Sloth does not mean mere laziness or unambition. NO, Sloth is considered by Thomas Aquinas to be more deadly than Pride. Why? Because a person can be very ambitious and hard working, but still have Sloth as his most deadly sin. The sin of Sloth is the sin that is lethargic when it comes to spiritual things the soul needs. We all know that our bodies need about three meals a day. We can feel it when we are hungry. But the Slothful person cannot feel his spiritual hunger for God. He is indifferent to God. He has no energy for God. He has a great deal of energy for a football game or his work at the office; but he has no energy to pray or be with God. This is more deadly than Pride because sometimes Pride leads to repentance; but Sloth lead to no where because the soul is not aware that it is slothful. Just think, we spend a third of our lives sleeping, a third working and many months of our lives eating and playing; but we even spend more time on our grass than on our relationship with God. That is Sloth....and it is deadly because Sloth can put a soul in hell.
How can we avoid Sloth? Make time for God.
Avarice: on the other side of the coin is Avarice. Avarice co-exists also with energy to work and get things. But Avarice is that sin that always wants the best and ignores the poor. The rich man in the parable that Jesus told saw a begger sitting at his gate every day. He never gave that begger a thing to eat nor would let his servants to give him anything either. This rich man was Avarice because God had sent this poor man to keep the rich man from hell. But the rich man missed the opportunity because he wanted all his wealth for himself.
This is the essence of Avarice at its very core. When the rich man died he was buriend in hades; but beggar when he died was carried into the bosom of Abraham. The rich man ask Abraham to dip his finger in some water and let him quench his thirst. Abraham said there was a great abyss between him and the rich man that no one could cross even if they wanted to. Abraham told the rich man that while he lived he had everything he wanted in good things; now he was suffering want. But the beggar had nothing and now has every good thing. And this is meant to mean forever!
Well, how are we Avarcious today? If we ignore the poor that God sends to us, then we are being Avaricious. These poor are sent to us as a gift of God to keep us out of hell. For Jesus will say to us: "I was hungry and you gave me to eat."
But what if we can afford a $30,000 Honda Accord, top of the line? Now Generosity (the anecdote to Avarcie), would decide otherwise. The Generous man would buy a car that costs $25,000 - a lesser model - and give the $5,000 to feed the children in Africa.
A generous person would not just give his old clothes he never wears to the Salvation Army or for the homeless down town, he would give something he likes from his closet every so often.
I remember this happening to me once: I had just left Holy Redeemer Church on Vernor and Junction in Westside Detroit in the 1980's. As I went to my car, I saw a homeless man resting by a pillar of the portico of the rectory. It was outdoors but had a roof above but no shelter at all from the cold. I looked around to give him something as he was looking at me with hope. He was unshaven and unbathed and was not wearing very much. All I had to give him was my tan casmier coat: the best coat I owned. I had nothing else: not a blanket or anything. So, I gave it to him....which he was so greatful for.
About three years ago, my sister, Mary Louise, out of the blue gave me a coat that her son had outgrown. It was very beautiful. I get compliments over it all the time. You know; you cannot outdo God in Generosity. Every thing we give away is recorded somewhere. The only things we take with us to heaven is what we have given away: our love and kindness.
St. Ambrose of Milan who ordained St. Augustine said that "we have two cloaks in our closet: one that we own and one that belongs to the poor." St. Abrose also said: "If you give some coins to a beggar on the street, you only have given what belongs to him and was distributed to him yet."
So, the coin of Sloth/Avarice is only to be re-minted to become Zeal for God/Generosity.
O Lord, save us from Sloth and Avarcie by giving us Your Spirit of Love of God and Generosity. In Jesus's Name, Amen.
Love, Pio
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