IGNAVIA. – “It is a tendency toward idleness or at least toward negligence and torpor in one’s activity” (A. Tanquerey, Compendio di teologia ascetica e mistica, 7th ed., Roma 1927, no. 884). At times it is a morbid condition resulting from poor health and must be treated by a physician; ordinarily, however, it is moral in character and is caused by a feeble will that fears and rejects effort. Understood in this way, ignavia, rather than being opposed to any particular virtue, is opposed to all virtues, insofar as their exercise entails difficulty and therefore requires effort.
The sin of ignavia, insofar as it is opposed to the general law of work, is ordinarily not grave; it becomes so, however, when it is habitual and when it causes the omission or neglect of particular grave obligations. Ignavia is one of the most serious obstacles to perfection, both because it renders life more or less sterile, like the field of the lazy man of whom Sacred Scripture speaks (cf. Prov. 24:30-34), and, above all, because it allows temptations to become more vigorous and persistent. It is well known, in fact, that when the higher faculties are inactive, the lower faculties are freer to follow their instincts, and then “idleness teaches much wickedness” (Eccl. 23:29). It can thus be understood how ignavia may create a grave danger even to eternal salvation. The ignavus indeed deserves the severe condemnation given to the servant who does not trade with the talents (Mt. 25:24-30), and to the tree that bears no fruit (Mt. 3:10).
Remedies against ignavia are: deep convictions regarding the necessity and the inner satisfaction of work that is loved; awareness of the grave consequences arising from ignavia; and the sustained, methodical effort that gives the ignavus the satisfaction of a life usefully employed.