The so-called “seven deadly sins” appear in final form in the late sixth century. I’m not surprised that lethal sins like pride, greed and envy make the final cut. But sloth? The original word, acedia, implies apathy toward the things of God. The word came to prominence in medieval monasteries. Monastic life centered on disciplined intervals of prayer, worship, study, and manual labor. Monks came to regard acedia as “the noonday devil.” When it was too hot to work outside in the middle part of the day, monks would retreat to their rooms for prayer and study. It was the time monks felt most tempted toward weariness and deflation of the soul.
Bede (ca. 672-735) came to live at the Warmouth-Jarrow Monastery in England at the tender age of seven. Before we condemn his family for consigning him to a monastery, keep in mind it was the only means available for poor families to educate their sons and provide them with a balanced diet.
Bede lived virtually his entire life in a monastic setting. He was diligent and hardworking. He not only wrote commentaries on Scripture, but also found time to compile a history of England. He also conjectured that the moon affected the tides, and the earth is round. He knew firsthand the perils of acedia and warned readers of its insidious dangers.
Spiritual boredom is a killer sin for us moderns also. Today’s prayer by Bede asks God’s help in our struggle with “the greyness of our apathy.”