Pope, at general audience, warns against sloth

February 14, 2024

At his February 14 general audience, held in Paul VI Audience Hall, Pope Francis warned against sloth, in the eighth talk in a series of Wednesday general audiences devoted to the virtues and vices.

“In our reflections on the vices and virtues, we now consider acedia or sloth, which, although associated in English with laziness, is above all a deep spiritual apathy, manifested by discontent and aversion to attentive prayer and growth in our relationship with God,” the Pontiff said, in the words of the Vatican’s summary of his remarks.

The summary continued:

According to the monastic tradition, this “noonday devil” is best overcome by the patience of faith. This includes accepting the poverty or dark night of faith, which then enables us, by God’s grace, to sense the divine presence and to continue to reach out to God.

The saints themselves show us that perseverance in time of temptation leads us to set practical goals, however small, for our daily life and moves us to lean on Jesus, who always remains with us.

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Previous audience in series:

• Safeguarding the heart (December 27, 2023)
• The spiritual striving (January 3, 2024)
• Gluttony (January 10, 2024)
• Lust (January 17, 2024)
• Greed (January 24, 2024)
• Wrath (January 31, 2024)
• Sorrow (February 7, 2024)

 

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Further information:

• General Audience (February 14, 2024)