Impure thoughts during adoration - please help!

[MrsMeganMc]

I went to mass tonight which was followed by an hour of eucharistic adoration.

While during my prayers, on a couple of occassions, I suddenly had horribly impure thoughts. I felt so shamefull thinking these things while praying - especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament. As soon as I had them I immediately cast them from my mind and asked Jesus to help me in doing so. I also said a couple of Hail Mary’s in order to rid myself of these thoughts.

I just feel so horrible, shameful, and guilty having such awful thoughts while in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Was this a sin?

 

[Allen537]

I went to mass tonight which was followed by an hour of eucharistic adoration.

While during my prayers, on a couple of occassions, I suddenly had horribly impure thoughts. I felt so shamefull thinking these things while praying - especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament. As soon as I had them I immediately cast them from my mind and asked Jesus to help me in doing so. I also said a couple of Hail Mary’s in order to rid myself of these thoughts.

I just feel so horrible, shameful, and guilty having such awful thoughts while in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Was this a sin?

No,

You cannot control impulsive thoughts anymore than you can control your emotions. You did the right thing by casting them aside and asking Jesus to help you and to give you strength. And praying to Our Blessed Mother, model of purity, is always a smart thing to do in these situations.

Remember, having impulsive thoughts like that is not sinful, it is when you begin to indulge and entertain them that it becomes sinful.

Please be assured of my prayers.

In Carmel,

Br. Allen

 

[Pray4Life]

No, these were temptations. You did the right thing by rejecting them at once, if you had continued them willingly there would have been sin. We all have unwanted thoughts sometimes, at the worst possible moments, but our Lord understands. You had a choice between these temptations and Him, and you chose Him. That is always a pleasing gift to Him, in addition to your company

 

[graceandglory]

MrsMeganMc:
You need to be doing something with your mind.

I love this book. It’s one of my favorite ones on praying.

Fire Within
by Fr. Thomas Dubay
amazon.com/Fire-Within-Teresa-Gospel-Prayer/dp/0898702631/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226980295&sr=1-2

Reading spiritual books is a form of prayer. If that is where you are in your prayer life, rejoice and be glad. Everybody is at a different place, and we move back and forth from one place to another. You just need something to keep your mind active while you are at adoration.

 

[LilyM]

We can no more control our thoughts and emotions than we can control the waves of the ocean, we can just try to head for shore when they get choppy! You did the right thing, just take refuge in Jesus.

I try to use such thoughts, when they pop up, as a reminder to thank God for His gift of my sexuality, and to rededicate myself - heart, mind, body, soul and senses - to Him and His service.

 

[danlaupat]

This has happened to me, too, during Mass, during adoration, during Scripture studies… When it happens I immediately cast the thought aside and simply state the Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, have mercy on me, a sinner). I also try not to think any more of it. Don’t beat yourself up over it–that is what Satan wants you to do.