Can I sin too many times?

[Steveabrous]

Hello I am a convert to Catholicism 20 years now. I have started to attend, periodically, the Latin Mass in my area for about the last year or so. I still attend the new mass more regularly. I enjoy the Latin Mass very much and particularly like the idea of going to confession and saying the rosary before Mass. Today i attended the Latin mass and the priest said something during his Homily that took me by surprise. He said that God will stop forgiving a person if they continually commit mortal sin. And simply hand them over to that sin. This goes against everything I’ve been taught. i have never heard this in the standard Catholicism. Is this an idea that is prevailent among traditional Catholics, Is this common Catholic thought (if so no one told me and I’ve been Catholic for 20 years), or simply a priest expressing his opinion

 

[Immacolata]

I have never heard of this. To be completely honest, I believe it is against Catholic teaching and perhaps even treading into the area of despair — ceasing to believe in God’s mercy, believing that your sins are too great for even God to forgive.

God always, up to the moment of your death, gives you a chance to repent and save your soul. You just have to listen to Him (by going to confession).

 

[CB_Catholic]

Hello I am a convert to Catholicism 20 years now. I have started to attend, periodically, the Latin Mass in my area for about the last year or so. I still attend the new mass more regularly. I enjoy the Latin Mass very much and particularly like the idea of going to confession and saying the rosary before Mass. Today i attended the Latin mass and the priest said something during his Homily that took me by surprise. He said that God will stop forgiving a person if they continually commit mortal sin. And simply hand them over to that sin. This goes against everything I’ve been taught. i have never heard this in the standard Catholicism. Is this an idea that is prevailent among traditional Catholics, Is this common Catholic thought (if so no one told me and I’ve been Catholic for 20 years), or simply a priest expressing his opinion

If a person is not truly repentant and continues to commit the same sin over and over without an effort to change the behavior, then the sin is not forgiven. That, however is God’s call, as only He knows the heart. However, if a person is truly repentant and sincerely tries to change, but falls into sin again, they can be forgiven. Again, God knows the heart. I would imagine this is what the priest means, because God has promised to forgive all our sins if we are repentant. And He tells us to forgive 70X7, the same as He does, which means there is no end to His forgiveness. However, we must be sincere in our desire to repent, even if we fail.

 

[Steveabrous]

Yes. To be fair. He was talking in context of confession, and ,I believe, confessing the same sin over and over. But, still.

 

[Steveabrous]

If a person is not truly repentant and continues to commit the same sin over and over without an effort to change the behavior, then the sin is not forgiven. That, however is God’s call, as only He knows the heart. However, if a person is truly repentant and sincerely tries to change, but falls into sin again, they can be forgiven. Again, God knows the heart. I would imagine this is what the priest means, because God has promised to forgive all our sins if we are repentant. And He tells us to forgive 70X7, the same as He does, which means there is no end to His forgiveness. However, we must be sincere in our desire to repent, even if we fail.

Yes I agree with what you are saying. And he did express what your saying but he also said that we have a fixed number of times God will forgive us and then he will no more. He may have been saing though that we could die, or he could come back and then he will be just judge at that time and there is no forgiveness.

 

[Carolus_Martell]

He said that God will stop forgiving a person if they continually commit mortal sin.

Seems to me I remember something about that…that being constant **iniquitous **behavior.

…but that’s not those souls that confess and try hard** NOT** to commit that same sin again.

 

[bzkoss236]

It is one thing if you are trying to keep from sinning, but fail. It is another if you continue to commit a sin of which you are not truly sorry for. If you are not contrite, a sin cannot be forgiven. This is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and is the only unforgivable sin. I feel like this is what your priest is talking about.

 

[Zekariya]

He took Romans 1 out of context. St Paul is speaking of unrepentant people in gross sin.

Romans 1: 26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

 

[RoseMary131]

the priest said something during his Homily that took me by surprise. He said that God will stop forgiving a person if they continually commit mortal sin. And simply hand them over to that sin.
Is this common Catholic thought (if so no one told me and I’ve been Catholic for 20 years), or simply a priest expressing his opinion

The priest would probably be very happy to speak with you either over the phone or with an appointment.

Ask him if he can help you understand what he meant in his homily.

Sometimes we misunderstand what someone is saying. If he did mean this, he will explain why he said it.

Peace.

 

[mgsk]

The homily may have been making reference to this idea, presented by St Alphonsus De Ligouri (among others):

On the Number of Sins Beyond Which God Pardons No More
olrl.org/snt_docs/num_sins.shtml

This needs to be understood. As long as we’re alive, God will accept our true repentance. However, we also need to understand just how evil sin is, and mortal sin in particular. God is under no obligation to grant us His forgiveness, but He does so willing because of His love for us.

I think the point of this concept is to recognize that we all have a time when we will be called home and asked to give an account for our sins. We aren’t guaranteed the opportunity to get to Confession immediately before that time, especially in the unfortunate event of an accidental death. This is why we need to pray for the grace of final perseverance and get to Confession as soon as we commit any grave sin. There’s no point in procrastinating when we’re talking about our eternal destinies!