Morning Musings-1/14/2021
"Acedia: the Cold Sin ".
Episcopal Priest, theologian, and academic (b. 1930-d.1981) writes about the word "Acedia", "Acedia is the root sin of the clergy as spiritual guides. Like a cancer it eats away at our abandonment to the love for God and his creation."
While I am much in agreement, I believe that this is a much bigger issue for Christianity as a whole, laity and clergy together. In fact, I believe it is why we fail to live out the very scandalous nature of God's love revealed in Jesus Christ (see yesterday's post).
"Acedia" is a word that means "spiritual or mental sloth; apathy." Of course "apathy" means an indifference, lack of feeling or emotion; indifference. It is no wonder so many have abandoned much of "traditional" church and formed much smaller and much more engaged spiritual groups that are much more interested in being involved with the injustices and oppressions the world strives to make the norms. We (yes, I definitely include myself in this) have become people who are far more inclined to stay silent, to look the other way, to accept without question, the injustices and oppressions that have tried to steal the hope of so many, and really, stealing a persons hope is truly stealing their life.
I do believe it is possible to remove this "acedia" from our own life, but it will take a concentrated effort on each of us to fully step out of our "safe" world and engage in life giving ways with the marginalized, the oppressed, the voiceless, or any others "moral society" would reject. Not only is this personal growth, but it truly leads to real kingdom growth that lasts. Amen.
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