Diligence and Sloth

Virtue and Vice #3

Happy Independence Day! Today we will talk about the virtue of diligence and the vice called sloth, and yes, I will attempt to relate them to the 4th!

Diligence is persistent and careful work. As Christians, we believe that work is good. We find dignity in work. Sloth is the reluctance to work or to make an effort. We also fall victim to sloth when we do not use the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit (more on that Here and Here).

Now, what does this have to do with the 4th of July? Upon leaving the Constitutional Convention a woman asked Benjamin Franklin what type of government the founding fathers had decided on and he replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” What did he mean? This was a warning. Mr. Franklin knew that our new government would require citizens to be informed and actively participate in order to function as the founders had planned. As citizens, we are called to participate. We must be diligent because we can’t wait complacently for those in DC to take care of it all for us. Under the British crown, we were just subjects. After the revolution, we gained freedom, and with our citizenship came the responsibility to “keep it”, to work for it.

Check out Father Mike’s take here: How Do We Maintain Freedom in America?

God bless you and God bless America!