Did I commit a mortal sin?

[FlaviusGratian]

So I did something today, and I completely have no idea if it was a mortal sin, I know what the three things are that make a sin mortal, and completely have no idea if it is one.

There was a month-old water bottle in my room, and I dumped like half of it out down the sink. And for whatever reason, I felt really bad about it as soon as I did it. I thought being wasteful was a mortal sin, but I don’t remember thinking before doing this “if I pour this out, I will sin mortally”. I think I recognized I was being wasteful and it may have been a bad thing, but I don’t believe that I realized it was a grave act, if it even was a grave act, which I don’t know either. I don’t even know if I’ve sinned at all, even venial.

I had my first confession last week, so I think I may be over-reacting to anything I do as some sort of guilt-trigger mechanism, and writing it out now I kind of think it’s silly, but would you people on the forum recommend I absolutely go to confession again before my first communion?

Thanks.

 

[1ke]

Yes, you are overreacting, and frankly being very scrupulous. Pouring out water is NOT sinful, mortal or venial.

 

[DexUK]

Definitely not a sin.

No grave matter involved.

I don’t think it’s even venial - I certainly wouldn’t wait a month before throwing out an old beverage… For goodness sake, how much bacteria do you think it will have accumulated in that time?

If anything, it would have been more sinful to force yourself to keep it and drink it, considering the harm you could have come to by deliberately consuming something that was stale at best, and turned at worst.

I wouldn’t have thought twice about throwing it away after a day, let alone a month. You shouldn’t either.

I think you should also seek some help for your scrupulosity, as it won’t be helpful or healthy for you to see sin in things where it isn’t actually there.

 

[snowdrop]

For a Catholic that wants to stay in the state of grace and prays everytime he is tempted by the devil the devil runs away. A good prayer is the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. I don’t see how pouring water down the sink can be a sin at all. One thing we want to be careful of is that we don’t become scrupales. That is that we don’t see sin where there is no sin. St. Paul writes “pray always.” That is good sound advice. One reason I would say we must pray always is because we are always tempted by the world, the flesh and the devil. Soon as temptation appears to break one or more of the Ten Commandments or the Six Precepts of the Church that is when you want to start praying. Sin cannot take hold of the soul if you pray when tempted. Sin and Sanctyfying grace cannot both exist in the soul. It can only be one or the other not both. That is why we have so many short prayers like, My Jesus Mercy. another one, Jesus for thee I live, Jesus for thee I die, Jesus I’m thine in life and in death Amen.
I hope this helps.
Snowdrop

 

[FlaviusGratian]

Well I guess it’s settled.

The thing is, I realize how unreasonable I sound, but at the same time, I felt really bad. Like as bad when I did things that I knew were mortal sins before I did them, and I don’t know why.

My thinking was that there are people in this world who live in places where water is so scarce that they have to ration every drop, and how could I just dump it down the sink? Seemed unjust to me.

Sorry if I sound irrational, but I guess I would rather believe everything I do is a sin then nothing at all, if you had to pick an extreme. I guess that’s the “Catholic guilt” my dad used to tell me about . (I am a convert, again, so if I say dumb things please forgive me)

Thanks and God bless.

 

[Jade_Tiger]

Dude, the thing to do is relax and try to grow closer to God. Most random things you do every day are NOT sins.

 

[1ke]

Well I guess it’s settled.

The thing is, I realize how unreasonable I sound, but at the same time, I felt really bad. Like as bad when I did things that I knew were mortal sins before I did them, and I don’t know why.

My thinking was that there are people in this world who live in places where water is so scarce that they have to ration every drop, and how could I just dump it down the sink? Seemed unjust to me.

Sorry if I sound irrational, but I guess I would rather believe everything I do is a sin then nothing at all, if you had to pick an extreme. I guess that’s the “Catholic guilt” my dad used to tell me about . (I am a convert, again, so if I say dumb things please forgive me)

Thanks and God bless.

Not all guilt is good guilt. Irrational thouhts like these must be dealt with. You need to approach your pastor about spiritual direction. You need to learn how to examine your conscience properly and discern properly.

 

[SecretaryMonday]

FlaviusGratian, it sounds like you may be a new Catholic? Sometimes people have what seems to be irrational anxiety over suspected sins when they are first coming into the Church; I know that I did (sometimes I still do). Hopefully this is a normal stage that will pass, and I’m sorry that you’re experiencing these fears.

And there’s PLENTY of water in Michigan.

 

[paulrus]

As others have said, not a sin at all, let alone a mortal one. Since water that has been stagnant that long is potentially hazardous to your health, you shouldn’t drink it. If you’re in the same situation in the future and worried about being wasteful, maybe you could pour it on any plants you might have in the house.

 

[Steve_Jay]

So I did something today, and I completely have no idea if it was a mortal sin, I know what the three things are that make a sin mortal, and completely have no idea if it is one.

There was a month-old water bottle in my room, and I dumped like half of it out down the sink. And for whatever reason, I felt really bad about it as soon as I did it. I thought being wasteful was a mortal sin, but I don’t remember thinking before doing this “if I pour this out, I will sin mortally”. I think I recognized I was being wasteful and it may have been a bad thing, but I don’t believe that I realized it was a grave act, if it even was a grave act, which I don’t know either. I don’t even know if I’ve sinned at all, even venial.

I had my first confession last week, so I think I may be over-reacting to anything I do as some sort of guilt-trigger mechanism, and writing it out now I kind of think it’s silly, but would you people on the forum recommend I absolutely go to confession again before my first communion?

Thanks.

Hello FlaviusGratian,
I am given to understand that water is in short supply. Therefore the fish might be grateful to you for returning it to them.

You can be at peace on that one.