I think that the first time I encountered the word “acedia” was when I first read Josef Pieper’s classic “Leisure the Basis of Culture.” That was back in the 1950s. I recall that I was confused by his remarks. Now, more than 70 years later, I think I understand Pieper’s comments about acedia and I suspect his remarks may have a special importance today. I am wondering if acedia is widespread in contemporary American culture. Pieper wrote the following about acedia:
“In the first place, acedia does not signify the ‘idleness’ we envisage when we speak of ‘idleness’ as ‘the root of all vice.’ Idleness, in the medieval view, means that man prefers to forego the rights — or if you prefer, the claims — that belong to his nature. In a word, he does not want him to be as God wants him to be, and that ultimately means that he does not wish to be what he really, fundamentally, is … metaphysically and theologically, the notion of acedia means that man does not, in the last resort, give the consent of his will to his own being; that behind or beneath the dynamic of his own existence, he is still not at home with
himself, or, as the medieval writers would have said, face to face with the divine good within him; he is prey to sadness.”
I also came across the word “acedia” in the writings of the Catholic novelist Walker Percy. I read all six of Percy’s novels and was so impressed by them that I wrote a book about Percy entitled “Walker Percy: Contemporary, Existentialist, Catholic Storyteller.”
If I were to write that book today, I would probably include several references to acedia. Indeed, I might even claim that the problem of acedia is a key clue to understanding what Percy was trying to accomplish in writing the novels. Dr. Percy thought that in mid-20th century America, acedia was rampant. He suggested that the solution to the problem was the Incarnation. I
think that Percy was pointing out that the Son of God, in taking on a human nature, was offering a magnificent example of what being human means.
A few days ago, I began to think about whether I had slipped into acedia without even realizing that I had. If acedia is as dangerous as Pieper and Percy suggest, and I am part of contemporary culture, why should I think that I should be exempt from acedia? I began to make a reflection on acedia as part of my daily prayer. It proved to be a good decision. I became aware that, somehow, I had slipped into the habit of looking at daily prayer as a burden that had to be fulfilled. I believe that the risen Lord and his Spirit are present to me and, in fact, present to everyone.
I agree completely with Pope Francis’ view that “I am certain that God is part of everyone’s life.” Because Pope Francis is certain, now I am certain. However, turning to prayer should be a special experience in everyone’s life. In prayer we turn our consciousness directly onto God. In prayer we choose to be present to God in a special way. The moment of prayer should be a
special experience, some activity that seems radically different from every other activity that we engage in during the day.
Somehow, and I am not sure when or how this started, my outlook on daily prayer had become that it was a daily burden that had to be done. What it really should be, I think, is the possibility of a special kind of joy, but unfortunately, it had become a burden that had to be fit into my life each day.
Even as I write these words, I am saddened. I am determined to change this experience immediately. Tomorrow, I hope, will be a new, joyful experience of prayer. I am confident that I will not be alone in looking forward to daily prayer as a marvelous moment in which I will meet God face to face. I will be confident that daily prayer will influence the whole day that follows the prayer.
I believe that even the fact that I have become aware that I have been looking at daily prayer as a burden is due to the
presence of the Holy Spirit. Both Pieper and Percy wrote about acedia many years ago, and when I read their comments in the past, I know they did not strike me as powerfully as they did this past week. Being a member of Christ’s mystical body, I should not be surprised by the experiences that reveal God to us in new ways. The Holy Spirit breathes where he will, and we should cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s presence.
Father Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University, Jamaica. His new book, “The Cosmic Love Story: God and Us,” is available on Amazon.com and at Barnes & Noble.