Episode 3227: Despondency: Conquering the Spirit of Discouragement

September 27, 2025

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Book Recommendation of the Day
The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus (7th century)
• Focus: St. John dedicates an entire chapter (Step 13) to despondency (akedia).
• He describes its symptoms: listlessness in prayer, boredom in monastic duties, discouragement, and a restless desire to leave one’s spiritual state.
• His remedies include perseverance, psalmody, remembrance of death, and tears of compunction.
Despondency: Conquering the Spirit of Discouragement
A Hidden Enemy
The Desert Fathers were not naïve about the spiritual life. They knew that the greatest battles often took place not in outward persecutions but in the hidden recesses of the soul. One of the most dangerous enemies they faced was not persecution or hunger, but despondency what they called tristitia, a spirit of discouragement that drained the soul of strength.
This was not simply sadness, nor even ordinary depression, but a spiritual heaviness that made prayer seem pointless, fasting unbearable, and hope in God almost impossible. Evagrius called it “the noonday demon,” because it struck the monk in the middle of the day, whispering: “You are wasting your life, give up, there is no use in continuing.”
Does this sound familiar? It should. In our own times, Catholics face discouragement everywhere: confusion in the Church, turmoil in society, crises in families, and personal struggles in the spiritual life. Many are tempted to give up to stop praying, to stop persevering. The wisdom of the Desert Fathers is not only ancient, but urgently relevant.
Segment 1: The Fathers Describe Despondency
The Fathers spoke vividly about the danger of despondency:
• Evagrius of Pontus described it as:
“The paralysis of the soul, a weariness of the heart, which makes the monk neglect his duties and despair of salvation.”
He compared it to a deadly illness that creeps silently, draining life and leaving the soul powerless.
• Abba Poemen said:
“There is no greater labor than to pray. For as soon as a man wants to pray, the demons try to bring him despondency, reminding him of his cares, his labors, and the futility of his efforts, so that he may cease.”
Prayer itself is the battlefield, and discouragement is the weapon of the enemy.
• Abba Anthony the Great gave a prophetic warning:
“There will be a time when men will go mad, and when they see someone not mad, they will attack him, saying: ‘You are mad, you are not like us.’”
He tied this madness to despair and hopelessness when truth is abandoned, discouragement becomes a collective spirit.
For the Fathers, despondency was more than a feeling. It was a temptation, a spiritual assault designed to make souls abandon the narrow path.
Segment 2: Why Despondency is So Dangerous
Why did the Fathers fear despondency so deeply? Because it attacks the very foundation of perseverance.
1. It Makes Prayer Feel Pointless
The soul feels no joy in prayer and is tempted to stop entirely. But the Fathers insisted that fidelity in dryness is more pleasing to God than prayer in consolation.
2. It Weakens the Will
Despondency convinces us that spiritual effort is wasted. A monk might stop fasting; a layman might abandon confession or the Rosary. The will collapses under the weight of despair.
3. It Breeds Apathy
Over time, discouragement can lead to spiritual sloth the deadly sin of acedia, where nothing seems worth doing for God.
4. It Robs Hope
Ultimately, despondency attacks hope, the virtue by which we trust in God’s promises. Without hope, the soul sees only darkness.
The Fathers understood that despondency is not just an emotional state it is a strategy of the devil to make us abandon the path of salvation.

Segment 3: Remedies from the Desert Tradition
The Fathers, like good physicians of the soul, gave practical remedies for overcoming discouragement:
1. Perseverance in Prayer
Continue praying even when dry. The Fathers said that prayer in aridity is more meritorious, because it is born of fidelity, not feelings.
2. Scripture as Medicine
They turned often to the Psalms, especially the laments:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God.” (Psalm 42:5).
Repeating such verses turns sorrow into trust.
3. Manual Labor
The Fathers often combined prayer with work. Evagrius advised weaving mats or simple tasks as an antidote to despair, giving the body activity while the soul prays.
4. Community Support
Even hermits sought counsel from elders. Speaking honestly about discouragement disarms the enemy. In our day, this might mean seeking a confessor or spiritual director.
5. Hope in Eternity
They reminded themselves daily that this world is passing, but eternal joy will not. Abba Macarius said:
“If we remembered eternity, we would never despair of the little troubles of this life.”
Segment 4: The Fruits of Perseverance
The Fathers testified that resisting despondency bore abundant fruits:
• Peace of Soul: A quiet confidence that comes from trusting God in darkness.
• Strengthened Will: The habit of perseverance builds resilience against future temptations.
• Purity of Intention: When prayer continues without consolation, it proves love of God for His sake alone.
• Growth in Charity: Suffering discouragement patiently makes the soul compassionate toward others.
• Joy in Hope: Once despondency is overcome, the soul tastes the sweetness of hope anew.
St. Paul captures this perfectly:
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair.” (2 Corinthians 4:8).
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Conclusion: The Desert Fathers and Us (3 minutes)
The Desert Fathers knew the noonday demon of discouragement. They remind us that this temptation is not unique to us, but as old as the Church itself. Their wisdom speaks directly into our lives:
• Do not give up prayer, even when dry.
• Do not believe the lie that your efforts are useless.
• Do not surrender to despair, for God’s mercy is infinite.
Our hope is not in ourselves, but in Christ, who promised never to abandon His faithful. By clinging to prayer, Scripture, and the hope of eternity, we too can overcome the spirit of despondency.

Epistle Reflection – Wisdom 5:16–20
“But the just shall live for evermore: and their reward is with the Lord… Therefore shall they receive a kingdom of glory, and a crown of beauty at the hand of the Lord.”
The sacred author paints a vivid contrast: the fleeting boast of sinners versus the everlasting reward of the just. Wisdom reminds us that God Himself will arm His chosen ones with justice and zeal. Their true adornment is not worldly wealth or recognition, but the eternal crown of glory.
From a traditional Catholic perspective, this passage underscores the reality of the Four Last Things death, judgment, heaven, and hell. The just man, sanctified by grace, is never forgotten by God. Unlike the world that seeks temporal victories, the faithful know that every suffering borne in union with Christ will be crowned in eternity.
The Fathers of the Church often noted that Wisdom here foreshadows Christ arming His saints in battle. St. Augustine, commenting on this passage, reminds us that “it is not by our own strength, but by the justice of God dwelling within us, that we overcome.” This is why the Church so often exhorts us to pray for perseverance in grace: only those who remain faithful until the end will receive the crown.
Gospel Reflection – Luke 6:17–23
This Gospel presents Christ coming down from the mountain and standing “in a plain place.” Surrounded by multitudes, He heals the sick and proclaims the Beatitudes:
“Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you… for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day, for your reward is great in heaven.”
Our Lord here overturns worldly values. Poverty, hunger, weeping, persecution these are not signs of abandonment but marks of election. In the eyes of the world, these are curses; in the eyes of God, they are blessings that prepare the soul for heaven.
The Fathers saw Christ “standing on a plain” as an image of His condescension: God humbling Himself to speak plainly to man. St. Ambrose writes that the Beatitudes teach us to “scorn earthly riches and to hunger only for righteousness.” St. John Chrysostom emphasized that this is no mere poetic teaching, but the lived path of sanctity: the saints bore poverty, tears, and persecution joyfully because they knew heaven was their true homeland.
Feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian
Today, the Church also honors Cosmas and Damian, twin brothers from Arabia who were skilled physicians. They were renowned not only for their medical knowledge but because they refused payment for their healing, earning the title “the moneyless ones.” Their charity reflected Christ, the Divine Physician, who gives freely and heals souls through grace.
During the Diocletian persecution, they were arrested, tortured, and finally beheaded for refusing to renounce Christ. Their feast reminds us that Christian witness requires both charity and fidelity unto death. They are patrons not only of physicians but of all who desire to unite works of mercy with steadfast faith.
Their example ties beautifully to today’s Gospel: they were poor in spirit, despised by the rulers of their age, yet rich in the eyes of God. Their reward was not in this world, but in the eternal kingdom promised in Wisdom.
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Application for Today
For us, these readings and feast day call us to embrace three truths:
1. Live for Eternity: Do not cling to the passing shadows of wealth, comfort, or human praise. Instead, seek the eternal kingdom.
2. Embrace the Cross: Poverty, hunger, and persecution, when endured for Christ, are not defeats but victories that lead to the Beatitudes’ promises.
3. Charity and Fidelity: Like Cosmas and Damian, we must unite works of mercy with a fearless profession of faith, never compromising truth for worldly gain.
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Conclusionary Prayer
Let us close with prayer:
O Lord Jesus Christ, who has promised the crown of glory to those who persevere, grant us the grace to endure poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution with joy, knowing that our reward is in heaven. Through the intercession of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, may we live lives of charity and fidelity, healing others by our witness and refusing the allurements of this passing world. Strengthen us, O Lord, that armed with the breastplate of justice and the helmet of salvation, we may remain steadfast until the end. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.