

"Stay awake." Our Lord's words caution us against sloth — that capital vice that brings about spiritual slumber. Sloth is not, as many think, simple laziness (although that is usually a side-effect). Instead, it is a sadness about the good set before us, a boredom with the things of God, a failure to respond with the proper repentance, joy, zeal or love to God's works and goodness. Sloth is a spiritual "ho-hum" or "whatever" in the face of Christ crucified. Once this spiritual languor sets in, we can easily become lazy louts — because we see no reason to make an effort.

But the slothful man can also be tremendously busy. He fills his time with activities to avoid the difficulty of reflection and thought, of facing his sadness with the divine. This describes our culture well. We are constantly on the go, but at the same time bored with the most important things. We rush around in what we call the "real world," as a way of avoiding that most important reality.

We resemble the people in the days of Noah: "they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away" (Mt 24:38-39). They did not know. They were busy enough, alright, but asleep to the very things that matter. And in the end their slumber undid them.

We do not need to look far to find sloth's damaging effects. Sloth first robs us of the energy needed for the moral life, so we fall into sin more easily. Further, spiritual boredom leads us to seek pleasure elsewhere, in various forms of immorality. If God's works bore us, we will find our happiness in lesser things and make them gods. Sloth also deadens our sense of morality because the drama of good and evil, of right and wrong, tires us. So sloth not only deters us from seeking moral excellence, it also keeps us from perceiving moral truth.

"Stay awake." Our Lord wants us to avoid spiritual slumber. The solution is simple, but not easy. It demands, first, that we fill our minds with thoughts of the divine. The many trivial, worldly thoughts we take in each day leave little room for the supernatural thoughts that inspire us. Accordingly, the battle against sloth demands perseverance in prayer — not just reciting prayers, but mental prayer. We need to reflect deliberately and often on the truths of our faith, the attributes of God, the events of our Lord's life, etc. And when, not if, we grow tired, we need to look to Our Lord and push through the difficulty. We need to remain with Him and not fear the one who lays waste at noon.

[NYer]

Fr. Scalia is parochial vicar of St. Rita parish in Alexandria, VA.

(This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

[NYer]

A very timely piece of advice especially as we move into the Season of Advent. There are so many beautiful, family-oriented activities going on in parishes around the country. Make this the year you tone down the gifts and spend time as a family in prayer and reflection of the enormous gift of our Savior. As you clean your homes in preparation for Christmas, go to Church and clean your soul as well. Turn off the news and enjoy the beauty of this Season in your Church, alone or as a family. You won’t regret it.

[narses]

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[tioga]

Nice article. Good advice.

[romanesq]

This is very powerful and gives me much room for thought. And improvement I might add. Thanks.

[Lee N. Field]

The Church's monastic tradition sees as one of the most dangerous enemies of the spiritual life what the psalmist calls "the noonday devil" (Ps 91:6). The monks took this phrase as an apt description of the lethargy or fatigue they battled at about midday.

Nothing a good this stuff wouldn't take care of.

[Tax-chick]

:-).

[Barnacle]

Ping for later.

[Barnacle]

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a]

2 I will say [b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

[Barnacle]

This is good:

Sloth is not, as many think, simple laziness (although that is usually a side-effect). Instead, it is a sadness about the good set before us, a boredom with the things of God, a failure to respond with the proper repentance, joy, zeal or love to God's works and goodness. Sloth is a spiritual "ho-hum" or "whatever" in the face of Christ crucified. Once this spiritual languor sets in, we can easily become lazy louts — because we see no reason to make an effort.

But the slothful man can also be tremendously busy. He fills his time with activities to avoid the difficulty of reflection and thought, of facing his sadness with the divine. This describes our culture well. We are constantly on the go, but at the same time bored with the most important things. We rush around in what we call the "real world," as a way of avoiding that most important reality.

[Barnacle]

I prefer good ol’ 30.06.

[Coleus]

nothing better than a cup of coffee at 3 pm