Did I sin? I hope not

[ukdal1]

This is my first Lent after being Confirmed in October 07, and this morning I got up and without thinking I ate a Slim Jim(great for breakfast huh?) Anyway I had been thinking about it all day yesterday why we abstain and how grateful I was to be able to things like this for God’s glory. I went to sleep late last night and guess being groggy (I’m not a morning person), I completely forgot about no meat on Fridays. After I realized what I did I begged God to forgive me and decided to fast until tomorrow morning to make up for it…Was this a mortal sin? Do I need to go to confession? Please help!!

 

[kujayhawk]

No sin here.

Requirements for committing a mortal sin are:

1. It has to be a serious matter (or the person thinks it is), and this certainly applies to the action. BUT –
2. It has to be given sufficient reflection, and this did not happen on your part!
3. Full consent of the will must be given. In other words, a decision has to be made on the part of the person to do, or not do, whatever the matter is that constitutes a sin. In your case, this part is also “missing”. Thus, no sin.

It’s never sinful to forget to abstain on a day designated as such which are Ash Wednesday, and the Fridays during Lent.

And for those who are wondering about #3, if full consent is given to the action, or omission, what ever, and the person is not able to complete the action (or omission) because of some outside reason, they are still guilty. For example, if I fully intended and was prepared to eat meat for lunch today which is a Friday during Lent, and I know full well that I should not, but somehow I broke my jaw and could only drink vanilla milk shakes, I am still guilty of my disregard of my obligation to abstain from meat today and must confess it.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

This is my first Lent after being Confirmed in October 07, and this morning I got up and without thinking I ate a Slim Jim(great for breakfast huh?) Anyway I had been thinking about it all day yesterday why we abstain and how grateful I was to be able to things like this for God’s glory. I went to sleep late last night and guess being groggy (I’m not a morning person), I completely forgot about no meat on Fridays. After I realized what I did I begged God to forgive me and decided to fast until tomorrow morning to make up for it…Was this a mortal sin? Do I need to go to confession? Please help!!

The Catechism says that there are three requirements for a sin to be mortal:
1857
For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

Did you deliberately consent to eating meat? It sure doesn’t sound like it. Therefore, you didn’t commit a mortal sin.

If you would feel better if you fasted, prayed, or did some other act to make up for it, then do so.

I’ll bet that a week from today you’ll absolutely remember that it’s Friday!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

To commit a mortal sin three conditions need to be present…

It must be grave matter
You must have full knowledge
You must fully consent

…You did not fully consent from your Post, it was unthinkingly done. Hence there is no mortal sin, nor venial…a fault if anything. We cannot commit a sin without knowing we are going to commit a sin. Sin needs to be something we consent to knowing it is sinful. If you remain in any sort of doubt, mention it to Father next time you go to Confession for your own Peace of soul.
I too am not a morning person and wake up quite groggy mainly from medication. Hence if I need to remember something first thing in the morning, I leave a note on my kitchen table in large letters e.g. “FRIDAY TODAY - NO MEAT”…Blessings - Barb

 

[ukdal1]

Thanks guys…I was really worried that I messed up bad, I know that it wasnt on purpose but I was still like"I should’ve remembered because it was so important to me"…Thanks for answering so fast too. You put my mind at ease
God bless

 

[Mini_gerbel]

Thanks guys…I was really worried that I messed up bad, I know that it wasnt on purpose but I was still like"I should’ve remembered because it was so important to me"…Thanks for answering so fast too. You put my mind at ease

        God bless

God bless to you too

 

[BarbaraTherese]

God bless to you too

I second the motion of Mini gerbel, ukdal1, all the way:thumbsup: Very happy to read your post that this thread was helpful to you and restored Peace…Deo Gratius…Blessings - Barb