Am I ruined? Please, I need some words from the militant

[d_floyd77]

So here’s my deal. Without getting into my seedy past and reasons for conversion let me just say that I was confirmed just last week at Vigil Mass. I’m 31 years old. That was Saturday night. I commited mortal sin Monday night. It took me only two days to spit in the face of my conversion. Please, someone tell me you have had a similar, if not the same, experience. I really need some help with this.

_James

 

[InLight247]

I think what you need is not to find if others have had similar experience, but to discuss it with your confessor. Since you realized you may have sinned, quickly bring yourself back to track is the right thing to do.

God bless!

 

[brockmac]

First of all, Welcome to the Church.

Second of all, no you are not ruined. As I am sure you learned in your RCIA class, we have this wonderful sacrament from our Lord called Reconciliation. Most parishes offer these on Saturday afternoons. Please go, express to Christ, through His priest, the contrition you have expressed here, and perform your penance. As luck would have it this Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday, so you can even obtain a plenary indulgence. You will be good as new.

Finally, I understand your frustration. I have on occaision gone to confession and found myself in mortal sin within days of making a sincere heartfelt confession and receiving absolution. God knows we are not perfect, that is why He gives us the Church and her sacraments.

I pray that as you move forward you will continue to grow in faith and love.

God bless you.

 

[Belle10]

[SIGN]Welcome Home James![/SIGN]

James, don’t despair. We all sin. The fact that you are repentant for it (and I’m sure you’ll go to confession) is good. Committing a sin isn’t spitting in the face of your conversion, it’s just being human, like we all are.

It takes a lot to turn away from sin – satan makes it difficult. That’s why frequent reception of the sacraments is crucial to our faith, as I’m sure you learned in RCIA. Also, I’m sure that satan is pretty mad that you’ve given your life to Jesus and come home to the RCC, so he’s going to try to tempt you just as much, if not more, than before to pull you away from God. Again, frequent reception of the sacraments is critical – you will gain your strength from being near Jesus and from the graces He will give you.

I’m a cradle Catholic, and I’ve been where you are – 2 days after receiving forgiveness in confession and in a state of mortal sin again. But don’t listen to satan’s whisper that you’re not good enough – you are a child of God – go to confession and leave your sins behind you. Accept the gift of God’s forgiveness, and keep trying your best. Jesus will help you.

I’ll remember you in my Rosary and chaplet of Divine Mercy today. God bless you and again, welcome home!

 

[sheila0405]

So here’s my deal. Without getting into my seedy past and reasons for conversion let me just say that I was confirmed just last week at Vigil Mass. I’m 31 years old. That was Saturday night. I commited mortal sin Monday night. It took me only two days to spit in the face of my conversion. Please, someone tell me you have had a similar, if not the same, experience. I really need some help with this.

_James

YOU ARE NOT RUINED! You can actually obtain an indulgence by faithfully observing Divine Mercy Sunday. I am an RCIA instructor, and I am a convert. I came into the Church in 2004. We tell our new members to expect a let down following the intense joy of Confirmation. We are sinners. That is why Christ instituted the priesthood and gave us the Sacrement of Reconciliation. Even if you find you struggle continuously with this particular sin, the Sacrament will give you graces to enable you to fight back. Contrition with a firm resolve to amend your life is all you need to bring to the Confessional. Find a good priest who can be your Confessor, so that you can touch base with the same person as you work on your attachment to this sin. And, WELCOME HOME!

 

[CarrieH]

Welcome home! You are absolutely not ruined! The devil doesn’t want to give up on you just yet – he knows you are new at this Catholic stuff and wants to try to get you back before it sinks in too much. By giving in to despair, you are falling into the devil’s trap. Simply go to confession and put this behind you.

I actually had it even worse than you – I went through RCIA in a very liberal parish that filled my head with rubbish about following my (poorly-formed) conscience in determining if something was a sin, and we had those illicit general absolution services. So I actually made my confirmation while in a state of mortal sin! When I learned the Church’s true teachings, I made things right, but at least it sounds as if you were properly instructed. Go to confession, good luck, and God bless!

 

[d_floyd77]

Thank you so much everyone for the encouraging replies. I knew the answer but I feel a lot better and encouraged by everyones words.

 

[MarieVeronica]

James, you have some great advice here. You realized your mistake quickly. And now, it’s just a matter of meeting with Our Merciful Lord, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Then, receive Holy Communion, as soon as possible. The Eucharist is the strength of the Penitent. I would also highly recommend Adoration. When we sit in the Presence of Our Lord, we bask in His Love and Mercy and receive inumerable graces.

God bless and strengthen you.

 

[water]

This coming Sunday is the Divine Mercy Sunday; you may want to go to Confession today or tomorrow. There is a plenary indulgence for those who following these conditions:

“The plenary indulgence is granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honor of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!).”

source: divinemercysunday.com/packet.htm

 

[danlaupat]

So here’s my deal. Without getting into my seedy past and reasons for conversion let me just say that I was confirmed just last week at Vigil Mass. I’m 31 years old. That was Saturday night. I commited mortal sin Monday night. It took me only two days to spit in the face of my conversion. Please, someone tell me you have had a similar, if not the same, experience. I really need some help with this.>>>

James,

Of course you are not ruined. You cannot believe that your sins are greater than God’s mercy. God knows you have weaknesses. You need to go to confession and to accept that you are forgiven. I want you to know that I empathize with you because when I converted last year at Easter Vigil I, too, felt that i could not avoid certain sins that plagued me. I still commit those sins, but less frequently. It took me a while to accept that God truly loves me and is merciful-- and I only reached this point through prayer amd the graces I receive from confession and receiving the Eucharist…

Try not to view your newfound faith with a legalistic perspective–that is not faith at all. You MUST accept that God is merciful and that he loves you. Do your best to work on yourself and be patient. Ask God to help you, and try to live your life with joy instead of remorse.

Best of luck!

 

[RevDrNorth]

So here’s my deal. Without getting into my seedy past and reasons for conversion let me just say that I was confirmed just last week at Vigil Mass. I’m 31 years old. That was Saturday night. I commited mortal sin Monday night. It took me only two days to spit in the face of my conversion. Please, someone tell me you have had a similar, if not the same, experience. I really need some help with this.

_James

First, congratulations on your conversion!

Next, don’t worry. That you feel guilty if good. Repent, confess your sin and accept forgiveness (trust Christ).

St. Paul himself struggled and noted that he was frustrated because he did those things he did not want to do (should not do) and failed to do the things he should. We are human.

Sanctification is a process as we grow more Christlike (won’t happen over night). Be sincere in trying to avoid the occasions of sin and NEVER give up. Giving up is what the enemy (Satan) would like for you to do.