This article is by the late Father Kilian McGowan. He had such a GIFT!
For The Spiritually Paralyzed!
There's one capital sin that's found in government officials as well as juvenile delinquents,in Catholics as well as in atheists. This sin is a spiritual paralysis that is spreading its disease into every phase of American life. Its name is "Sloth." It's prevalent among our young, and found in many not so 
young.
young.Sloth in general is a repugnance for work or
effort. This evil disposition of the soul makes
one shun effort and seek a life that is always
sweetly comfortable. Of course, it is not the
tendency to a comfortable life that is sinful, but rather an excessive self-indulgence in this tendency.
In the spiritual life, sloth is lack of interest in and attention to the things of God. It prefers indifference
In the spiritual life, sloth is lack of interest in and attention to the things of God. It prefers indifference
and lack of effort in spiritual exercises to diligence in studying and keeping the commandments
of God. It places personal comfort and pleasure on a pedestal and ignores the self-denial of the
followers of Christ. Yet it's a sin of many who are otherwise very active and industrious.
Like any paralysis this disease has small beginnings. It usually starts with insufficient concern
Like any paralysis this disease has small beginnings. It usually starts with insufficient concern
for one's spiritual duties. Freely-indulged in, this tendency leads to greater negligence in more
important religious duties, or even to the total abandonment of them. When sloth causes a
man to neglect those religious duties that are necessary for salvation, it becomes gravely sinful.
This spiritual sickness spawns many allied diseases of the spirit. Inevitably, the slothful man
This spiritual sickness spawns many allied diseases of the spirit. Inevitably, the slothful man
seeks escape from his sadness in the pursuit of forbidden pleasures. Heavy of heart, fed-up
and frustrated, he usually turns to greed or gluttony, joys of the soul, he plunges more deeply
into the pleasures of the senses. Isn't this the life-history of many an addict?
While sloth starts off as sluggishness in our observance of the commandments of God,
While sloth starts off as sluggishness in our observance of the commandments of God,
freely indulged in, this tendency becomes more and more malicious. Sloth deadens our
sense of responsibility. Seeing his failures, the slothful man becomes more discouraged
and faint-hearted. Finding it difficult to face his own conscience, he pushes his failures
underground where they can not be seen.
Nor does the disease stop there. The slothful soul defends his way of life by hating the
Nor does the disease stop there. The slothful soul defends his way of life by hating the
goodness of his neighbor, or by calling it hypocrisy. He tries to cut everyone down to
his own miserable level. He hates those who try to uphold religious values and moral
standards in society.
Sloth really is another name for indifference to God. It's a kind of distaste for God because
Sloth really is another name for indifference to God. It's a kind of distaste for God because
of the effort involved. This inertia, or creeping paralysis, can afflict any soul. It enervates
our spiritual energy and saps our vitality. The temptation to sloth is never far from us - and
it must be met head on - with diligence and generosity!
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Can I get an AMEN!?
By the way...we offer an entirely Free Catholic Spiritual Guidance Series by Fr. McGowan! You can sign up for free here...our gift!
Love and Blessings, Wendy C.
"Healing Mind, Body & Soul"
( PS...Please, come join me daily over at: https://www.facebook.com/MomOf13 I love interacting with everyone!)
ting with everyone!)
(PPS...Before you go..don't forget to sign up for our FREE CATHOLIC SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE SERIES!
Guidance by our friend the late Fr. Kilian McGowan. Head over here for a life changing experience...our gift!
12 Comments
Wendy, this article really hit home. I have been trying to figure out what is wrong with me for 6 months, now I know. Thank you and God Bless.
Posted by Michael Forsythe on May 20, 2016
“Prayerful & faithful” my husband too has cancer. He has also become depressed & chases his old friends away. In Lam 10:9 or 9, the phrase: “the joy of the Lord is our strength.” We have been married 40 years in a tough marriage. But I asked 2 things of the Lord when I had a “revert” conversion: 1. Don’t let the love die. 2 Divorce is NOT an option & God has honored both “desires of my heart.” (Psl 37)…which also has a command: “delight in the Lord & He will grant you the desires of your heart.” Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that we can beg the Lord for. And I learned a long time ago, that I can NOT change my husband or son or anyone else. I only have the power, w God’s help, to change my own behavior, mind heart. I stopped blaming my husband & started looking at me. Wow, when I am kind & thoughtful, compassionate & sympathetic, then he returns the gift…often unconsciously. The “atmosphere” changes when I really “let go & let God” change me. Also, Teresa the Little Flower helps me a lot. I try to hop to it to clean, fix meals, be orderly & willing to do things he enjoys (like living on a boat for 17 years) & God has never outdone me in generosity. If I give a drop, He gives a flood, but never w/o pain, struggle. I decided at my conversion, I was suffering anyway, it’s so much easier w God. Studying & reading Scripture has been a Godsend. I belong to a Bible study prayer group who are on fire w the love of the Lord. And that has changed my life & given me a deep secret joy. There is so much to learn about our infinite Faith! It’s so exciting to be Catholic. And trust me, I have a daily struggle w “obedience” but my husband laughs w me: "man I don’t want to do this, grrr, growl, sigh, but here goes! I flunk obedience daily, but somehow God makes a way, He goes before me & fights my battles. And lastly, I say the St Michael prayer constantly. Satan is always after me. I use the saints, esp St Anthony & our B Mother… I try to go to the “throne of grace” & ask for an outpouring of the HS, cuz as the oldest girl of 9 growing up, as my sisters tell me w a grin": I’m the bossiest sister on the face of the planet… joy is the secret weapon against blame. We all have a cross … M Teresa said to a reporter once:“no one is excused from suffering.” Boy has that helped me… God is good … all the time! (:
Posted by Rosemary Jones on May 20, 2016
I realize it in my life. I have confessed it as a despair of achieving holiness and/or spending too much time watching shows, but hadn’t thought of sloth. I messed up real bad decades ago and have never let it go, but welcoming of Christ’s having done so and saving me, if he so wishes. I got my faith back, but never found a mentor-type and often fall into bad habits like those the author described. Though treating myself to pleasures, I hate my life, but, due to my sins and fear I may have retained sins in a confession decades ago, fear death (so suicide is out of the question). I was anxious before I got my faith back, but never lifted off. I realize my frustrations could with some could very well be rooted in this sloth sloth and later related sins. Though I get how guilt could cause women to go back to the ahortuary, despite the guilt, I haven’t done what I live with guilt. I do lack a lot of good judgment and/or Holy Spirit gifts, though.
I saw The “Lazarus Effect” and the resurrected woman’s guilt caused her to relive, in Hell, her setting a fire as a girl and that act probably resulted in her doing all the things she was supposed to and her surprise that she would be in Hell. I’m not sure my teenage actions could be said not to be my fault despite, like the woman as a little girl, not malicious. I hope this may help anyone who lives with guilt. It is a catch 22. You can’t undo your past and can’t feel you deserve anything good, but the sloth leads to more regrettable decisions.
Posted by phil on January 30, 2016
This article is so true for myself..I am lost and depressed and wallowing in pity and then disgust at myself and all the problems that follow the inertia. I am spiritually and physically and emotionally paralyzed…dealing with a terrible financial crisis in our lives which has added to the turmoil..I pray, but don’t feel any benefits at all. Please keep me and my family in your prayers..God Bless.
Posted by lillian kasper on January 29, 2016
Wow that is awful sloth better be confesed then immeduately in the sacrament of reconcillation so healing in our families can begin anew.
Posted by Amy Unholzer on January 27, 2016
Thank you very much for the article, it was so clearly written and I can identify with it totally and I will also be sharing it as I think it’s so helpful. God bless you and your family x
Posted by Mary on January 27, 2016
Please pray for my family, Billy, Cathy, Ed, & Marianna to do Gods Will.
Posted by Cathy on January 27, 2016
Thanks for the spiratual message which we all need to take to heart. I will definately pass it on to my friends.
Thanks for all your inspiring letters which is deeply appriciated.
God Bless,
June Granger
Posted by June Granger on January 27, 2016
Awesome article! I’m printing it off and giving this to my husband who I feel is so far gone in his own illness that it has made him socially inept and a bitter man. Everytime I start a project for church he makes my life miserable to the point I get physically sick from the behavior. His mind and soul are so clouded with slothfulness I don’t trust him anymore to make sound decisions for us. For years I’ve tried to put a name to his behavior and here it is. This article describes him right now perfectly. Cancer hit him six years ago and it killed the man I knew and loved. I’m left with someone I would have run from years ago, a selfish, bitter, petty, hurtful, and arrogant man that I have to learn to respect and love him the way God commands. Thank you Wendy. Please offer prayers for him. The Holy Spirit is constantly with me and this I know. Love and prayers to you and yours!
Posted by Prayerful and faithful in this storm on January 27, 2016
I’m with Mary^^^. The article is exactly what I needed, too. Just the past few days, I’ve become aware that I am experiencing this in my life. It’s so easy to give up, or at least to compromise your relationship with God. I know I need to fight it. Thank you, Wendy.
Posted by Annie on January 27, 2016
I feel exactly what you describe, Mary. I know it’s been a year, almost to the date, and I’m only finding what you wrote, I know, but God works in mysterious ways.
I could have written this myself, I am in that place, but where does one go for help? I feel lost, helpless, and unable to help myself. I am so confused by a great number of things happening in the church today. I need help, not admonishment, but good and Holy Priests are hard to come by in the Catholic Church today.
Dry, disparate and depressed, and “Spiritually paralyzed”.
SM
Posted by Sharon Miller on January 26, 2016
I really needed this article today. Unhappiness at home can lead to depression which leads to physical inactivity and more important spiritual laziness. I need help.
Posted by mary scolavino on January 30, 2015