Evagrius of Pontus - On the Noonday Demon

Evagrius Ponticus (left), John of Sinai, and an

 unknown saint. 17th-century icon.

From Source

"You shall not be afraid of the terror by

night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that lays waste at

noonday." Psalm 90:6

" The demon of sloth- also called the noonday

demon (cf. Ps. 90:6) is the most important of

all the demons. He attacks the monk around the

fourth hour (10 A.M.) and besieges his soul until

the eighth (2:00 P.M.). He begins by giving him

the impression that the sun is very slow in its

course, even immobile and that the day is fifty

hours long.

Then the demon drives the monk to look constantly

through the window, drawing him out of his cell to

examine the sun and see wether the ninth hour

(3:00 P.M.) approaches. Finally, he incites him to

look in all directions, hoping for the visit of a

brother.

The demon makes him hate the place where he

finds himself, his type of life and the work of his

hands. He suggests to him that there is no charity

among the brethren and that he can not count on

anyone.

If someone comes to sympathize with him in these

moments, the demon increases his hatred, making

him desire other places where it will be easier to

procure what is necessary, where he will find an

easier profession, and where he can be successful.

The demon continues by adding that to please God,

the place where one is does not matter: God can be

adored everywhere. He brings back the memory of

his parents and his former life. He reminds him how

long life is and puts before his eyes the labors of

asceticism. In a word, he sets in motion the entire

machinery so that the monk abandons his cell and

flees the stadium. However, no other demons

follow; after the monk overcomes the demon of

sloth, the soul is in a state of peace and ineffable

joy."

From Evagrius of Pontus, Praktikos, 6-14 (SC 171,

pp. 507-535) as quoted by Placide Deseille in Orthodox

Spirituality and the Philokalia p.131, Translated by

Anthony P. Gythiel, Eighth Day Press 2008.

Unfortunately, this spiritual malady of sloth does not only

affect the monks but lay people also. Most of us have

been at one time or another under its devastating grip.

Therefore we must be watchful and pray with insistence

until we are delivered. Nothing less than our salvation is

at stake. In the words of St Ephraim, let us pray;

Rouse Me, Give Me Energy and Tears

A Prayer by St Ephraim the Syrian

"Stretch forth, O Lord, Thy hand to me who lie in the dust

and help me. For I want to get up, but cannot. The burden

of sin has crushed me; evil habits hold me chained to the

earth, and I am altogether like the paralytic. I vow to

change my ways and I fast, but everything remains the

same. I am zealous to glorify Thee with my lips, but have

no zeal to please Thee with deeds.
How dare I ask forgiveness of my former sins when I have

made no attempt to abandon my former love of sin? Or

how shall I shed the old man, when I have not cut off my

desire for sinful seductions?

O Lord, raise me up, a paralytic; rouse me who sleep;

resurrect me, deadened by sin! Save my miserable soul

from death, O Lord who hast authority over life and

death!

Before the end comes, exterminate all sin in me; and

grant O Lover of mankind that I might shed heartfelt

tears for the cleansing of the stains of my soul all my

short life, that then I might be saved under the shelter

of Thine omnipotent hand, when every soul shudders

before Thine awesome glory.

O Master, hearken unto me and accept the supplication of

Thy sinful and unworthy servant. Save me freely,

according to Thy grace, for Thou art a kindhearted and

man-befriending God, and to Thee do we send up glory,

thanks and adoration, to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
From A Spiritual Psalter p.68, Excerpted by St Theophan the

Recluse from the works of St Ephraim the Syrian, Translated

by Isaac E. Lambertsen, The St John of Kronstadt Press 1997.