It Just Keeps Happening

[7violinS]

Is it mortal if you use the name of the Lord in vain when in pain? I knew it was grave matter but I’m not sure if I fully consented because it happened fast. Of all the words i could have thought I chose the Lord’s name I banged my hand against a corner and thought of His name as the pain hit.

 

[LilyM]

Is it mortal if you use the name of the Lord in vain when in pain? I knew it was grave matter but I’m not sure if I fully consented because it happened fast. Of all the words i could have thought I chose the Lord’s name I banged my hand against a corner and thought of His name as the pain hit.

Sounds like you’re becoming scrupulous mate. No way did you have full consent if you were in physical pain. Not nearly. And it sounds like you didn’t even SAY the word, just thought it! Thoughts are very often TOTALLY beyond our control, even at the best of times they pop out of nowhere. Thoughts are only sinful if you deliberately consent to them and dwell on them.

 

[Black_Jaque]

I don’t think it’s a mortal sin if you don’t say it. I suppose you could divide thought into two categories. Voluntary and involuntary. We can indeed be held accountable for our voluntary thoughts. However, the involuntary thoughts are excusable.

The involuntary thoughts are fleeting and brief. They’re reactive to certain stimuli. Something happens and this is just what pops into your head. Not to worry.

The voluntary thoughts are the longer thoughts. They are responsive to stimuli.

For instance: The stimuli may be a provocatively dress woman. The involuntary thought hits your brain, “Looky there! Wowza!” And that’s about how brief I mean. Because from there your voluntary thought kicks in. You now have two choices. Continue gawking, and imagining things. Or master your thought and put it back to where it belongs.

Now, as for actually UTTERING the Lords name in vain, this is how I handle it. If it’s habitual, as in each individual event is not truly fully consented, then those particular events are not mortal sins in and of themselves. That doesn’t mean I can just waltz up the communion isle just yet!

The real way to determine if a habit of profaning God’s name is a mortal sin is I ask myself, “OK, I now know I have a habit of grave matter, what am I doing to stop the habit?” If my answer is, “nothing” then I ought to sit out the communion. If I have a clear answer to the question then I feel pretty good about receiving communion.

 

[m134e5]

Is it mortal if you use the name of the Lord in vain when in pain? I knew it was grave matter but I’m not sure if I fully consented because it happened fast. Of all the words i could have thought I chose the Lord’s name I banged my hand against a corner and thought of His name as the pain hit.

No, it wasn’t mortal. Using God’s name irreverently and invoking God’s name falsely (which is what taking the Lord’s name in vain is) such as by acting holy and using God’s name to bring attention to yourself are two different things. The first one, you are not wilfully turning away from God. The second one, you are.

 

[7violinS]

I’m still very incertain. I feel like there was a split second when I thought ’ this is wrong’ and the pain hurt loads and just thought ‘bad thing’. I could have thought ’ Oh goodness!’ (which is what i usually do when situations like this happen) but I didn’t. I feel responsible for chosing the wrong thing (even though it happened so fast i still feel like i gave consent for it) I am scroupulous, have mild OCD and a slight anxiety problem so every time a thought like this happens I go crazy. I’ve talked to my preist about it but can’t yet shake the feeling that every time think ‘God’ outside of prayer, I commited a mortal sin. Can someone please clear the whole ’ feighned ignorance and hardness of heart’ thing? I think maybe I feighned ignorance by focusing on the pain instead of what went on in my head

 

[7violinS]

I’m still very incertain. I feel like there was a split second when I thought ’ this is wrong’ and the pain hurt loads and just thought ‘bad thing’. I could have thought ’ Oh goodness!’ (which is what i usually do when situations like this happen) but I didn’t. I feel responsible for chosing the wrong thing (even though it happened so fast i still feel like i gave consent for it) I am scroupulous, have mild OCD and a slight anxiety problem so every time a thought like this happens I go crazy. I’ve talked to my preist about it but can’t yet shake the feeling that every time think ‘God’ outside of prayer, I commited a mortal sin. Can someone please clear the whole ’ feighned ignorance and hardness of heart’ thing? I think maybe I feighned ignorance by focusing on the pain instead of what went on in my head

Please respond I fear I’ll go insane!

oh these scrupules…

 

[LilyM]

Please respond I fear I’ll go insane!

oh these scrupules…

You have by no definition committed a mortal sin. I think everyone who’s responded is agreed here. Rest easy.

 

[Black_Jaque]

I’m still very incertain. I feel like there was a split second when I thought ’ this is wrong’ and the pain hurt loads and just thought ‘bad thing’. I could have thought ’ Oh goodness!’ (which is what i usually do when situations like this happen) but I didn’t. I feel responsible for chosing the wrong thing (even though it happened so fast i still feel like i gave consent for it) I am scroupulous, have mild OCD and a slight anxiety problem so every time a thought like this happens I go crazy. I’ve talked to my preist about it but can’t yet shake the feeling that every time think ‘God’ outside of prayer, I commited a mortal sin. Can someone please clear the whole ’ feighned ignorance and hardness of heart’ thing? I think maybe I feighned ignorance by focusing on the pain instead of what went on in my head

I won’t be the one to tell you not to worry. You are dealing with grave matter.

There’s an old saying, “Sow a thought, reap an action”. So although you may not have crossed the line to mortal sin, it appears that Satan is tempting you and he’s deceiving you. Satan is tricking you into thinking that this is all informed consent, so that you fall into despair thinking it is futile to resist his temptations.

Try saying an act of contrition every time you caught yourself falling into the habit.

Next come up with a good thing to say that can replace the bad things.

For example: Instead of bumping your head and crying “God Damn!” you can make it a point to shout “Go Blast it!” or something like that.

 

[baltobetsy]

I won’t be the one to tell you not to worry. You are dealing with grave matter.

That’s fine for you and me, Black Jaque, but the OP is scrupulous, and needs to deal with sin and temptation a whole different way.

7violinS, you need to be under obedience to one confessor. You must do whatever he tells you, even if for someone else it would be wrong. That’s the only way to overcome scrupulosity. Rest assured that your obedience to your confessor will always be pleasing to God, even if what he tells you seems wrong at the time.

For now, why not form a new habit when you hurt yourself? Realizing that whatever bad thing happens to me, I deserve much more, I make it my habit to say, “Thank you” to God for the small opportunity to do penance.

Betsy

 

[CRW]

Is it mortal if you use the name of the Lord in vain when in pain? I knew it was grave matter but I’m not sure if I fully consented because it happened fast. Of all the words i could have thought I chose the Lord’s name I banged my hand against a corner and thought of His name as the pain hit.

I can identify with your pain but I do not, as others feel that it was a mortal sin. I feel the same way when someone uses our Lord’s name in vain. What do I do? Pray for them, tell them that I am offended by the use of God’s name in vain? Even when I hear it on TV it hurts so much. I try to offer up a prayer for them.

Rejoice for God loves you.