Is it a sin to not do penance?

[blackforest]

Bad phrasing on my part. There is a prevailing belief that holiness is only for the spiritually elite when it’s really for all of us.

 

[PatK63]

Andy, when the priest said in the next day or so he left you a lot of room. Just do it before your next confession which is the standard for any penance. Personally I have objected to that penance because I try to be nice and kind all the time. I have also told the priest once that I wanted a difficult penance because there is extra grace driven when we do something as a penance.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Next time “Father, would you give me a specific penance please?”

 

[PennyinCanada]

I like your question of, ‘if I don’t do my penance is it a sin?’ This is a great place to ask questions. I would even say, for a general question like this, you could give it to your priest and ask him to discuss the answer in a homily because likely other people are wondering the same thing.

I find many questions on here deal with how close we can get to the edge without falling off. It’s always about our poverty of love toward God and toward neighbor. A lack of generosity. What is the least I can do and get away with it. This is not the walk of the saints. They were generous with God. They found ways of doing small penances as a way of expressing their love of God, that they wanted God’s presence in their lives. Example… Sitting down, I won’t cross my legs. I’m thirsty, I’ll wait a half and hour to get a drink. This kind of practice and thinking is gold. It’s like putting dimes and quarters into a piggy bank and when united with God, that piggy bank at the end of your life is millions of dollars. This is how we impact the world. The intention of a small penance given with love, united with God, changes the world. God hopes for us to respond in this manner! God bless.

 

[PennyinCanada]

I’m thinking, since you’ve put it off, for what ever reason, I suggest that this coming week you do that penance times seven. Jot it down, keep a record, and have a conversation with God in prayer to increase your love, that you think of him more often, that you recognize moments during the day that you can do a small thing.

Ask for ideas if you like. I suggest that when you’re in a parking lot and the handicap parking area has a cart sitting there in the way, put the cart in it’s spot. This allows a person to pull into that spot. Often a mobility challenged person needs the cart to walk so they cannot return the cart and make it back to their vehicle very easily.

 

[CRV]

I suggest that when you’re in a parking lot and the handicap parking area has a cart sitting there in the way, put the cart in it’s spot. This allows a person to pull into that spot. Often a mobility challenged person needs the cart to walk so they cannot return the cart and make it back to their vehicle very easily.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness of others.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Is it a mortal sin? It was not so much as a “I’m not going to do it!!” It was more of a “eh I’ll do it later” and then just kind being lax about it.

What does it matter? A sin is a sin. We’re called to not sin AT ALL, not just not sin mortally.

There’s entirely too much “is it a MORTAL sin?” questioning on here, like if it’s a MORTAL sin then it’s worth bothering about but if not then who cares.

Just do your penance. As someone else said it’s an easy penance and in the time you’re spending posting in this thread you could have had it done by now.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Anyway, let’s just say that I didn’t do it at all. Is being lazy or not attentive and not completing your penance a sin in anyway? Or just a venial sin for that matter?

Scripture does say about the lukewarm that he would vomit them out of his mouth.

 

[PennyinCanada]

From social media, a non-religious comment.
We Christians should bring Christ into our day. That’s how the world changes.
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