LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT STEP 13
Step Thirteen On Despondency or Tedium of Spirit
“Escaping from Boredom”
Despondency or Sloth can entail different vices. While sloth is sometimes defined as physical laziness, spiritual laziness is emphasized. Failing to develop spiritually is key to becoming guilty of sloth. In the Christian faith, sloth rejects grace and God.
Sloth has also been defined as a failure to do things that one should do. By this definition, evil exists when good men fail to act.
Over time, the "acedia" in Pope Gregory's order has come to be closer in meaning to sloth. The focus came to be on the consequences of acedia rather than the cause, and so, by the 17th century, the exact deadly sin referred to was believed to be the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts.
Scripture on Despondency:
…so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow... 2 Corinthians 2:7
For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 2 Corinthians 7:5-6
"In the morning you shall say, `Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, `Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread..”Deuteronomy 28:67
St. John explains "tedium of the spirit" in this way: "Tedium is a paralysis of the soul, a slackness of the mind, a neglect of religious exercises, a hostility to vows taken. It is an approval of things worldly." The word for despondency in the Greek is "akidia" and it indicates a listlessness or torpor. The best English word that could be used to explain this is the word "BOREDOM," because something has become “tedious,” or perhaps we could even use the word "DISTRACTION." Very often, it begins with a loss of a sense of purpose and ends in despair and spiritual death. St.
John gives numerous examples which are sure to strike home to us.
In our day and age, this demon is very much at work. How often does he confuse us with the suggestion that our spiritual labors are in vain!? How often does he suggest to us that our efforts are accomplishing no good result? How often does he point out to us many others who seem to be "gaining ground" without laboring as hard as we are? How often does he suggest that we shouldn't take the spiritual life quite seriously? How often does he remind us of our failures and suggest that perhaps we are wasting our time in pursuing the spiritual life? How often does he weigh our hearts down with earthly cares and thoughts even in the midst of our prayers? How often does he encourage us to take a day off, to sleep in and skip our prayers, to take a spiritual vacation? How often does the demon of boredom confuse our thoughts so that we forget what the goal is and how we are to achieve it?
How do we battle such a powerful demon? St. John suggest two things: Perseverance in the course taken and cooperation with others who are struggling. The only way to beat boredom is to labor through it. Once we have been started on a certain path of prayer and struggle, we must keep on keeping on without allowing ourselves to be distracted. Furthermore, we beat boredom by reminding ourselves of what others have done and are doing. Tedium is rebuffed by the common life and by the constant remembrance of the lives of the saints. Knowing that we are not alone, gives us the encouragement and motivation to persevere when we feel like quitting.
1-2 Despondency defined: its causes and qualities.
As we have already frequently said, this—we mean despondency—is very often one of the branches of talkativeness, and its first child. And so we have given it its appropriate place in this chain of vices.
Despondency is a slackness of soul, a weakening of the mind, neglect of asceticism, hatred of the vow made. It is the blessing of worldlings. It accuses God of being merciless and without love for men. It is being languid (having no inclination to exert oneself, lazy) in singing psalms, weak in prayer, stubbornly bent on service, resolute in manual labour, indifferent in obedience.
Tedium is a paralysis of the soul, a slackness of the mind, a neglect of religious exercises, a hostility to vows taken. It is an approval of worldly things. It is a voice claiming that God has no mercy and no love for men. It is a laziness in the singing of the psalms, a weakness in prayer, a stubborn urge for service, a dedication to the work of the hands, an indifference to the requirement of obedience. An obedient person does not know such tedium, for he has used the things of the senses to reach the level of the spirit.
3 A person under obedience does not know despondency, having achieved spiritual things by means of sensory things.
4 The time of day when this when the demon of despondency shows itself and is most powerful.
Community life is opposed to despondency. But she is a constant companion of the hermit. She will never leave him till his death, and wrestles with him daily till his end. Seeing an anchorite’s cell, she smiles, and creeps up and camps near by.
Tedium is rebuffed by community life, but she is a constant companion of the hermit, living with him until the day of his death, struggling with him until the very end. She smiles at the sight of a hermit's cell and comes creeping up to live nearby. She taps him on the shoulder while he is in prayer or study.
5 How this demon uses every means to lead a monk away from solitude, silence and prayer.
A doctor visits the sick in the morning, but despondeny (tedium) visits ascetics(hermit) about noonday (Known as the “Noonday Demon” also known as depression, despondency, despair, distractions …boredom)..
Tedium reminds those at prayer of some job to be done, and in her brutish way she searches out any plausible excuse to drag us from prayer, as though with some kind of halter.
6-9 How it shows its itself and works on a monk at different times of the day.
Despondency is a pretext for hospitality. She insists that by means of manual labour, alms could be given; and she urges us eagerly to visit the sick, recalling Him who said, I was sick and you visited Me. She puts it into our heads to go out visiting the dejected and faint-hearted, and sets one faintheart to comfort another.
She reminds those standing at prayer of necessary duties. And, brutish as she is, she leaves no stone unturned to find some plausible pretext to drag us from prayer as with a kind of halter.
At the third hour the demon of despondency produces shivering, headache, and even colic. At the ninth hour the sick man gathers his strength. And when the table is laid he jumps out of bed. But the hour of prayer has come; again the body is weighed down. He had begun to pray, but it steeps him in sleep, and tears his response to shreds with untimely yawns.
Each of the other passions is destroyed by some particular virtue. But despondency for the monk is a general death.
At the third hour, the devil of tedium causes shivering, headache, and vertigo. By the ninth hour, the patient has recovered his strength, and when dinner is ready, he jumps out of bed. But now when the time for prayer comes, his body begins to languish once more. He begins his prayers, but the tedium makes him sleepy and the verses of the psalms are snatched from his mouth by untimely yawns.
10-11 Why despondency is the gravest of the eight deadly sins.
A courageous soul resurrects his dying mind, but despondency and sloth squander all his riches.
Since despondency is one of the eight capital vices, and moreover the gravest, let us deal with it just as we have dealt with the others; but let us only add this. When there is no psalmody, then despondency does not make its appearance. And as soon as the appointed Office is finished, the eyes open.
Tedium is a kind of total death for the monk. A brave soul can stir up his dying mind, but tedium and laziness scatter every one of his treasures. Tedium is one of the eight deadly vices, and indeed the gravest of them all.
12-13 The great spiritual gain that comes from fighting against it.
Spiritual heroes come to light at the time of despondency, for nothing procures so many crowns for a monk as the battle with despondency.
Observe, and you will find that if you stand on your feet despondency will battle with you. If you sit, it will suggest that it is better for you to lean back; and it urges you to lean against the wall of the cell; then it persuades you to peep out of the window, by producing noises and footsteps.
The real men of spirit can be seen at the time when tedium strikes, for nothing gains so many crowns for a monk as the struggle against this. Note how tedium hits you when you are standing, and if you sit down, it suggests that it would be a good thing to lean back. It suggest that you prop yourself up against the walls of your cell. It produces noise and footsteps - and there you go peeping out the window.
14-16 The means by which it is prevented and overcome. John reveals its many sources and offspring and how they may be mastered.
He who mourns over himself does not know despondency.
Let this tyrant be bound by the remembrance of your sins. Let us buffet him by manual labour. He should be brought into court by the thought of blessings to come. And when brought as before a tribunal let him be duly questioned:
‘Tell me, you nerveless, shuffling fellow, who viciously spawned you? Who are your offspring? Who are your foes? Who is your destroyer?’ And despondency, under compulsion, may be thought to reply: ‘Among those who are truly obedient I have nowhere to lay my head; but with those amongst whom I have a place for myself, I live quietly. I have many mothers: sometimes insensibility of soul, sometimes forgetfulness of the things above, sometimes excessive troubles. My offspring who abide with me are: changing from place to place, disobedience to one’s spiritual father, forgetfulness of the judgement, and sometimes breach of the vow. And my opponents, by whom I am now bound, are psalmody and manual labour. My enemy is the thought of death. What completely mortifies me is prayer with firm hope of future blessings. And who gave birth to prayer? Ask her.’
The man who mourns for himself does not suffer from tedium. This tyrant should be overcome by the remembrance of past sins, battered by hard manual labor and brought to book by the thought of the blessings to come. And when led before the tribunal, let these be questions put to him: "You there! You crass and sluggish creature, what was it that evilly begot the likes of you? Who are your children? Who are your enemies? Who can destroy you?" And tedium may be constrained to reply: "I cannot lay my head among those who are truly obedient, and I live quietly where I may. I have many mothers - - Stolidity of Soul, Forgetfulness of the Things of Heaven, or, sometimes, Too Heavy a Burden of Troubles. My children who live with me are Changing from Place to Place, Disobedience to One's Superior, Forgetfulness of the Judgment to Come, and sometimes, the Abandonment of One's Vocation. The singing of psalms and manual labor are my opponents by whom I am now bound. My enemy is the thought of death, but what really slays me is prayer backed by a firm hope in the blessings of the future.
This is the thirteenth victory. He who has won it is really outstanding in all virtue.
If we pursue the spiritual life long enough, eventually we struggle with despondency. This is that vice which calls us to end the spiritual struggle because it feels like we are making no progress and it is of no benefit. We all know this condition. We have all seen it and experienced it before. First comes difficulty in prayer and spiritual reading. We grow discouraged in our efforts and slowly we give in to the temptation to slacken our efforts. If we continue in this way for too long, soon we will have wasted all that we have attained. Despondency will find for us any excuse to avoid the discomfort of spiritual work. All too easily we sleep in instead of rising to pray and meditate. We choose to watch TV or go to a movie rather than spend time reading and reflecting. Slowly we allow our lives to be filled with numerous distractions. We grow in love of possessions and our own selfish desires.
St. John comments that each of the passions can be defeated by a specific virtue, but that despondency is a general death which we must defeat by using all the practices, skills and virtues we have learned so far on the Ladder. Do not expect that by doing nothing God will grant you the desire to continue the journey. You cannot wait for some miraculous and divine intervention. You must at the very least pray continually for the desire to continue the journey and the struggle, if nothing else. These times of despondency are perhaps the most crucial test of your resolve and your desire for union with God. It is up to you to push through these times with renewed effort. It is only when we are obedient when we don’t feel like being obedient that we begin to experience the life of submission and humility that is the path to God.
“Escaping from Boredom”
Despondency or Sloth can entail different vices. While sloth is sometimes defined as physical laziness, spiritual laziness is emphasized. Failing to develop spiritually is key to becoming guilty of sloth. In the Christian faith, sloth rejects grace and God.
Sloth has also been defined as a failure to do things that one should do. By this definition, evil exists when good men fail to act.
Over time, the "acedia" in Pope Gregory's order has come to be closer in meaning to sloth. The focus came to be on the consequences of acedia rather than the cause, and so, by the 17th century, the exact deadly sin referred to was believed to be the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts.
Scripture on Despondency:
…so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow... 2 Corinthians 2:7
For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 2 Corinthians 7:5-6
"In the morning you shall say, `Would that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, `Would that it were morning!' because of the dread of your heart which you dread..”Deuteronomy 28:67
St. John explains "tedium of the spirit" in this way: "Tedium is a paralysis of the soul, a slackness of the mind, a neglect of religious exercises, a hostility to vows taken. It is an approval of things worldly." The word for despondency in the Greek is "akidia" and it indicates a listlessness or torpor. The best English word that could be used to explain this is the word "BOREDOM," because something has become “tedious,” or perhaps we could even use the word "DISTRACTION." Very often, it begins with a loss of a sense of purpose and ends in despair and spiritual death. St.
John gives numerous examples which are sure to strike home to us.
In our day and age, this demon is very much at work. How often does he confuse us with the suggestion that our spiritual labors are in vain!? How often does he suggest to us that our efforts are accomplishing no good result? How often does he point out to us many others who seem to be "gaining ground" without laboring as hard as we are? How often does he suggest that we shouldn't take the spiritual life quite seriously? How often does he remind us of our failures and suggest that perhaps we are wasting our time in pursuing the spiritual life? How often does he weigh our hearts down with earthly cares and thoughts even in the midst of our prayers? How often does he encourage us to take a day off, to sleep in and skip our prayers, to take a spiritual vacation? How often does the demon of boredom confuse our thoughts so that we forget what the goal is and how we are to achieve it?
How do we battle such a powerful demon? St. John suggest two things: Perseverance in the course taken and cooperation with others who are struggling. The only way to beat boredom is to labor through it. Once we have been started on a certain path of prayer and struggle, we must keep on keeping on without allowing ourselves to be distracted. Furthermore, we beat boredom by reminding ourselves of what others have done and are doing. Tedium is rebuffed by the common life and by the constant remembrance of the lives of the saints. Knowing that we are not alone, gives us the encouragement and motivation to persevere when we feel like quitting.
1-2 Despondency defined: its causes and qualities.
As we have already frequently said, this—we mean despondency—is very often one of the branches of talkativeness, and its first child. And so we have given it its appropriate place in this chain of vices.
Despondency is a slackness of soul, a weakening of the mind, neglect of asceticism, hatred of the vow made. It is the blessing of worldlings. It accuses God of being merciless and without love for men. It is being languid (having no inclination to exert oneself, lazy) in singing psalms, weak in prayer, stubbornly bent on service, resolute in manual labour, indifferent in obedience.
Tedium is a paralysis of the soul, a slackness of the mind, a neglect of religious exercises, a hostility to vows taken. It is an approval of worldly things. It is a voice claiming that God has no mercy and no love for men. It is a laziness in the singing of the psalms, a weakness in prayer, a stubborn urge for service, a dedication to the work of the hands, an indifference to the requirement of obedience. An obedient person does not know such tedium, for he has used the things of the senses to reach the level of the spirit.
3 A person under obedience does not know despondency, having achieved spiritual things by means of sensory things.
4 The time of day when this when the demon of despondency shows itself and is most powerful.
Community life is opposed to despondency. But she is a constant companion of the hermit. She will never leave him till his death, and wrestles with him daily till his end. Seeing an anchorite’s cell, she smiles, and creeps up and camps near by.
Tedium is rebuffed by community life, but she is a constant companion of the hermit, living with him until the day of his death, struggling with him until the very end. She smiles at the sight of a hermit's cell and comes creeping up to live nearby. She taps him on the shoulder while he is in prayer or study.
5 How this demon uses every means to lead a monk away from solitude, silence and prayer.
A doctor visits the sick in the morning, but despondeny (tedium) visits ascetics(hermit) about noonday (Known as the “Noonday Demon” also known as depression, despondency, despair, distractions …boredom)..
Tedium reminds those at prayer of some job to be done, and in her brutish way she searches out any plausible excuse to drag us from prayer, as though with some kind of halter.
6-9 How it shows its itself and works on a monk at different times of the day.
Despondency is a pretext for hospitality. She insists that by means of manual labour, alms could be given; and she urges us eagerly to visit the sick, recalling Him who said, I was sick and you visited Me. She puts it into our heads to go out visiting the dejected and faint-hearted, and sets one faintheart to comfort another.
She reminds those standing at prayer of necessary duties. And, brutish as she is, she leaves no stone unturned to find some plausible pretext to drag us from prayer as with a kind of halter.
At the third hour the demon of despondency produces shivering, headache, and even colic. At the ninth hour the sick man gathers his strength. And when the table is laid he jumps out of bed. But the hour of prayer has come; again the body is weighed down. He had begun to pray, but it steeps him in sleep, and tears his response to shreds with untimely yawns.
Each of the other passions is destroyed by some particular virtue. But despondency for the monk is a general death.
At the third hour, the devil of tedium causes shivering, headache, and vertigo. By the ninth hour, the patient has recovered his strength, and when dinner is ready, he jumps out of bed. But now when the time for prayer comes, his body begins to languish once more. He begins his prayers, but the tedium makes him sleepy and the verses of the psalms are snatched from his mouth by untimely yawns.
10-11 Why despondency is the gravest of the eight deadly sins.
A courageous soul resurrects his dying mind, but despondency and sloth squander all his riches.
Since despondency is one of the eight capital vices, and moreover the gravest, let us deal with it just as we have dealt with the others; but let us only add this. When there is no psalmody, then despondency does not make its appearance. And as soon as the appointed Office is finished, the eyes open.
Tedium is a kind of total death for the monk. A brave soul can stir up his dying mind, but tedium and laziness scatter every one of his treasures. Tedium is one of the eight deadly vices, and indeed the gravest of them all.
12-13 The great spiritual gain that comes from fighting against it.
Spiritual heroes come to light at the time of despondency, for nothing procures so many crowns for a monk as the battle with despondency.
Observe, and you will find that if you stand on your feet despondency will battle with you. If you sit, it will suggest that it is better for you to lean back; and it urges you to lean against the wall of the cell; then it persuades you to peep out of the window, by producing noises and footsteps.
The real men of spirit can be seen at the time when tedium strikes, for nothing gains so many crowns for a monk as the struggle against this. Note how tedium hits you when you are standing, and if you sit down, it suggests that it would be a good thing to lean back. It suggest that you prop yourself up against the walls of your cell. It produces noise and footsteps - and there you go peeping out the window.
14-16 The means by which it is prevented and overcome. John reveals its many sources and offspring and how they may be mastered.
He who mourns over himself does not know despondency.
Let this tyrant be bound by the remembrance of your sins. Let us buffet him by manual labour. He should be brought into court by the thought of blessings to come. And when brought as before a tribunal let him be duly questioned:
‘Tell me, you nerveless, shuffling fellow, who viciously spawned you? Who are your offspring? Who are your foes? Who is your destroyer?’ And despondency, under compulsion, may be thought to reply: ‘Among those who are truly obedient I have nowhere to lay my head; but with those amongst whom I have a place for myself, I live quietly. I have many mothers: sometimes insensibility of soul, sometimes forgetfulness of the things above, sometimes excessive troubles. My offspring who abide with me are: changing from place to place, disobedience to one’s spiritual father, forgetfulness of the judgement, and sometimes breach of the vow. And my opponents, by whom I am now bound, are psalmody and manual labour. My enemy is the thought of death. What completely mortifies me is prayer with firm hope of future blessings. And who gave birth to prayer? Ask her.’
The man who mourns for himself does not suffer from tedium. This tyrant should be overcome by the remembrance of past sins, battered by hard manual labor and brought to book by the thought of the blessings to come. And when led before the tribunal, let these be questions put to him: "You there! You crass and sluggish creature, what was it that evilly begot the likes of you? Who are your children? Who are your enemies? Who can destroy you?" And tedium may be constrained to reply: "I cannot lay my head among those who are truly obedient, and I live quietly where I may. I have many mothers - - Stolidity of Soul, Forgetfulness of the Things of Heaven, or, sometimes, Too Heavy a Burden of Troubles. My children who live with me are Changing from Place to Place, Disobedience to One's Superior, Forgetfulness of the Judgment to Come, and sometimes, the Abandonment of One's Vocation. The singing of psalms and manual labor are my opponents by whom I am now bound. My enemy is the thought of death, but what really slays me is prayer backed by a firm hope in the blessings of the future.
This is the thirteenth victory. He who has won it is really outstanding in all virtue.
If we pursue the spiritual life long enough, eventually we struggle with despondency. This is that vice which calls us to end the spiritual struggle because it feels like we are making no progress and it is of no benefit. We all know this condition. We have all seen it and experienced it before. First comes difficulty in prayer and spiritual reading. We grow discouraged in our efforts and slowly we give in to the temptation to slacken our efforts. If we continue in this way for too long, soon we will have wasted all that we have attained. Despondency will find for us any excuse to avoid the discomfort of spiritual work. All too easily we sleep in instead of rising to pray and meditate. We choose to watch TV or go to a movie rather than spend time reading and reflecting. Slowly we allow our lives to be filled with numerous distractions. We grow in love of possessions and our own selfish desires.
St. John comments that each of the passions can be defeated by a specific virtue, but that despondency is a general death which we must defeat by using all the practices, skills and virtues we have learned so far on the Ladder. Do not expect that by doing nothing God will grant you the desire to continue the journey. You cannot wait for some miraculous and divine intervention. You must at the very least pray continually for the desire to continue the journey and the struggle, if nothing else. These times of despondency are perhaps the most crucial test of your resolve and your desire for union with God. It is up to you to push through these times with renewed effort. It is only when we are obedient when we don’t feel like being obedient that we begin to experience the life of submission and humility that is the path to God.
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