How do you deal with "possible" mortal sin?

[timeandeternity]

I deal with a certain amount of scrupulosity, and I need some help discerning when I should obey the following rule: “If you’re not sure whether something will be a mortal sin or not, don’t do it!” I’ve also been thinking about the snake analogy: “If someone sees a snake and isn’t sure whether it’s poisonous or not, he will treat it like a poisonous snake and stay away.”

For example, I went to 8:30 Mass this morning, but only got up in time to scarf down some breakfast by 7:50. Before I left the pew to go up to Communion, I thought, “What if it hasn’t been an hour yet? What if I shouldn’t be receiving Communion?” I received anyways, and hoped that I hadn’t violated the one-hour rule. There have been other similar incidences as well. I’m just not sure if scrupulosity is affecting me again, or if I have real cause for concern.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I deal with a certain amount of scrupulosity, and I need some help discerning when I should obey the following rule: “If you’re not sure whether something will be a mortal sin or not, don’t do it!” I’ve also been thinking about the snake analogy: “If someone sees a snake and isn’t sure whether it’s poisonous or not, he will treat it like a poisonous snake and stay away.”

That is a good rule for someone with a normal to lax conscience. It is not a good rule for someone with a scrupulous conscience because the person dealing with scruples could drive himself crazy if he tries to base his actions on that rule. Rather he should use the rule: “If I am in doubt as to whether something is okay, it’s likely okay.” This is because the scrupulous person is hyper-sensitive to sin, and therefore he is likely to know when something is sinful but to doubt when it’s probably okay.

timeandeternity:

For example, I went to 8:30 Mass this morning, but only got up in time to scarf down some breakfast by 7:50. Before I left the pew to go up to Communion, I thought, “What if it hasn’t been an hour yet? What if I shouldn’t be receiving Communion?” I received anyways, and hoped that I hadn’t violated the one-hour rule. There have been other similar incidences as well. I’m just not sure if scrupulosity is affecting me again, or if I have real cause for concern.

It appears that you do know that the one-hour fasting rule applies to one hour before Communion (not one hour before Mass), which is good since some people are confused on that point. If you had just reason to believe that you had observed the one-hour fast, then you did nothing wrong by receiving Communion.