Acedia? What is that? It’s spiritual sloth or apathy, causing sadness in the soul instead of the Joy that comes from our friendship with God.
The saints have all experienced the immense Joy that comes from accepting God’s call to be holy and to serve Him. But are we all capable of experiencing this Joy? The answer is a resounding YES.
The Joy of serving our Lord is an intense and profound spiritual happiness that the Holy Spirit infuses in the hearts of those who make the decision to follow Him.
How do we follow Him? We are called to change the world mainly by “preaching” without words, by living our lives as saints would, by living our lives as good Catholics of this era.
And when we answer our call to do what we are called to do for His glory, we will experience this Joy. And in this Joy we can change the world, because they will know we are Christians by our Love. (John 13:35)
What is God’s call for my life? What are we called to do? God wants and the Church needs Catholic men and women who are on fire for our faith: Catholics who are able to love with the Love of Christ.
“If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have Love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13: 1).
If instead of allowing our hearts to float in a river of Joy, we worry about current and let fear push us back onto the shore of sadness; if we choose to stop loving our neighbor for the fear of being hurt by our peers and ignore the call to be brave saints in this culture, we can become “clashing cymbals”.
Sometimes God calls us to be saints with great projects like Saint Ignatius of Loyola or Mother Theresa of Calcuta. Other times we are just called to be “quiet” saints as mothers and fathers that raise children in our Catholic faith … or as a simple good Pastor who watches over his flock in a Parish.
Regardless, we are all called to defeat Acedia and accept Joy. And in so doing, love God and neighbor with Christ’s Love.
May the Joy of Christmas fill our souls with the Love of our newborn Jesus!
Comments