Have I committed mortal sin or not?

[Catholicwoman]

I just wanted to get someone else’s opinion on these two separate situations, are they mortal sins or not?

The other day someone I know received a letter that meant they wouldn’t be receiving finance for something, they didn’t send the letters in on time, it was a stressful day and I said something along the lines of “so lie to them, tell them you sent it in’, and repeated my sentence. Afterwards it occurred to me that this might be committing a mortal sin so I told them I didn’t really want them to lie and they didn’t anyway. All in all, the whole situation would have led to more lies but I don’t know it I committed a mortal sin here I will say I didn’t say it thinking of committing a sin I just didn’t want any more stress.

The second time concerns a dream I had, I woke up and tried to get back to sleep but started thinking about my dream (I don’t’ think it was bad) but it’s hard to explain but the thought changed into something else, I thought I was still trying to remember the dream but I don’t think I had the intention of committing a sin, but the thought changed into a potentially sinful one and caused a reaction that made me open my eyes and immediately wonder where that came from. I feel awful but I don’t know if I was falling back asleep or if I was just dazed out but or if I deliberately thought it but I don’t think I had bad intentions either time.

I’m pretty sad at the possibility that I might have committed a mortal sin and will of course try to get to confession but it’s not possible right now. Do I need to refrain from communion or am I letting my OCD get into my head?

 

[Vico]

I just wanted to get someone else’s opinion on these two separate situations, are they mortal sins or not?..

I’m pretty sad at the possibility that I might have committed a mortal sin and will of course try to get to confession but it’s not possible right now. Do I need to refrain from communion or am I letting my OCD get into my head?

Mortal sin requires sufficient reflection and full consent of the will. For the first action, it seems that after you reflected, you recanted, and for the second you said it was potentially a sin and that made you open you eyes, so that thought was not fully voluntary.

Baltimore Catechism

Q. 282. How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal?

A. To make a sin mortal, three things are necessary: 1.a grievous matter, sufficient reflection, and full consent of the will.

Q. 283. What do we mean by “grievous matter” with regard to sin?

A. By “grievous matter” with regard to sin we mean that the thought, word or deed by which mortal sin is committed must be either very bad in itself or severely prohibited, and therefore sufficient to make a mortal sin if we deliberately yield to it.

Q. 284. What does “sufficient reflection and full consent of the will” mean?

A. “Sufficient reflection” means that we must know the thought, word or deed to be sinful at the time we are guilty of it; and “full consent of the will” means that we must fully and willfully yield to it.

Q. 285. What are sins committed without reflection or consent called?

A. Sins committed without reflection or consent are called material sins; that is, they would be formal or real sins if we knew their sinfulness at the time we committed them. Thus to eat flesh meat on a day of abstinence without knowing it to be a day of abstinence or without thinking of the prohibition, would be a material sin.

Q. 286. Do past material sins become real sins as soon as we discover their sinfulness?

A. Past material sins do not become real sins as soon as we discover their sinfulness, unless we again repeat them with full knowledge and consent.

Q. 287. How can we know what sins are considered mortal?

A. We can know what sins are considered mortal from Holy Scripture; from the teaching of the Church, and from the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

 

[Catholicwoman]

Thank you for your answer it is appreciated, I’m not sure I understand your answer concerning the first situation, if someone recants after having reflected have they still committed a sin or chosen not too?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

if someone recants after having reflected have they still committed a sin or chosen not to

Recanting something you said means you probably did not commit a mortal sin, because you spoke in the heat of the moment and without full consent of your will to commit a serious sin.

You may have still committed a small sin by speaking thoughtlessly, but it would not be a mortal sin – just a venial sin because you didn’t fully consent.

 

[Francis]

Saying a lie is a venial sin, but if the money was needed for emergency purposes,and your advise ,that you sent it,you have been the cause of sin its a mortal sin.

John 8:44 You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Matthew 18:6 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!

Are you talking of wet Dreams?

A friend of mine was feeling embarrassed even to confess it, to a priest .but the priest gave a wounder advice ,he said if it happens in our sub-conscious mind while we are asleep,its not a sin,since we are not conscious,if we are conscious then its a sin( to sin we are to be conscious) .and if we are semi-conscious, but not full consent to sin, you can make your own judgement on this, pray and take the decision with a good conscience.asking Jesus to forgive you trusting his mercy, we can receive Holy Communion,but if you feel you sinned while sub-conscious mind, then don’t receive Holy communion,so our conscience won’t prick us or hurt or have guilty feeling.Therefore if you keep thinking lustful thoughts before sleeping more or less you’ll end up in wet dreams,lust is one of the 7 most deadly sins.
There is a verse in the bible which mentions it
Jude 1:8 Yet in the same way these dreamers also defile the flesh, reject authority, and slander the glorious ones.
1 Corinthians 11:27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For all who eat and drink[h] without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves. 30 For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

Psalms 119:9-11 9 How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word.10 With my whole heart I seek you;do not let me stray from your commandments.11 I treasure your word in my heart,so that I may not sin against you.

 

[Vico]

Thank you for your answer it is appreciated, I’m not sure I understand your answer concerning the first situation, if someone recants after having reflected have they still committed a sin or chosen not too?

Reflection occurs prior to committing the will to something. One such action is to dwell on sinful thoughts. Dwell is to continue in a given condition or state. Mortal sin requires full consent.

 

[Le_Bonvivant]

It could well be venial but it sounds like you feel bad about it so why dont you confess it anyway?

 

[Catholicwoman]

Thanks for your answer, I asked this question when I was in a state of mind that I didn’t know for certain but I’m quite sure that neither incident was with full consent, by that I mean I did not mean to deliberately commit a sin or to offend by sinning. No lie was ever told I just made my comment trying to avoid any trouble but after thinking about it I said I didn’t really want them to lie, and they hadn’t planned on it anyway.

And no I don’t mean ‘wet dreams’ I meant simply I was trying to remember a dream but it changed into something I didn’t want it to (kind of an explicit thought/feeling that I did not want). I suffer from intrusive thoughts as a result of my OCD but it is becoming increasingly more manageable as I am on medication for it but this means I struggle to discern when I have deliberately done something or when I haven;t, I think I also have a tendency to be scrupulous. I guess I got a little obsessed with the idea or fear that I am ignoring deliberate sins (I don’t think I am but I will definitely talk about it in my next confession) Honestly I have moments where I don’t think I have deliberately done anything and then moments where I think I have, its a little hard to tell sometimes

Anyway I’m a work in progress but I really appreciate you taking the time to give advice

 

[Catholicwoman]

I definitely will in my next confession should I remember, thank you for the advice!

 

[Francis]

You have a good Heart, and a clear and sensitive conscience which is a big blessing from God, i don"t think your scrupulous ,so whenever you have doubts of any kind, confessing them is a good idea,confession give us, fullness of Grace ,we get healing, love of God fill us,the Holy Spirit in us in strengthened,deliverance takes place and other untold blessings we get ,since its a sacrament we also meet Jesus. Through the same,tremendous joy and peace fills our hearts . Believe it not ,even headaches and body aches disappear you mind is at peace.Many don"t realize the value of confession.which is the antidote for most of the aliments.

About the OCD problem i think you need inner healing, you may be having wounds and hurt feelings in you heart for that you need to surrender everything into the hands of Jesus and Mary, like a little child with faith, trust and confidence in the love and mercy of God ,saying the forgiveness prayer and an Examination of Conscience everyday at least before you sleep will be very helpful and also a retreat once in a way will be nice. if you do this you may not need any medication i hope. Try to read Psalms 27 every Day! God Bless!

Isaiah 43_1-7 But now thus says the Lord,he who created you, O Jacob,he who formed you, O Israelo not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name, you are mine.2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.I give Egypt as your ransom,Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you.4 Because you are precious in my sight,and honored, and I love you,I give people in return for you,nations in exchange for your life.

Lamentations 3:21-28 But this I call to mind,and therefore I have hope The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him,to the soul that seeks him.26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.27 It is good for one to bear the yoke in youth,28 to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it,

 

[Francis]

Leviticus 5:17 “If any one sins, doing any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.
Proverbs 28:13 No one who conceals transgressions will prosper, but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
Psalms 32:3-5 When I declared not my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me;my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer
5 I acknowledged my sin to thee,and I did not hide my iniquity;I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”;then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.
James 4:17 Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.
James 1:12 Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord[d] has promised to those who love him. 13 No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. 14 But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15 then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved.
James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

[Annie]

WRT your second question, when you realized what was happening, you repudiated the thoughts: from what you say, it sounds like you were tempted but refused. No sin there, some force (the world, the flesh, or the devil) proposed something and your will declined to participate. Good job!

WRT the first, it doesn’t matter if it is mortal or venial, go to Confession anyway, so you will know God has forgiven you and you will get extra grace to avoid that sin in the future. You may also want to consider what led you to doing that: a desire to alleviate someone’s expressed distress? a desire to rescue someone? etc. It could be any number of things, the point is to find out what your motivation was, because this is a weak point for you. Your evaluation of this event (not obssessively going over it, but just a few minutes of reflecting) will help you in the future when faced with a similar situation.