If you've mortally sinned, does God still listen and answer your prayers?

[Bernadette72]

I heard He doesn’t. Can someone give an answer and support it? Do I need to go to confession before I can expect any two-way communication with God?

 

[Nom_the_Wise]

God comes to us even in our sins. As it is, our prayers are not worthy; it is the Holy Spirit that helps our prayers. It is God who calls us to prayer. When we turn to God in prayer, it is only because God called to us first, no matter the state of our soul. God calls us to be healed. Don’t let whether you’ve sinned or not stop you from answering God’s call.

 

[NHeath]

Get to confession as soon as you can and receive the Sacrament of Reconcilliation. God already knows of your sin, and awaits you to reconcile with Him. He is a loving father. The Holy Spirit is already with you encouraging you to do so, or you would not be on this website looking for answers.

 

[BluesPicker]

Yes of course God still answers your prayers. God listens and answers the prayers of sinners everyday. But being in the state of mortal sin, say Acts of Contrition, and get to Confession. Don’t doubt that God loves you but be obedient and follow the tenets of your faith: Go to Confession. Don’t live in continual mortal sin because this hardens one’s heart. Mortal sin can even unless you are continually resisting have an effect on you like Pharaoh in Mose’s time. Every Latin Mass confession is available before Mass starts. This was how the Church was until the last 30 or so years all over. People complain that Confession is said at their parish Church only one day a week for a few hours. This conflicts with work schedules & with what people call their personal agendas. For some Church is last on their agenda when it is supposed to be first.

 

[R_C]

I heard He doesn’t. Can someone give an answer and support it? Do I need to go to confession before I can expect any two-way communication with God?

Answer and support shine throughout the Sacred Scriptures. Just a few examples:

The Word of the Lord:

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The teaching of St. Paul:

God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Gospel of St. John:

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. …] Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”

Psalm 51:

You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

The Holy Spirit through his prophet Samuel:

Do not be afraid, you have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. …] For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.

The Holy Spirit through his prophet Isaiah:

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the ordinary means established by our Beloved, a splendid gift to His Bride, Holy Church. In it, the mandate of the apostles is fulfilled:

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. …] If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is essential for a myriad of reasons, but there is one thing that it does not need to do: restore two-way communication with God: because this communication could never be interrupted! Indeed,

in him we live and move and have our being

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own

And every baptized Christian can repeat with the Apostle:

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

Sinning is us turning our back on God. A pointless action, for God is everywhere, and above all else He is in our very heart. God always stands at the door and knocks. If through repentance we turn again towards the light and open, He will come to us and dine with us, and us with him. For even if we, through mortal sin, chose to turn our back on God, “to whom shall we go?”

I conclude with the following remark on confession and mortal sin: mortal sin means to lose sanctifying grace, which Christ had gained for us. However, we know that the Holy Spirit grants us a special, temporary gift, called actual or auxiliating grace, that moves us to repentance, towards perfect contrition, and to seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation, that sanctifying grace gained by the merits of Christ may be restored in us. This is so that the prophesy of Zacharias may be fulfilled:

the Lord …] has visited and redeemed His people …] to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant …] the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, that we may serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

 

[InJesusItrust]

Even when I was an unbeliever God answered my prayer to know the truth. God is merciful.

 

[J_Peterson]

I’ve seen it mentioned on here more than once that God doesn’t hear or answer our prayers if we are in mortal sin. Who is saying that? Of course God hears all prayers, in fact he heard your prayer from Eternity before you even existed. If he didn’t answer prayers while in mortal sin us poor sinners don’t stand a chance.

 

[benjammin]

I’ve heard this too, but I kind of feel its true. I always feel like God isn’t answering after i’ve committed a mortal sin. Thats why i’ve started going to confession almost weekly and might consider it daily just so I can be ready

 

[JimR-OCDS]

When you repent to God for your sin, he forgives you and you are reconciled to Him.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation reconciles us to the Church, and we receive special graces through the Sacrament.

Whenever you find yourself in sin, do not wait to get to confession before you repent to God.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says,

Only God forgives sin

1441 Only God forgives sins. Since he is the Son of God, Jesus says of himself, “The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins” and exercises this divine power: “Your sins are forgiven.”

Jim

 

[fred_conty]

I heard He doesn’t. Can someone give an answer and support it? Do I need to go to confession before I can expect any two-way communication with God?

We know that God knows everything about us down to the least detail. So he always hears prayer whether by a sinner or by a saint.

Holiness is when a person is close to God. So we pray to saints in heaven because they are close to God. The closer the person is to God, the stronger is that person’s prayer.

“…the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully.” James 4;16-17

“…dear to him is the prayer of honest men.” Proverbs 15:8
“…but he listens to the prayers of the virtuous.” Proverbs 15:29

“We know that God dosen’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will.” John 9;31

This is why many catholics chose to have their prayer routed thru Mary, who is the mother of Jesus, and queen of heaven and of earth. Her prayer would be the strongest of all the saints.

Just some thoughts.

 

[R_C]

I’ve heard this too, but I kind of feel its true. I always feel like God isn’t answering after i’ve committed a mortal sin. Thats why i’ve started going to confession

Then how do you think you are able to repent and go to confession? Last time I checked, it took the gift of actual grace from God.

 

[R_C]

“We know that God dosen’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will.” John 9;31

First of all, I think that when we say listen, no doubt we mean “listen and do something about it”. For God is omnipresent, and nothing escapes the attention of He who sees even in secret (Mt 6:4) .

That being said, let’s go back to the quote from Jn 9:31. That is not Christ speaking, but a poor man that Christ has healed. And the very presence and action of Christ right there is proof that God *does *listen to sinners, since “we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”.

Perhaps then the issue is found in the abysmal distinction between a repentant sinner and an unrepentant sinner.

It is written of the former: “A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”. However the same has not be spoken with regards of an unrepentant sinner, who even wishes God to “listen”, as in to do whatever the prayer is asking, all the while refusing to ask God to forgive the offenses he has done to Him.

Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. (Lk 23:8-9)

“We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. …] Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him: “Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:41-43)

 

[austenbosten]

If someone does not have the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation yet. Who’s in a state of mortal sin, who prays the Miserere of Psalm 51. Can my prayers be answered?

 

[R_C]

If someone does not have the Sacrament of Confession and Reconciliation yet. Who’s in a state of mortal sin, who prays the Miserere of Psalm 51. Can my prayers be answered?

Not sure whether you have multiple questions, or just one…

No doubt your prayers can be answered! God’s law is inscribed in our hearts, and repentance can bring us (as the Bible teaches) to find grace in God. Before the coming of Christ, there was no Confession and Reconciliation. The teachers of the Law could not understand it (as some still do today) because they thought that it was a man who was forgiving sin, not God acting through a man. The Sacrament is the ordinary way, but as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “God is not tied to His sacraments”. Which means that if we long to be reconciled with God, yet without any fault we do not yet have access to the Sacrament, we can hope in God’s forgiveness, even in the case of mortal sin (CCC 1452).

 

[austenbosten]

Not sure whether you have multiple questions, or just one…

No doubt your prayers can be answered! God’s law is inscribed in our hearts, and repentance can bring us (as the Bible teaches) to find grace in God. Before the coming of Christ, there was no Confession and Reconciliation. The teachers of the Law could not understand it (as some still do today) because they thought that it was a man who was forgiving sin, not God acting through a man. The Sacrament is the ordinary way, but as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “God is not tied to His sacraments”. Which means that if we long to be reconciled with God, yet without any fault we do not yet have access to the Sacrament, we can hope in God’s forgiveness, even in the case of mortal sin (CCC 1452).

Thank you for this, I’m just stating my situation. I’m not Catholic (yet) and I admit I’m in a state of mortal sin according to the Church. I understand I do not have the Sacrament of Confession yet, so I make it up by praying from Psalm 51, which I am told is acceptable.

I’m just wondering if God hears my prayers for favors such as marriage and desire to become pure, chaste and more charitable?

 

[alokin123]

I’ve seen it mentioned on here more than once that God doesn’t hear or answer our prayers if we are in mortal sin. Who is saying that? Of course God hears all prayers, in fact he heard your prayer from Eternity before you even existed. If he didn’t answer prayers while in mortal sin us poor sinners don’t stand a chance.

I read once that when we commit a mortal sin any good works we do don’t count towards eternal life and any good we have done in the past is swept away at the moment of mortal sin until we go to confession.

I think this quote from Francis De Sales “Devout Life” is something to reflect on when preparing for confession:

“Having thus sought out the evil spots in your conscience, strive to detest them, and to reject them with the greatest abhorrence and contrition of which your heart is capable;–bearing in mind these four things:–that by sin you have lost God’s Grace, rejected your share in Paradise, accepted the pains of Hell, and renounced God’s Eternal Love.”

The book itself is wonderful and has some very useful info when preparing for confession. I particularly like reading this after a confession:

catholictreasury.info/books/devout_life/dev21.php

 

[R_C]

I read once that when we commit a mortal sin any good works we do don’t count towards eternal life and any good we have done in the past is swept away at the moment of mortal sin until we go to confession.

I do not know where you have read that, but here’s my meter for anything that is not an official teaching of the Church: if it sounds unfair, it probably does not have its origin in God.

We could say, for the sake of the argument, that the whole of humanity was, from the fall until the coming of Christ, in a state of mortal sin. Yet we have seen - as St. Paul describes - that many men found grace in the eyes of God. And in the Scriptures we see God listening to us, answering to us, not only rebuking and disciplining us but even acting like the kindest of fathers, revealing even far before the due time the immensely wonderful inheritance that He had prepared for us - nothing less than His very son as mystical spouse, and His very kingdom as our dwelling place.

It would be unfair if any good we ever did were “swept away” the moment we commit a mortal sin - although we do acknowledge that all good works are done by God through us and that the Lord said (Lk 17:10):

when you have done everything you were told to do, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’

As a matter of fact, that erroneous statement just called to mind the following infallible teachings from the Council of Trent:

Canon 24: “If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.”

This Canon says that the works are a cause of increase in justification, and that such justification is not only preserved but also increased through good works.

Canon 32. If anyone says that the good works of the one justified are in such manner the gifts of God that they are not also the good merits of him justified; or that the one justified by the good works that he performs by the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ (of whom one is a living member), the justified does not truly merit an increase of grace, and eternal life, provided that one dies in the state of grace, the attainment of this eternal life, as well as an increase in glory, let him be anathema.

This Canon specifies that the good works are not only gifts of God, but also our good merits, and that the justified merits an increase of grace, (in a state of grace) the attainment of eternal life, and an increase in glory.

Therefore God will keep all good works into account, not only to increase our grace, but also to aid us reach salvation and even to increase our glory in the world to come.

Of course…if we commit a mortal sin and we die as impenitent sinners, it is us who are discarding all the grace and glory we had merited, as well as the salvation granted by faith in Christ…however, the good Lord will not let even a single fruit go lost, but rather He will wisely distribute those merits for the good of other souls who, perhaps, did not have the opportunity to do such good works.

As for that book of St. Francis of Sales: it is a magnificent reading, indeed. I’d also recommend alongside “The Spiritual Combat” by Fr. Scupoli - one of his favorite treatises, which it is said he carried and read for 18 years. They are very practical books, that not only help us prepare to the combat, but actually help us survive in the battlefield.

 

[R_C]

I’m just wondering if God hears my prayers for favors such as marriage and desire to become pure, chaste and more charitable?

As I was saying above, I tend to “go with the heart” on these topics until, of course, I find out what Holy Church teaches. I know by experience that in my ignorance and imperfection I can be easily led astray. However, let us focus for a minute on the heart of Christ: how could such a sweet and merciful God not hear such wonderful prayers, especially when they are made with such pure intentions? I dare to go even further and say: God has already answered those prayers, and with your free consent to do His divine will you shall find out the answer in due time, for it is a great truth that in this life every planted seed needs time, effort, fertile soil, and suitable nourishment in order to produce good fruits.

Furthermore, the favors you ask are, in a way, part of God’s commandments, which are far from impossible to keep, but rather, “a yoke that is easy, a burden that is light”. But we know how incredibly difficult they are to keep if we try to rely on our sole strength…therefore, it is a most natural conclusion that God already wants to grant you all necessary graces for you to become more pure, more chaste, and more charitable. Of course, through your collaboration.

As for marriage, you should be very open, because unlike chastity or charity, marriage is a vocation, like celibacy, or consecrated life. You cannot know until it becomes an evident fact whether you are called to a human spouse or to a mystical marriage…I have known people who were discerning the one and suddenly found that their calling was the other, much to their own surprise! But no matter what, that prayer never goes unheard…in fact, God already knows what is best for you, and you will know too, in due time, if you keep looking (Mt 7:7, Jn 8:32).

 

[austenbosten]

As I was saying above, I tend to “go with the heart” on these topics until, of course, I find out what Holy Church teaches. I know by experience that in my ignorance and imperfection I can be easily led astray. However, let us focus for a minute on the heart of Christ: how could such a sweet and merciful God not hear such wonderful prayers, especially when they are made with such pure intentions? I dare to go even further and say: God has already answered those prayers, and with your free consent to do His divine will you shall find out the answer in due time, for it is a great truth that in this life every planted seed needs time, effort, fertile soil, and suitable nourishment in order to produce good fruits.

Furthermore, the favors you ask are, in a way, part of God’s commandments, which are far from impossible to keep, but rather, “a yoke that is easy, a burden that is light”. But we know how incredibly difficult they are to keep if we try to rely on our sole strength…therefore, it is a most natural conclusion that God already wants to grant you all necessary graces for you to become more pure, more chaste, and more charitable. Of course, through your collaboration.

As for marriage, you should be very open, because unlike chastity or charity, marriage is a vocation, like celibacy, or consecrated life. You cannot know until it becomes an evident fact whether you are called to a human spouse or to a mystical marriage…I have known people who were discerning the one and suddenly found that their calling was the other, much to their own surprise! But no matter what, that prayer never goes unheard…in fact, God already knows what is best for you, and you will know too, in due time, if you keep looking (Mt 7:7, Jn 8:32).

Thank you so much for your generous words R_C. They’ve touched me and it means a lot. I don’t know what my vocation is (I hope marriage, because I love my niece and my soon to join this world nephew and I would love to be a great father as my father was to me and a good husband to my wife and love her as much as I love my mother) however if God wants me to be a priest then all I can ask for is that God fills my lonely heart with His Love and makes me the best priest a man can be.