If we are to succeed in life we must first overcome apathy, indifference, and divided hearts. Vigilance helps us overcome sloth. Temperance can overcome gluttony. By the grace of God, this prayer will treat sloth and related vices with the virtue of temperance and its related virtues.
Overcoming Sloth by Vigilance
Part six of the Spiritual Exercises: Becoming Beloved Disciples. In today’s meditation, we face the capital sin of sloth.
Opening Prayer for Protection
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
✠ Amen
Heavenly Father, in the Name of your Son Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, may we abide in you and you in us, in one accord… with our minds, hearts, bodies, and souls at rest, in your Peace, present to the moment… so that we may have ears to hear, eyes to see, hearts to understand.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
✠ Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
✠ Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now, and at the hour of our death.
Glory Be (Gloria Patri)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
✠ Amen.
Most Holy Trinity, we thank you for the virtue of Vigilance which helps us to deny ourselves making room for your indwelling love.
✠ Our Lady of Vigilance, pray for us.
✠ St. John, St. Mary Magdalene, and all you Beloved Disciples pray for us.
Seven Scriptures to take down Sloth
“Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32
✠ Love is vigilant
“Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and the negligent soul shall suffer hunger. He that keeps the commandment keeps his own soul, but he that despises his ways shall die.” Proverbs 19:15-16
✠ Love is vigilant
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13
✠ Love is vigilant
“His master answered him, ‘You evil and lazy servant! So, you knew that I harvested where I haven’t planted and gathered where I haven’t scattered any seed? ” Matthew 25:24-26
✠ Love is vigilant
“We desire each one of you to show the same earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12
✠ Love is vigilant
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9 24-27
✠ Love is vigilant
“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24
✠ Love is vigilant
Seven-fold Repentance
For the sins of:
sloth ✠ Lord Have Mercy
fear and anxiety✠ Lord Have Mercy
complacency ✠ Lord Have Mercy
discouragement ✠ Lord Have Mercy
laziness ✠ Lord Have Mercy
indifference ✠ Lord Have Mercy
divided hearts ✠ Lord Have Mercy
✠ Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy Name’s sake.
Seven-Fold Protection
St. Michael Prayer
“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. ” ✠ Amen.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians: 6:10
By the Belt of Truth: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Breastplate of Righteousness: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Shoes of Peace: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Shield of Faith: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Helmet of Salvation: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Sword of the Spirit: ✠ Lord save your people
By the Mantle of Our Lady ✠ Lord save your people
Deliverance from Sloth
“Behold, I give you power to trample underfoot snakes and scorpions, and all the power of enemies”. Luke 10:19
Lord Jesus, you drove away legions of demons by which the people of God were healed. These you commanded to depart and not to return again. You have defeated all the armies of our invisible enemies and freed your faithful.
In the Name of Jesus, by the Blood of Jesus, by the Power of his Word we take authority over the stronghold of sloth including fear, anxiety, discouragement, laziness, indifference, carelessness, and divided hearts.
Remove all evil spirits and fill us with your Divine Light, Life and Love.
Where there has been sloth, ✠ let there be diligence
Where there has been fear, ✠ let there be courage.
Where there has been anxiety, ✠ let there be calm.
Where there has been discouragement, ✠ let there be courage.
Where we have been complacency, ✠ let us be vigilant.
Where there has been indifference, ✠ let there be compassion.
Where there has been carelessness, ✠ let there be care.
Where we have divided hearts ✠ let us have total commitment to Christ
Seven-Fold Cleansing
“So, he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Kings 5:14
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Name of Jesus
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Blood of Jesus
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Word of Jesus
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By Jesus’ Breath of Mercy
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Living Waters of the Holy Spirit
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Fire of the Holy Spirit
Cleanse us Oh Lord ✠ By the Light of Christ
Closing Prayers
Most Holy Trinity, in your mercy we are delivered, cleansed, and renewed, fully clothed and in our right minds.
Most Holy Trinity, we praise you for showering blessings upon us, replacing our vice of sloth with virtue of diligence, giving us new hearts, perfect abodes of your indwelling love, so that abiding in love and unity, together, we may renew the face of the earth. ✠ Amen
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
✠ Amen