Firm Resolve to not sin again

[samuelng]

Hi all,

I understand that in order for your sins to be absolved in confession, we must aim and strive to avoid all mortal sins in the future and their near occasions. However, how about venial sins? From what I have read and interpreted from the CCC and Baltimore Catechism, if one plans on committing a venial sin in the future, he can still be absolved of the rest of his sins, just not the venial sin he was planning on committing. Is this true?

Regards,
Samuel.

 

[thistle]

Hi all,

I understand that in order for your sins to be absolved in confession, we must aim and strive to avoid all mortal sins in the future and their near occasions. However, how about venial sins? From what I have read and interpreted from the CCC and Baltimore Catechism, if one plans on committing a venial sin in the future, he can still be absolved of the rest of his sins, just not the venial sin he was planning on committing. Is this true?

Regards,
Samuel.

Venial sins do not require confessing. They do not separate us from God.

 

[bmonk]

Absolution is not a blanket approval of sin, much less permission to sin. It only deals with forgiving sins that are repented and confessed.

While not needed for venial sins, as thistle noted, no absolution will apply to future, uncommitted sins, nor for sins not repented of. So, “if one plans on committing a venial sin in the future, he can still be absolved of the rest of his sins, just not the venial sin he was planning on committing,” is simply a bad way to look at it: this is a potential sin rather than an actual sin, and it is not repented, since the person still plans to sin.

But past instances of that sin, if repented, may be forgiven: they are actual sins.

I suppose the problem then comes with the intent to repeat the sin–can one intend to repeat a sin and still repent of having done it? It seems difficult to imagine how you can hold both of those ideas at the same time.

More likely scenarios: you regret the sin, perhaps for its consequences, but do not truly repent. Such an attitude would be attrition, I believe, and (actual) venial sins could be forgiven under that level of sorrow.

Another: You repent of the sin, but, knowing your weakness, you forsee–but do not plan–that you will sin again. Indeed, you may try various means to resist or avoid the sin, such as prayer, finding other places to be, enlisting the help of friends perhaps. In this case you do not really intend to sin again, but you realize it is likely. Such sins would, in my judgment, be forgiven.

 

[lmelahn]

Hi all,

I understand that in order for your sins to be absolved in confession, we must aim and strive to avoid all mortal sins in the future and their near occasions. However, how about venial sins? From what I have read and interpreted from the CCC and Baltimore Catechism, if one plans on committing a venial sin in the future, he can still be absolved of the rest of his sins, just not the venial sin he was planning on committing. Is this true?

Regards,
Samuel.

Although I suppose that is technically correct—because venial sins do not separate us from friendship with God—deliberately planning to commit venial sins in the future, or (what is more likely) deliberately withholding the purpose of amendment for venial sins, is a dangerous game. It can wear down a person’s good habits (virtues) and prepare him for greater falls in the future. It also trains his will, so to speak, to resist God’s grace.

 

[EasterJoy]

Venial sins do not require confessing. They do not separate us from God.

Well, yes and no. We are very much encouraged to flee from all sin, however light, and to confess all our sins in a right eagerness to advance towards the perfection of charity:

*1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God; it does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."134

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call “light”: if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession.(St. Augustine, In ep. Jo. 1, 6: PL 35, 1982)*

After all, even our small faults must be purged before we enter into eternal life and the Beatific Vision:
*1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.606 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:607

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.608*

 

[Bookcat]

It is important to note that the purpose of amendment for venial sins need not be the same as that for mortal sins.

If I confess murder I need to have the amendment of intending to not murder anyone…not commit any mortal sin.

But if I confess say venial sins that I say commit often …I can be amended to working on making them less …of seeking to be better about that matter (that is one example of purpose of amendment in terms of venial sins)…such is very good and fine.

Though of course let us more and more “repent” and believe the gospel!

 

[thistle]

Well, yes and no. We are very much encouraged to flee from all sin, however light, and to confess all our sins in a right eagerness to advance towards the perfection of charity:

1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God; it does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. "Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness."134

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call “light”: if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession.(St. Augustine, In ep. Jo. 1, 6: PL 35, 1982)

After all, even our small faults must be purged before we enter into eternal life and the Beatific Vision:
*1030 All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

1031 The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned.606 The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:607

As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.608*

Sorry but it is not yes and no.

Venial sins do not separate us from God. Whether repeated venial sins leads a person down a slippery slope to later commit mortal sins is a different issue. That fact is that venial sins do not separate us from God and do not require to be confessed.