Question:
How serious is the sin of laziness? I consider myself lazy in the accomplishment of my obligations, even though I completed college classes with very good grades, I have not yet graduated or completed my thesis, and this is more than a year ago and I have not looked for a job yet. Due to my economic position, I do not require it immediately and there is no one who depends on me. But I am wasting time. I have tried to make amends and I am making progress in my thesis, but at a very slow pace and in a not very diligent way, although I am determined to break this vice. But since I have not overcome it, it keeps me very uneasy. There is not much talk about laziness; what kind of sin is it: mortal or venial?
Response:
Laziness is the tendency to idleness or at least to negligence and hindrance in action. It is called acedia when it refers to laziness regarding seeking friendship with God and spiritual goods, because of the efforts required for their preservation. In this case it is close to spiritual tepidity.
The gravity is generally measured by the importance of the obligations it causes to be neglected. It may therefore be venial or grave, depending on the omissions or negligence it gives rise to.
Acedia comes to reject the joy that comes from God and to feel horror for the divine good. It is opposed to charity because it causes man to find no pleasure in God and consider things that refer to God as sad, gloomy, and melancholy.
When it is simple temptation or involuntary state of despondency and unwillingness, it is not a sin. But when it is a positive and voluntary resistance to divine things, it constitutes a grave sin against charity towards God.
As for the sins that this vice engenders, spiritual authors consider it the mother of all vices.
The remedies to be prescribed to overcome it will be:
1 – To be convinced of the necessity of producing fruit, of the gravity of the omissions that can result from laziness; of the danger of the habit of laziness; of the gravity that it implies by putting us in occasion to commit any sin.
2 – Contemplate the example and teachings of Christ and the saints.
3 – Work on the will and character, getting used to conquering oneself in small efforts, until acquiring firmness and constancy in one’s actions.
Fr. Miguel A. Fuentes, IVE
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