Mortal or venial?

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I decided to limit the amount of time I spent on the computer during Lent (this is in addition to the abstainence on Friday & fasting, of course). There were times when I was reading something interesting and knowingly went over my time limit. Is this a mortal or venial sin?
 
If you set up the time limit as a type of vow to God and deliberately threw it in his face, that would be bad. But if you just set up the time limit as a discipline for yourself, while you should try to keep it, breaking it wouldn’t be a mortal sin. Unless it was like, a discipline to not kill people.
 
Is anyone esle on these forums amazed, concerned, or downright baffled by the level of scrupulocity that seems to exist among many posters?
 
Well, Island, scrupulosity is a far cry better than its opposite. I don’t know how many people exactly have posted “scrupulosity-related” topics, but as I recall there are like 700 people total on these boards, so the % probably isn’t that huge.
 
I’m not really sure which of the two it is, KWIM? I intended for it to be a penance, for Lent. I didn’t break it to throw it in God’s face, but because I was interested in what I was doing & lacked (or didn’t want) the willpower to stop abruptly. Should I confess it?
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challenger:
If you set up the time limit as a type of vow to God and deliberately threw it in his face, that would be bad. But if you just set up the time limit as a discipline for yourself, while you should try to keep it, breaking it wouldn’t be a mortal sin. Unless it was like, a discipline to not kill people.
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BlindSheep:
I’m not really sure which of the two it is, KWIM? I intended for it to be a penance, for Lent. I didn’t break it to throw it in God’s face, but because I was interested in what I was doing & lacked (or didn’t want) the willpower to stop abruptly. Should I confess it?
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Dear friend

For a mortal sin to have taken place, first you must know it is mortal, second you must desire to depart from God wilfully, third it has to be grave matter. All three have to be present. Your situation is none of these. It is not grave matter, you do not wilfully want to seperate yourself from God and you did not know if it was mortal…so please stop your worrying.🙂

I would say it isn’t even venial, you may have been helping another with your post and God would have been pleased with this rather than you turning your computer off, that was your prayer , helping another. Or you may have been learning about the faith and this is always a good thing and was very absorbed…this is not a sin dear friend.

Your intention is good and for the most part you have stuck to your lenten penance…if it makes you feel better offer something extra up by way of penance. This Lenten walk we make is to bring Christ Jesus ever closer each Lent into our hearts and minds and if you do this, you will learn more and more just how merciful our sweet Lord Jesus is. Maybe this Lent you may like to do some spiritual reading in respect of Jesus’ mercy and love for you, read the Gospel of St John and the Diary of ST Faustina. Why do you think the Feast of the Divine Mercy is so close to Easter?

divinemercysunday.com/ have a look at this link.

You should mention this to your Priest because I think you are overly worrying and I would like for you to have Christ Jesus’ peace.

Approach Him as a child and don’t worry dear friend.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Dear friend

Taken from the Diary of St Faustina

1541 My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one. Write this for the benefit of distressed souls; when a soul sees and realizes the gravity of it sins, when the whole abyss of the misery into which it immersed itself is displayed before its eyes, let it not despair, but with trust let it throw itself into the arms of My mercy, as a child into the arms of its beloved mother. These souls have a right of priority to My compassionate Heart, they have first access to My mercy. Tell them that no soul that has called upon My mercy has been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a soul which has placed its trust in My goodness.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Thank you, challenger, island oak and springbreeze for your replies. I feel much better now.
I guess I am worrying too much about this. Sometimes I just compare myself to the Saints and I don’t measure up too well!
 
Thank you Teresa. I think I’ll take your advice and read the diary of St. Faustina. It may be just what I need.
 
Dear friend

You are more than welcome

here is another excerpt …

At adoration during the Forty-Hours’ Devotion, the Lord said to me, My daughter, write that involuntary offences of souls do not hinder My love for them or prevent Me from uniting Myself with them. But voluntary offences, even the smallest, obstruct My graces, and I cannot lavish My gifts on such souls. (1641)

I won’t post anymore it will spoil the read for you. God’s graces are so freely given to those who trust in Him and love Him.

I am hoping and praying that you continue to journey with our Lord through this Lenten time and if I don’t catch you about on the forum before Easter have a very Blessed and Joyous Easter, one filled with graces and that you come to know the Mercy of Our Sweet Lord Jesus

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Island Oak:
Is anyone esle on these forums amazed, concerned, or downright baffled by the level of scrupulocity that seems to exist among many posters?
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yes
 
Dear friend

What may not seem a problem to one person is a very real and troubling problem for another and it is imperative to be sensitive and kind whilst trying to help people who suffer this way.

The origin of this posters situation is the desire to please God with such a zest that they are worrying unnecessarily over sin or the possibility of falling into sin. I have much compassion for people who endure this struggle within themselves and it can be very painful for people who struggle and suffer this way.

Some people may not understand such a struggle, however not understanding is no reason then to dismiss their fears and worries or even go as far as to be annoyed at their fears and worries.

I truly wish Christ’s peace to those who suffer and struggle in this way. It can truly take the joy and peace out of faith in Christ Jesus and we are to be a Eucharistic Joyous people of God, because once there was darkness and now there is light in the world, Christ Jesus and we live in Him, The Light of The World.

I would ask anyone who struggles in this way to spend time reflecting on Christ Jesus’ Love and Mercy and as a penance to stop themselves from reflecting upon sin to any extent whatsoever for a period. This I truly believe is the solution for many people who struggle with worry over sin and sinning. There is no need to worry anymore, Christ Jesus’ mercy is available in the Sacrament of Reconciliation…we are in this free from the chains of sin.

This worry over sin can be a manifestation of Obsessive Complusive Disorder, not that our friend who made this thread has this disorder, but it is helpful to check out with a medic if this persists for any amount of time whether a person who struggles this way does have this condition.

Mostly people who struggle with sin are for the most part not knwoledgeable or have not taken into their heart God’s Redeeming Mercy and I believe that once a soul does trust in God’s Mercy very wonderful things can happen in faith and it is then that the spirit begins to blossom in Christ Jesus

I pray you dear friend have the Peace and Mercy of Christ Jesus forever etched in your heart and mind and you return to joy of faith and a Eucharistic happiness that spreads to all parts of your life.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
p.s.

To know God’s Mercy is to be merciful oneself, merciful to oneself and merciful to others.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
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