Could you help me please?

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Alan79

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Hello,
I was baptised and confirmed on the Easter vigil just there, and I feel that I’m finally home.
I have been praying constantly and since that night have been very, very careful with my thoughts, words and actions.
As I am a new Catholic, I am aware that you cannot police your thoughts 100% of the time, sooner or later I will slip up. I’m also new to what is defined as a mortal sin, a venial sin or just being too hard on yourself.

So here it is: I was watching a TV game show this morning and contestants battle it out against a “chaser” one of the Chasers is known for having the occasional mental block leading to contestants winning and I blurted out without thinking something along the lines of: " Oh it’s him, the contestant is in with a chance!" I instantly got a horrible sinking, cold feeling and it’s been bothering me ever since.

I know this is perhaps a trivial thing to bring up but I have to ask as I don’t know myself. Is this a sin to be confessed, a venial sin I can pray to God myself to apologise or is this an example of being too hard on myself?

Thank you very much for your time.
 
Sweetheart
Welcome into the family! If you have a Catechism, look up mortal and Venial sins. Write the definitions in a journal. Label one page Venial sins and on page mortal sins. Write down the Ten Commandments.
I can’t see any sin here. You were watching a game show. We try to figure out the answers. All you said, was you thought a contestant had a chance. ?? No bad thoughts. Not a vulgar TV show. I think you’re clear.
Feel God’s Love
In Christ’s Love
Tweedlealice
 
Thank you so much! At the moment, I’ve begun to make my way though the penny catechism.
God bless! 🙂
 
The option of “being too hard on yourself” is very clearly the case here. I’m not exactly sure what you think you’ve done wrong, or what could be wrong here. Be careful of this kind of thinking, it could lead to scruples, where one obsessed over his every thought and action, thinking that they’re all sinful. You should talk to a priest about how to discern whether you’ve committed a sin at all, especially if you struggle with obsessive thoughts in general.

Welcome home! You are in my prayers.

-Fr ACEGC
 
Thank you very much. I think as I begin my Catholic life and study the faith more, ask my parish Priest and the more experienced laity for advice, I’ll get a better idea and feeling of what is sinful and what is not. I think it’s “beginner’s nerves” on my part as partaking of the Eucharist unworthily is my greatest fear.
Thank you and God bless.
 
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I blurted it out without thinking and I thought perhaps I was being unduly sarcastic.
 
What’s wrong with being sarcastic? Being Catholic doesn’t mean you’re expected to become some humorless robot.
 
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You were simply making an observation about the contestant and his/her chances of winning. That’s not sinful.
 
It sounds like you are descending into scruples. Talk to your pastor immediately for spiritual counsel.

I don’t even understand what you think the sin was you committed.

And the idea of praying constantly and being afraid of “slipping up” every waking moment—
It’s completely unhealthy.

Live your everyday life with joy not fear.
 
You have not sinned. As has been mentioned, if your thoughts are leading you to think you must be perfect, please seek guidance from your pastor.
 
Thank you for your advice. I think it’s the “newness” of being recently baptised. I have already calmed down significantly on the advice of others on this thread and skimming over the penny Catechism I recently bought.
 
I’ve just read that being sarcastic in a humorous way isn’t sarcastic at all, it becomes sinful if it’s meant in a hurtful or mocking way - I do have a lot to learn!
 
1ke said:
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Alan79:
thought perhaps I was being sarcastic.
Click to expand...
Is sarcasm a sin?
Click to expand...
If it is, my whole family is in trouble. Sarcasm is genetic in my family. 😉
 
It seems to me that you’re heading down a very dangerous path–“Is this a sin? Is that a sin?” Think about it. Does that make any sense? Do you have children? Does a 2-year-old who does something “wrong” without knowing it’s wrong commit a sin? Catholics are not Puritans. There are other religions where you can sin inadvertently, but that is not true in the Catholic Church. The essence of sin is that you KNOW you are going to do something wrong and you do it anyway. You don’t sin by accident!
 

Here’s the difference between Mortal and venial sin and a very very good guy for beginners (or anyone really) to follow on you tube for all sorts of basic questions.

Welcome home
 
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