Asceticism & Penance

[tobigat]

Hi,
I’m currently going ascetic for a few months, and I wanted to ask, what would count as a violation of asceticism?
To give some examples, one of the main things I’m trying to do penance for is lust. Would t then be sinful to go swimming (where there would be lustful stimuli)? Or is it the reaction to being exposed to lustful things which is sinful?
Another example; if I am trying to control my emotions, would it be a sin to internally hate and be angry but not externally show my hate and anger?
I should note that I’m not going fully ascetic (like monks do), but enough to rid me of comfort.
I suppose the crux of my question is this - should I not expose myself to temptation at all, or should I expose myself to temptation but not sin to be ascetic?
Thanks, and God Bless

 

[JamalChristophr]

To not expose yourself to temptation at all you’d have to be dead for at least 5 minutes.

When putting together a program of mortifications and penance , It’s very smart to have a priest to speak to …a confessor or spiritual director… they can give us perspective that we lack.

 

[petra22]

To not expose yourself to temptation at all you’d have to be dead for at least 5 minutes.

When putting together a program of mortifications and penance , It’s very smart to have a priest to speak to …a confessor or spiritual director… they can give us perspective that we lack.

 

[Robert_Sock]

You can probably benefit greatly by reading a good translation of *The Imitation of Christ.
*
leaderu.com/cyber/books/imitation/imitation.html

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

When putting together a program of mortifications and penance , It’s very smart to have a priest to speak to …a confessor or spiritual director… they can give us perspective that we lack.

Yes, my priest (FSSP) insists that one must be fulfilling all the duties according to their state in life before doing anything above a bit of fasting according to the Church’s current fasting laws. Otherwise one risks causing great spiritual harm to himself.

 

[ready]

You must avoid all near occasions of sin, as much as possible. If going to a beach puts you in the near occasion of sinning mortally, then going there and exposing yourself to the danger of committing a mortal sin IS a mortal sin, even should you not happen to fall into the sin of lust while there. at the beach If you hate a person in your heart and don’t show it but consent to the hatred, then it is still a mortal sin. When you start to feel hatred towards another begin praying to Mary and thinking good ,pious thoughts, so you do not consent to the sin of hatred. God bless you.