Mortal sin and the confessional

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I am aware of the teaching of mortal sin, and the potential to go to Hell if you do not confess in the sacrament your sins. I have a few questions however, we all sin supposedly, because we are sinners, and we need frequent repentance, it is highly unlikely for me to go another 60 years of my life without sinning what so ever, so it is almost a given that there will be times I will be in mortal sin. However, in our teaching, which I believe in too, if you die in that state, you go to hell. So is our fate merely chance? Does not God draw our last breath, and bring us to himself, (this is what a pastor of mine had said). So is living in a state of Mortal sin someone who refuses until the end of their lives to go to confession. I am just trying to get a better sense damnation because I feel that while not right, i dont agree with mortal sin, but I also know that it is highly likely I am going to commit it again (lust for example), so I want to recrify the fear that I have of being in a state of mortal sin, because I really do not want to go to hell.
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
I am aware of the teaching of mortal sin, and the potential to go to Hell if you do not confess in the sacrament your sins. I have a few questions however, we all sin supposedly, because we are sinners, and we need frequent repentance, it is highly unlikely for me to go another 60 years of my life without sinning what so ever, so it is almost a given that there will be times I will be in mortal sin. However, in our teaching, which I believe in too, if you die in that state, you go to hell. So is our fate merely chance? Does not God draw our last breath, and bring us to himself, (this is what a pastor of mine had said). So is living in a state of Mortal sin someone who refuses until the end of their lives to go to confession. I am just trying to get a better sense damnation because I feel that while not right, i dont agree with mortal sin, but I also know that it is highly likely I am going to commit it again (lust for example), so I want to recrify the fear that I have of being in a state of mortal sin, because I really do not want to go to hell.
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We do not know the mercies that God imparts at the time of our death. For one who has shown great effort to combat a sin that they struggle with it is likely that their culpability is diminished to the point that even if they are in sin God is pleased with their effort.

But it is also important to look at the precepts of the church–like going to confession if not frequently, at least once a year.
 
Each time you commit a mortal sin, you risk damnation. It’s as plain as that. I know that’s not really a comforting thing to hear, but then, we shouldn’t find the concept comfortable at all. It should be uncomfortable. It should make us worry, and should drive us to avoid sin in light of the reality of eternal separation from God.

I say this as someone who struggles with habitual indulgence in a particular mortal sin. Every time I fall, there is a very real possibility that I will die before making it to confession, and that I will be damned on account of my choice. That is why, whenever I fail, I try to get to confession as quickly as possible. Even if your main parish doesn’t have confession more than once a week, you can always go elsewhere. I have the confession schedules of three parish working so that I can make it any day of the week should the need arise.

With all this being said, Xanthippe is correct. We do not know what graces God will impart at the end of our lives. I recall a story about Padre Pio. The mother of a young man who’d killed himself by jumping form a bridge came to him to ask about her son. Padre Pio was given knowledge of his fate, and told her that, moments before he hit the water, he recognized the evil he was committing and repented of it. As a result, he was in Purgatory, rather than Hell.

We should never despair of God’s grace, mercy, and love, even at our last second. I just personally would rather assume there is no last outpouring of grace and make sure I make it to confession. Better safe than sorry in this case.
 
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Personally, I find refuge in the Hail Mary, the portion of this strong prayer which states, “pray for us in the hour of our death.” Alongside being enrolled in a holy scapular, which has been said to have certain graces that can aid in the afterlife. That, with going to Church and praying the prayers provided (meditatively in the Church service) is probably why they are there, wouldn’t you agree? Besides that, I suggest a confession strategy… I have a handful which are good for reflecting upon past sins and addictions.
 
my question is sthough, if God takes you to heaven, in the situation where you can’t make it to confession on time and you die, wouldn’t that technically make you God taking you to hell, what im asking is does God always give us the chance to repent?
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
my question is sthough, if God takes you to heaven, in the situation where you can’t make it to confession on time and you die, wouldn’t that technically make you God taking you to hell, what im asking is does God always give us the chance to repent?
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We have no idea what God will do. And it will vary from person to person. Again, it has been made clear from saints and the church that habitual sin may merit less punishment by way of culpability.

There is also purgatory. It is likely that one in habitual sin (confessed or not) will have to undergo some purification before entering heaven.
 
I know but lets say you are in Mortal Sin. And you know that confession is a few days away. You say a prayer to yourself, Lord, Help me get to confession, I am Sorry. Does God hear this prayer, or is it a matter of defying physics in order to make your way to the confessional?
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
I know but lets say you are in Mortal Sin. And you know that confession is a few days away. You say a prayer to yourself, Lord, Help me get to confession, I am Sorry. Does God hear this prayer, or is it a matter of defying physics in order to make your way to the confessional?
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Can we say with 100% knowledge?

No.

We cannot say that God will not make a decision based on what occurs at the time.

However, we can judge based on what we DO know from the Church and saints. There have been many private revelations of God’s mercy surrounding perfect confessions and the death. These show that God will take intentions and sorrow into account.

But it’s not a guarantee…that’s why we need to go to confession.
 
I just think that an all knowing God wouldn’t hinder someone from making it to the confessional if he or she was sorry prior to getting there…
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
I just think that an all knowing God wouldn’t hinder someone from making it to the confessional if he or she was sorry prior to getting there…
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God isn’t going to hinder anyone, at the same time God’s not going to stop natural law from occurring.
 
Can you be sorry in your heart, prior to getting to the confessional, and be absolved through God?
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
Can you be sorry in your heart, prior to getting to the confessional, and be absolved through God?
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It is extremely rare, and very unlikley…but yes. That is “perfect contrition”. Perfect contrition would also give you an insatiable desire to seek confession.
 
Natural law- I meant Natural Order-- that which occurs in nature. The length of the day, the distance to the parish, the availability of a priest, the traffic, the weather, the attitudes of people, etc. If you fall into mortal sin the day before a massive hurricane, God is not going to stop the hurricane so you can get to confession.
 
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so then do we get to confession based on providence, or is it mere chance? thatts where im trying to get at
 
pwlj_christ871 said:
so then do we get to confession based on providence, or is it mere chance? thatts where im trying to get at
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You get to confession because you know you did something wrong. You get to confession becuase YOU choose to take the time and go on Saturday (when it is offered) or make an appointment with the priest.

If you are struggling with a habitual mortal sin, it would be wise to have a regular confessor and go weekly, bi-weekly or monthly as he advises. Now, this is key. If you are struggling to not commit the same mortal sin from day to day, then God is going to account for your efforts to avoid that sin and to confess it, and what you were advised spiritually. Here responsibility is paramount.

If you have committed a mortal sin out of the blue it would be advisable to figure out HOW you are getting to confession. Whether this be confession on Saturdays that you verify by calling the office, or going into the parish office. Again, take responsibility. Get to confession as soon as possible. Don’t make assumptions or rely on the website or bulletin.

To me, it sounds like you want one right answer, one fell swoop of responsibility on either you or God. But life dosn’t work that way. We must do our work to the best of our abilities.

Only then will God be enabled to show us mercy.
 
It is sort of like asking what happens to a Jewish person if they had a bad sinning year and die before Yom Kippur
 
You get to confession based on choice. And confession is not a “get out of jail free” card. As part of confession, you need to firmly resolve not to sin again, If you are not making that resolve, and the attendant process of changing what you do (or don’t do) which is resulting in sin, you are making a choice - and not the right one.

In addition, if you are not making a firm resolution to not sin, you may be committing the sin of presumption in addition to whatever sin you started with.

God is not playing a game of “Gotcha!” He truly loves us, and truly wants us to follow him, to love him and to follow his commandments.

He loves us so much, that if we reject him, he will allow that decision - that choice - to stand. In other words, he will not “send us to Hell”. He will allow us to choose Hell; and that is what we do when we sin.
 
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If you commit mortal sin, and become aware of it, resolve to confess it at the next opportunity. But also say an act of perfect contrition (of course you have to mean it and truly be sorry for what you did), and resolve to confess at the next opportunity.

God is not a tyrant, He knows if we are truly sorry. An act of contrition allows you to regain God’s mercy, so that if something happens to you and you die before you can reasonably get to confession, you will be forgiven.
 
Xanthippe_Voorhees said:
Natural law- that which occurs in nature. The length of the day, the distance to the parish, the availability of a priest, the traffic, the weather, the attitudes of people, etc. If you fall into mortal sin the day before a massive hurricane, God is not going to stop the hurricane so you can get to confession.
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That’s not what natural law is. Natural law is not what occurs in nature. Natural law is the moral law written on the hearts of men and women, that which helps them distinguish between good and evil. Natural law is what is in the nature of humans, not what occurs in the natural world.

 
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