A Specific Question Regarding Mercy

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Maxim1982

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Ok, so I’m very new to the forum here and I hope this question applies, but basically, I’m having a bit of a tough and spiritually stressful time that is causing me much despair. I only recently came back to Christ and the faith and in the time I was out (15 to 20 some years) I was a massive sinner. I won’t go into it but eber since coming back I’ve had a very frequent and strong prayer life, weekly confession, and I always go to church every week. But I’ve been struggling with two major sins that have been very tough to break because I was so used to them before I returned. They are lust and my temper/anger/being snappy.

Here’s my question though: I saw recently a talk gave by that well known traditionalist priest Father Ripperger that scared me a little. He said basically to not get used to the idea of just going to confession if you keep falling into sin because for some people, God can actually cut grace off for some people. This is not only maddening, but doesn’t this completely contradict the whole concept of “his mercy is unending”, “greater is he who is in me than…” and “if your neighbour sins against you seven times in a day you must forgive him seven times…” I don’t understand. This guy has said things that almost seem a little TOO radical. I’ve never in all my life heard some of the things he says. Also, he said some story about a man who intended to go to confession but nearly died after putting it off for a day, and that if he had died, then he would have gone to Hell and been in a state of mortal sin. But wait…I was always told that your intentions of going to confession would count as a form of repentance because you would have had every intention of going.

Look, I keep falling into these sins but each time I not only beg God for forgiveness before my home icon corner then go to confession soon after (I literally can only go once a week, no priests in my area seem to be available for scheduling around my schedule so I can only go according to their schedule). Not only that, but each time, I always ask God to use me as he sees fit, to give me the graces and even more sorrow that I need to feel even more disdain for my sins, and for him and the Holy Mother to come into my heart and make me to live clean and better. But after listening to this guy, I have to admit, I’m a little worried. Is God forgiving me each time? Does he really cut people off or did I maybe misinterpret what this priest said? This guy was a little over the edge. The way he made it sound sounded as if almost nobody could be truly saved. Please help.
 
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I do not think you should focus on fear (though fear of God is healthy in the correct dose) but rather on love for God: ‘For he who loves God with all his heart fears neither death nor punishment not judgement nor hell, for perfect love assures access to God.’ - The Imitation of Christ
 
I have listened to Fr.Ripperger for a while and read a few of his books. Personally I believe he is fantastic and has changed my life for the better. I just listened to a talk today by him and the theme has been with me throughout the entire day. A few aspects I do disagree with him. I would say in what you are talking about going to confession regularly Fr.probably meant that the person going wasn’t truly sorry for his sins but just going through the motions. I assure you that frequent confession is good even for venial sins and I believe that is a dogma of the Church. Trust me it’s not easy to and impossible to get rid of some of our habits and venial sins and predominant fault, I’m not sure if you are sinning gravely or not. I go to confession biweekly and frequently confess the same type of sins. Keep at it you are doing well.
 
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Well, I occasionally fall into grave sins however I have gotten better at not doing it. In pretty sure the ones most recently were venial (snapping at loved ones over dumb things, using curse words like if I stubbed my toe, etc). Today some teenagers on bikes not paying attention nearly ram into my car and thank God I didn’t hit them. They shouted at me and I said a foul word to myself (obviously they couldn’t hear me). I know I beat myself up over it, I just don’t want God to give up on me.
I heard him say the thing about mercy being “cut off” in his talk titled “Four Last Things: Death”. Its ln YouTube.
 
Seems like you are on the right path, keep fighting the good fight, and stay far away from grave sin. I will have to go listen the the 4 last things, I listened to that before.
 
As sinners all we can do is try to avoid the near occasion of sin.
We confess our sins and profess our sorrow. We ask for forgiveness. And we are adsolved of our sins.
Keep going to confession and keep trying to amend your ways. Pray to God for help. Ask the priest to pray for you.
 
When Jesus told the woman go and sin no more he was actually saying in Greek and Aramaic, “Go, and don’t miss the mark anymore.”

We tend to look at the sin and try to avoid it, when we should be looking at the mark and trying to hit it; we should be looking at the virtue we want to practice and trying to cultivate it (that is the reason of the Penance, which is given to you by the priest, doing something virtuous, practice at hitting a target). This is what an Archer does when the aims at a target; an archer does not look at what he’s trying to miss; he looks at the target he’s trying to hit. Here is something about doing all of our doings virtuously and hitting the target: Law and Grace | SoftVocation

You, do the same; begin focusing on The Virtue you want to do and not paying attention or giving heed to what you were trying to avoid, other than serving as a reminder that you are looking in the wrong direction when you are focusing on it. We all must do this, and we need you to do this, so that we together can be Salt and Light in this world.

John Martin
 
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Maxim1982 said:
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Fasting is helpful for lust. When the body is fasting the hormones change levels. Also anger is driven by thwarted desires. Reducing attachments to things can help that, so desires can be lessened. Also to eschew the desire for personal aggrandizement.

The mortal sin arises only voluntarily, so when in the clutches of a habit from before, there needs to be mental resistance. Baltimore Catechism:
Q. 1318. Are impure thoughts and desires always sins?
A. Impure thoughts and desires are always sins, unless they displease us and we try to banish them.
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No disrespect intended to Fr. R. (no matter what label you choose to attach to him), but I don’t agree that God will cut off mercy to a repentant sinner. Of course, I don’t believe that’s what he was getting at - I think he meant those who go out of habit and routine and have no intention of changing themselves. Jesus promised mercy as long as we don’t reject God’s love or willfully disobey.
 
Some people do abuse the Sacrament of Reconcialiation by committing sins and going back without a real desire to amend and this may be what he is talking about.
 
Dear Maxim,
Your heart is a good heart. Your repentant in Spirit but fail in the flesh. The only sin that can’t be forgiven is a sin against the Holy Spirit. What is that? We don’t know for sure. But Rev. Graham said, if you are worried that you committed it, you didn’t commit it.
If a person sins repeatedly & doesn’t feel remorseful. They have a cocky attitude that God made me this way…, We’ll, IDK??
Pride is the worse sin. Sometimes we have to connect the dots.
Paul describes two men named Jannes and Jambres as those who “resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith" (2 Timothy 3:8). Here the reprobation is regarding the resistance to the truth because of corrupt minds. In Titus, Paul also refers to those whose works are reprobate: “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Therefore, the reprobate mind is one that is corrupt and worthless
Can a Christian have a reprobate mind? Someone who has sincerely accepted Jesus Christ by faith will not have this mindset because the old person with a reprobate mind has been recreated into a new creation: “The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians are basically “new” people. We live differently and speak differently. Our world is centered on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and how we can serve Him. Also, if we are truly in the faith, we will have the Holy Spirit to help us live a God-honoring life (John 14:26). Those with reprobate minds do not have the Spirit and live only for themselves.
So, if you stayed in your fleshly desires& rejoiced in it. You may have a reprobate mind. You, through Gods Grace are a New Creature in Christ. You are a work in progress. The Holy Spirit will take the desire for lust away from you. You must want to be rid of it.
You are a treasure. A child of the moist High King. You have LUST mixed up w LOVE. It feels the same but Lust ends, LOVE WILL STAY!
You don’t want multiple sex partners. You want one live soul mate.
Love yourself enough to make men wait till marriage. No sex won’t kill you. Being deserted & left away will break your spirit. It exposes you to germs & danger. Don’t watch romantic or sexual TV’s or MOVIES . Don’t read ROMANCE BOOKS. Memorize scripture verses for virtue.


Song called Blessings by Laurie Story.
Be healed in the name of Jesus
 
Maxim1982 said:
He said basically to not get used to the idea of just going to confession if you keep falling into sin because for some people, God can actually cut grace off for some people.
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This is the complete opposite of what my confessors (at least 2 or 3 of them) have told me. One of them specifically said that our falling into sin over and over is God letting us know we can’t do it alone, and that we need him. Another said that the important thing when we keep falling is to keep getting back up, which includes going to Confession.

While I enjoy some of Fr. Ripperger’s presentations, he also has some extreme ideas and other times says things that maybe don’t come across the best. I would NOT recommend him to anyone who was not strong in their faith and able to sort through what he says and dismiss some of it as “one priest’s opinion”. I also think you should be going by what your regular confessor says, not what some priest on the Internet says.

If you are falling into the same sin over and over, tell your confessor that and see what he says. Make sure to add that you go to confession once a week or once every 2 weeks or whatever it is. Then, take whatever advice he offers. And stop listening to Fr. Ripperger for the time being until you get more on your feet and are able to take what he says with a grain of salt.
 
Vico said:
Fasting is helpful for lust. When the body is fasting the hormones change levels
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I have never understood why fasting is offered as a remedy for lust. We can not fast without interruption so temptations can occur when we are no longer fasting
 
Not only that, but it doesn’t work the same way for all people. Some who fast actually get more interested in sex because their hormones shift in a different way, or because they have more nervous energy when not eating some big meal or their regular sugar/fat/caffeine foods. Having sex also distracts one from hunger or thoughts of food.
 
THe Bible comes to mind, “what sins you retain are retained”.

I think it only goes if the sinner is unrepentant (goes to confesion but has no will to repent) or to put differently, the sinner goes to confession even though he intends to continue living out that sin. Which basically means that the sinner doesn’t want God’s grace to help him with the sin; so the point of going to Confession is mute.
 
Mboo said:
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Vico:
Fasting is helpful for lust. When the body is fasting the hormones change levels
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I have never understood why fasting is offered as a remedy for lust. We can not fast without interruption so temptations can occur when we are no longer fasting
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There are various aspects.
Abstinence from high protein and saturated fats does have an effect on the hormones. Original practices are for more than one day a week, at one time is was required to be daily. Also fasting pertains to sexual activity in marriage itself, in addition to renewed effort to avoid all sinful things. The desire may not decrease with this, only one is practicing self restraint (temperance). Concupiscence is the opposition between appetite and reason is natural in mankind.

1 Cor 9:25
Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.
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I will only tell you from my own personal experience that it does indeed seem to work.
 
Maxim1982 said:
Is God forgiving me each time? Does he really cut people off or did I maybe misinterpret what this priest said?
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Don’t tell me, but what does the priest say after you confess your sins? If you hear the words, “I absolve you.” Then it’s done. Sins forgiven.

As long as you’re genuinely contrite & honest with your confessor, your sins are forgiven.

Now, reading Teresa of Avila I’ve learned I need to spend ample time contemplating God. Everything about Him & not focus on myself & my faults too much. True love means to love despite the faults of the other & your Heavenly Father truly loves you.
 
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