Quaestio 35 Question 35 De acedia Sloth Deinde considerandum est de vitiis oppositis gaudio caritatis. Quod quidem est et de bono divino, cui gaudio opponitur acedia; et de bono proximi, cui gaudio opponitur invidia. Unde primo considerandum est de acedia; secundo, de invidia. We must now consider the vices opposed to the joy of charity. This joy is either about the Divine good, and then its contrary is sloth, or about our neighbor’s good, and then its contrary is envy. Wherefore we must consider (1) Sloth and (2) Envy. Circa primum quaeruntur quatuor. Under the first head there are four points of inquiry: Primo, utrum acedia sit peccatum. (1) Whether sloth is a sin? Secundo, utrum sit speciale vitium. (2) Whether it is a special vice? Tertio, utrum sit mortale peccatum. (3) Whether it is a mortal sin? Quarto, utrum sit vitium capitale. (4) Whether it is a capital sin? Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum acedia sit peccatum Whether sloth is a sin? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod acedia non sit peccatum. Passionibus enim non laudamur neque vituperamur; secundum Philosophum, in II Ethic. Sed acedia est quaedam passio, est enim species tristitiae, ut Damascenus dicit, et supra habitum est. Ergo acedia non est peccatum. Objection 1: It would seem that sloth is not a sin. For we are neither praised nor blamed for our passions, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. ii, 5). Now sloth is a passion, since it is a kind of sorrow, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 14), and as we stated above (I-II, Q. 35, A. 8). Therefore sloth is not a sin. Praeterea, nullus defectus corporalis qui statutis horis accidit habet rationem peccati. Sed acedia est huiusmodi, dicit enim Cassianus, in X Lib. de institutis monasteriorum, maxime acedia circa horam sextam monachum inquietat, ut quaedam febris ingruens tempore praestituto, ardentissimos aestus accensionum suarum solitis ac statutis horis animae inferens aegrotanti. Ergo acedia non est peccatum. Obj. 2: Further, no bodily failing that occurs at fixed times is a sin. But sloth is like this, for Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x, ): The monk is troubled with sloth chiefly about the sixth hour: it is like an intermittent fever, and inflicts the soul of the one it lays low with burning fires at regular and fixed intervals. Therefore sloth is not a sin. Praeterea, illud quod ex radice bona procedit non videtur esse peccatum. Sed acedia ex bona radice procedit, dicit enim Cassianus, in eodem libro, quod acedia provenit ex hoc quod aliquis ingemiscit se fructum spiritualem non habere, et absentia longeque posita magnificat monasteria; quod videtur ad humilitatem pertinere. Ergo acedia non est peccatum. Obj. 3: Further, that which proceeds from a good root is, seemingly, no sin. Now sloth proceeds from a good root, for Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x) that sloth arises from the fact that we sigh at being deprived of spiritual fruit, and think that other monasteries and those which are a long way off are much better than the one we dwell in: all of which seems to point to humility. Therefore sloth is not a sin. Praeterea, omne peccatum est fugiendum, secundum illud Eccli. XXI, quasi a facie colubri, fuge peccatum. Sed Cassianus dicit, in eodem libro, experimento probatum est acediae impugnationem non declinando fugiendam, sed resistendo superandam. Ergo acedia non est peccatum. Obj. 4: Further, all sin is to be avoided, according to Ecclus. 21:2: Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent. Now Cassian says (De Instit. Monast. x): Experience shows that the onslaught of sloth is not to be evaded by flight but to be conquered by resistance. Therefore sloth is not a sin. Sed contra, illud quod interdicitur in sacra Scriptura est peccatum. Sed acedia est huiusmodi, dicitur enim Eccli. VI, subiice humerum tuum et porta illam, idest spiritualem sapientiam, et non acedieris in vinculis eius. Ergo acedia est peccatum. On the contrary, Whatever is forbidden in Holy Writ is a sin. Now such is sloth (acedia): for it is written (Sir 6:26): Bow down thy shoulder, and bear her, namely spiritual wisdom, and be not grieved (acedieris) with her bands. Therefore sloth is a sin. Respondeo dicendum quod acedia, secundum Damascenum, est quaedam tristitia aggravans, quae scilicet ita deprimit animum hominis ut nihil ei agere libeat; sicuti ea quae sunt acida etiam frigida sunt. Et ideo acedia importat quoddam taedium operandi, ut patet per hoc quod dicitur in Glossa super illud Psalm., omnem escam abominata est anima eorum; et a quibusdam dicitur quod acedia est torpor mentis bona negligentis inchoare. I answer that, Sloth, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth. ii, 14) is an oppressive sorrow, which, to wit, so weighs upon man’s mind, that he wants to do nothing; thus acid things are also cold. Hence sloth implies a certain weariness of work, as appears from a gloss on Ps. 106:18, Their soul abhorred all manner of meat, and from the definition of some who say that sloth is a sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good. Huiusmodi autem tristitia semper est mala, quandoque quidem etiam secundum seipsam; quandoque vero secundum effectum. Tristitia enim secundum se mala est quae est de eo quod est apparens malum et vere bonum, sicut e contrario delectatio mala est quae est de eo quod est apparens bonum et vere malum. Cum igitur spirituale bonum sit vere bonum, tristitia quae est de spirituali bono est secundum se mala. Sed etiam tristitia quae est de vere malo mala est secundum effectum si sic hominem aggravet ut eum totaliter a bono opere retrahat, unde et apostolus, II ad Cor. II, non vult ut poenitens maiori tristitia de peccato absorbeatur. Now this sorrow is always evil, sometimes in itself, sometimes in its effect. For sorrow is evil in itself when it is about that which is apparently evil but good in reality, even as, on the other hand, pleasure is evil if it is about that which seems to be good but is, in truth, evil. Since, then, spiritual good is a good in very truth, sorrow about spiritual good is evil in itself. And yet that sorrow also which is about a real evil, is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds. Hence the Apostle (2 Cor 2:7) did not wish those who repented to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Quia igitur acedia, secundum quod hic sumitur, nominat tristitiam spiritualis boni, est dupliciter mala, et secundum se et secundum effectum. Et ideo acedia est peccatum, malum enim in motibus appetitivis dicimus esse peccatum, ut ex supradictis patet. Accordingly, since sloth, as we understand it here, denotes sorrow for spiritual good, it is evil on two counts, both in itself and in point of its effect. Consequently it is a sin, for by sin we mean an evil movement of the appetite, as appears from what has been said above (Q. 10, A. 2; I-II, Q. 74, A. 4). Ad primum ergo dicendum quod passiones secundum se non sunt peccata, sed secundum quod applicantur ad aliquod malum, vituperantur; sicut et laudantur ex hoc quod applicantur ad aliquod bonum. Unde tristitia secundum se non nominat nec aliquid laudabile nec vituperabile, sed tristitia de malo vero moderata nominat aliquid laudabile; tristitia autem de bono, et iterum tristitia immoderata, nominat aliquid vituperabile. Et secundum hoc acedia ponitur peccatum. Reply Obj. 1: Passions are not sinful in themselves; but they are blameworthy insofar as they are applied to something evil, just as they deserve praise insofar as they are applied to something good. Wherefore sorrow, in itself, calls neither for praise nor for blame: whereas moderate sorrow for evil calls for praise, while sorrow for good, and again immoderate sorrow for evil, call for blame. It is in this sense that sloth is said to be a sin. Ad secundum dicendum quod passiones appetitus sensitivi et in se possunt esse peccata venialia, et inclinant animam ad peccatum mortale. Et quia appetitus sensitivus habet organum corporale, sequitur quod per aliquam corporalem transmutationem homo fit habilior ad aliquod peccatum. Et ideo potest contingere quod secundum aliquas transmutationes corporales certis temporibus provenientes aliqua peccata nos magis impugnent. Omnis autem corporalis defectus de se ad tristitiam disponit. Et ideo ieiunantes, circa meridiem, quando iam incipiunt sentire defectum cibi et urgeri ab aestibus solis, magis ab acedia impugnantur. Reply Obj. 2: The passions of the sensitive appetite may either be venial sins in themselves, or incline the soul to mortal sin. And since the sensitive appetite has a bodily organ, it follows that on account of some bodily transmutation a man becomes apt to commit some particular sin. Hence it may happen that certain sins may become more insistent, through certain bodily transmutations occurring at certain fixed times. Now all bodily effects, of themselves, dispose one to sorrow; and thus it is that those who fast are harassed by sloth towards mid-day, when they begin to feel the want of food, and to be parched by the sun’s heat. Ad tertium dicendum quod ad humilitatem pertinet ut homo, defectus proprios considerans, seipsum non extollat. Sed hoc non pertinet ad humilitatem, sed potius ad ingratitudinem, quod bona quae quis a Deo possidet contemnat. Et ex tali contemptu sequitur acedia, de his enim tristamur quae quasi mala vel vilia reputamus. Sic igitur necesse est ut aliquis aliorum bona extollat quod tamen bona sibi divinitus provisa non contemnat, quia sic ei tristia redderentur. Reply Obj. 3: It is a sign of humility if a man does not think too much of himself, through observing his own faults; but if a man contemns the good things he has received from God, this, far from being a proof of humility, shows him to be ungrateful: and from such like contempt results sloth, because we sorrow for things that we reckon evil and worthless. Accordingly we ought to think much of the goods of others, in such a way as not to disparage those we have received ourselves, because if we did they would give us sorrow. Ad quartum dicendum quod peccatum semper est fugiendum, sed impugnatio peccati quandoque est vincenda fugiendo, quandoque resistendo. Fugiendo quidem, quando continua cogitatio auget peccati incentivum, sicut est in luxuria, unde dicitur I ad Cor. VI, fugite fornicationem. Resistendo autem, quando cogitatio perseverans tollit incentivum peccati, quod provenit ex aliqua levi apprehensione. Et hoc contingit in acedia, quia quanto magis cogitamus de bonis spiritualibus, tanto magis nobis placentia redduntur; ex quo cessat acedia. Reply Obj. 4: Sin is ever to be shunned, but the assaults of sin should be overcome, sometimes by flight, sometimes by resistance; by flight when a continued thought increases the incentive to sin, as in lust; for which reason it is written (1 Cor 6:18): Fly fornication; by resistance, when perseverance in the thought diminishes the incentive to sin, which incentive arises from some trivial consideration. This is the case with sloth, because the more we think about spiritual goods, the more pleasing they become to us, and forthwith sloth dies away. Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum acedia sit speciale vitium Whether sloth is a special vice? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod acedia non sit speciale vitium. Illud enim quod convenit omni vitio non constituit specialis vitii rationem. Sed quodlibet vitium facit hominem tristari de bono spirituali opposito, nam luxuriosus tristatur de bono continentiae, et gulosus de bono abstinentiae. Cum ergo acedia sit tristitia de bono spirituali, sicut dictum est, videtur quod acedia non sit speciale peccatum. Objection 1: It would seem that sloth is not a special vice. For that which is common to all vices does not constitute a special kind of vice. But every vice makes a man sorrowful about the opposite spiritual good: for the lustful man is sorrowful about the good of continence, and the glutton about the good of abstinence. Since then sloth is sorrow for spiritual good, as stated above (A. 1), it seems that sloth is not a special sin. Praeterea, acedia, cum sit tristitia quaedam, gaudio opponitur. Sed gaudium non ponitur una specialis virtus. Ergo neque acedia debet poni speciale vitium. Obj. 2: Further, sloth, through being a kind of sorrow, is opposed to joy. Now joy is not accounted one special virtue. Therefore sloth should not be reckoned a special vice. Praeterea, spirituale bonum, cum sit quoddam commune obiectum quod virtus appetit et vitium refugit, non constituit specialem rationem virtutis aut vitii nisi per aliquid additum contrahatur. Sed nihil videtur quod contrahat ipsum ad acediam, si sit vitium speciale, nisi labor, ex hoc enim aliqui refugiunt spiritualia bona quia sunt laboriosa; unde et acedia taedium quoddam est. Refugere autem labores, et quaerere quietem corporalem, ad idem pertinere videtur, scilicet ad pigritiam. Ergo acedia nihil aliud esset quam pigritia. Quod videtur esse falsum, nam pigritia sollicitudini opponitur, acediae autem gaudium. Non ergo acedia est speciale vitium. Obj. 3: Further, since spiritual good is a general kind of object, which virtue seeks, and vice shuns, it does not constitute a special virtue or vice, unless it be determined by some addition. Now nothing, seemingly, except toil, can determine it to sloth, if this be a special vice; because the reason why a man shuns spiritual goods, is that they are toilsome, wherefore sloth is a kind of weariness: while dislike of toil, and love of bodily repose seem to be due to the same cause, viz. idleness. Hence sloth would be nothing but laziness, which seems untrue, for idleness is opposed to carefulness, whereas sloth is opposed to joy. Therefore sloth is not a special vice. Sed contra est quod Gregorius, XXXI Moral., distinguit acediam ab aliis vitiis. Ergo est speciale peccatum. On the contrary, Gregory (Moral. xxxi, 45) distinguishes sloth from the other vices. Therefore it is a special vice. Respondeo dicendum quod, cum acedia sit tristitia de spirituali bono, si accipiatur spirituale bonum communiter, non habebit acedia rationem specialis vitii, quia sicut dictum est, omne vitium refugit spirituale bonum virtutis oppositae. Similiter etiam non potest dici quod sit speciale vitium acedia inquantum refugit spirituale bonum prout est laboriosum vel molestum corpori, aut delectationis eius impeditivum, quia hoc etiam non separaret acediam a vitiis carnalibus, quibus aliquis quietem et delectationem corporis quaerit. I answer that, Since sloth is sorrow for spiritual good, if we take spiritual good in a general way, sloth will not be a special vice, because, as stated above (I-II, Q. 71, A. 1), every vice shuns the spiritual good of its opposite virtue. Again it cannot be said that sloth is a special vice, insofar as it shuns spiritual good, as toilsome, or troublesome to the body, or as a hindrance to the body’s pleasure, for this again would not sever sloth from carnal vices, whereby a man seeks bodily comfort and pleasure. Et ideo dicendum est quod in spiritualibus bonis est quidam ordo, nam omnia spiritualia bona quae sunt in actibus singularum virtutum ordinantur ad unum spirituale bonum quod est bonum divinum, circa quod est specialis virtus, quae est caritas. Unde ad quamlibet virtutem pertinet gaudere de proprio spirituali bono, quod consistit in proprio actu, sed ad caritatem pertinet specialiter illud gaudium spirituale quo quis gaudet de bono divino. Et similiter illa tristitia qua quis tristatur de bono spirituali quod est in actibus singularum virtutum non pertinet ad aliquod vitium speciale, sed ad omnia vitia. Sed tristari de bono divino, de quo caritas gaudet, pertinet ad speciale vitium, quod acedia vocatur. Wherefore we must say that a certain order exists among spiritual goods, since all the spiritual goods that are in the acts of each virtue are directed to one spiritual good, which is the Divine good, about which there is a special virtue, viz. charity. Hence it is proper to each virtue to rejoice in its own spiritual good, which consists in its own act, while it belongs specially to charity to have that spiritual joy whereby one rejoices in the Divine good. In like manner the sorrow whereby one is displeased at the spiritual good which is in each act of virtue, belongs, not to any special vice, but to every vice, but sorrow in the Divine good about which charity rejoices, belongs to a special vice, which is called sloth. Et per hoc patet responsio ad obiecta. This suffices for the Replies to the Objections. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum acedia sit peccatum mortale Whether sloth is a mortal sin? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod acedia non sit peccatum mortale. Omne enim peccatum mortale contrariatur praecepto legis Dei. Sed acedia nulli praecepto contrariari videtur, ut patet discurrenti per singula praecepta Decalogi. Ergo acedia non est peccatum mortale. Objection 1: It would seem that sloth is not a mortal sin. For every mortal sin is contrary to a precept of the Divine Law. But sloth seems contrary to no precept, as one may see by going through the precepts of the Decalogue. Therefore sloth is not a mortal sin. Praeterea, peccatum operis in eodem genere non est minus quam peccatum cordis. Sed recedere opere ab aliquo spirituali bono in Deum ducente non est peccatum mortale, alioquin mortaliter peccaret quicumque consilia non observaret. Ergo recedere corde per tristitiam ab huiusmodi spiritualibus operibus non est peccatum mortale. Non ergo acedia est peccatum mortale. Obj. 2: Further, in the same genus, a sin of deed is no less grievous than a sin of thought. Now it is not a mortal sin to refrain in deed from some spiritual good which leads to God, else it would be a mortal sin not to observe the counsels. Therefore it is not a mortal sin to refrain in thought from such like spiritual works. Therefore sloth is not a mortal sin. Praeterea, nullum peccatum mortale in viris perfectis invenitur. Sed acedia invenitur in viris perfectis, dicit enim Cassianus, in Lib. X de institutis coenobiorum, quod acedia est solitariis magis experta, et in eremo commorantibus infestior hostis ac frequens. Ergo acedia non est peccatum mortale. Obj. 3: Further, no mortal sin is to be found in a perfect man. But sloth is to be found in a perfect man: for Cassian says (De Instit. Coenob. x, l) that sloth is well known to the solitary, and is a most vexatious and persistent foe to the hermit. Therefore sloth is not always a mortal sin.