Effective Prayer

[mitabrev]

Hi all,

Just a thought…
If a person is in a state of mortal sin, and cant make it to confession for, say, a week, how effective are his/her prayers?
If s/he says a prayer for the souls in purgatory, could those prayers help ease the sufferings/release souls, or, are his/her prayers so weakened by the mortal sin, that the prayers are much less effective??

Be assured of my prayers,
Thanks in advance of your replies…

 

[littleone]

Hi all,

Just a thought…
If a person is in a state of mortal sin, and cant make it to confession for, say, a week, how effective are his/her prayers?
If s/he says a prayer for the souls in purgatory, could those prayers help ease the sufferings/release souls, or, are his/her prayers so weakened by the mortal sin, that the prayers are much less effective??

Be assured of my prayers,
Thanks in advance of your replies…

I believe that the person suffering in sin can only be judged by God because the person may not realise the depth of their sin also they may not have thought of the transgression at the time of the sin and they might not be in a state of clear psychological understanding. God our God is a God of “Mercy” and we can never realise the depth of His mercy. God’s mercy is fathemless, bound and flavoured by His ever lasting Love.

Hope that helps
God bless
littleone

 

[Joysong]

There is an explanation here which may be helpful to you.

Prayer is always good, whether or not we pray in the state of “sanctifying” grace. When we lose the ability to merit due to the loss of it from mortal sin, God still gives us “actual” graces to inspire us to do good and also to pray. Whether they are less effective is not so stated in the CCC, but we should not neglect them thinking that God won’t hear us. That is a serious temptation the devil would love to have us believe.

Carole

 

[FightingFat]

I think this is simple:

3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Luke 15:3-7