The Church's monastic tradition sees as one of the most dangerous enemies of the spiritual life what the psalmist calls "the noonday devil" (Ps 91:6). The monks took this phrase as an apt description of the lethargy or fatigue they battled at about midday.By that time, they had already risen early for prayers, returned to prayer a number of times, and still had a good chunk of the day ahead of them. They were tired, of course, but not just physically. They were spiritually tired — weary of prayer, exhausted with the things of God. The noonday devil precipitated thoughts...