Mortal sin from lust - so what now?

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tiberius

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I have tried reading to figure this out (the catechism was worthless) and the several Catholic encyclopedias I read also told me nothing. None of them give me a straight answer about the after effects of mortal sin.

So here is my background: I am positive I am in a state of mortal sin (via masturbation). By nature I am a worrier. I have been to confession very recently about the same thing, upon leaving I promised to myself to really try to stop doing it (I said the same thing to myself the previous three confessions). I know I can stop - my first rosary a year ago (I converted last Easter) I asked the Blessed Mother to pray that I stop and I did. Now its been 9 months and again I am falling into sin only this time I know its wrong but I still do it I know I can stop but I choose not to - Its like I am a different person. I just feel so disgusted with myself - less than a year as a Catholic and have failed so much. I literally think that I am going to Hell. I feel like Judas.

So I am going to go to confession (yet again 😦 )but what will happen to my state of mortal sin - dose it disappear and will the potential of me receiving grace return? If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right? I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
 
Well, I’m in a hurry now. But I can give u some ideas.

you go to your friend’s house, you spilt your drink and you apologised. He forgives you, but the mess is still there.
That’s what happened when you sins. One ways to ‘get rid’ of it is by getting indulgence.
 
go to confession again
weekly if need be
just by going weekly, it will give you sanctifying grace to combat the temptation.

hang in there

Tak
 
Well, the first thing I am going to say is that you need to stop worrying so much. Easy to say, hard to do I realise … 😉

The second thing is to ask you whether or not you have a regular confessor and/or spiritual director. It would be wise for you to have one if there is a good and holy priest you know in whom you have confidence. In addition to hearing your confession and granting you absolution, he can also guide you in your spiritual struggles, including the one to overcome this particular vice. He may be able to help you discern the root causes why this particular sin has such a powerful attraction for you, and by getting to know you and walking with you on your spiritual journey he will be better able to tailor his advice to your particular situation.

The third thing is to encourage you to continue your formation in the Faith if you are not already doing so. You appear to have an imperfect understanding of the nature of mortal sin and how it is resolved int he Sacrament of Penance.

A mortal sin is a sin whose nature is so seriously evil or disordered that its commission completely separates us from God, depriving us of His grace, which is necessary for our salvation. You seem to have a good grasp on this detail.

However, if you have confessed your sin, then it has been pardoned and God’s grace has been restored to your soul. You must still perform whatever penance the priest imposes in your confession, but the reception of God’s grace *is not *dependent upon the performance of the penance.

Think of it this way: when one sins, it is like falling ill. A venial sin is like catching a mild cold. It doesn’t incapacitate you, you don’t need to stay in bed or go to the hospital and it’s likely not going to develop into a life-threatening illness. Unless of course you don’t take care of it and it just goes on getting worse and worse… then it may eventually…

A mortal sin is a serious illness. You need to get to the doctor ASAP and get medical attention. It does incapacitate you and if you don’t attend to it, it will result in death.

Receiving the Sacrament of Penance is like going to the doctor. The priest gives you the spiritual treatment you need and cures what is ailing you. However, just as when one has had a serious illness or been bedridden or in the hospital for an extended period of time, a period of convalscence normally follows because the effects of the illness remain even after the body has been cured.

Just as physical illness does with the body, the encounter with mortal sin weakens the soul’s ability to respond to the grace which God infuses in it in the Sacrament of Penance. Sin dulls the souls spiritual sensitivity, strength and its reflexes. This is why, particularly in the case of a mortal sin which has become a vice (as may be the case here, I don’t know… consult with your confessor), once the sin is pardoned and the initial penance has been performed, there is often the need for one to be more attentive than usual in prayer and the offering of voluntary sacrifices to strengthen the grace which again lives in the soul.

This is getting long, and I hope it helps. Just one more thing: masturbation is a tricky vice and if it has indeed become a habit for you, then just how much control you have over it and whether or not you always fulfill all of the necessary conditions for the commission of the act to be a mortal sin may not be clear. This is why you need to consult with a regular confessor or spiritual director who can help you evaluate your own particular set of circumstances and determine the degree of guilt.

This is not to excuse the act; masturbation remains a gravely disordered act and you must confess it, but please, please avoid scrupulosity, fear and excessive worry and do not reduce your entire relationship with God to the battle to overcome this vice. You can overcome it, but you must be at peace about it as you seek Our Lord’s grace. And in addition to the rosary, I sincerely recommend frequent communion and attendance at Mass during the week. That will keep you close to Our Lord.

God bless!
 
2Cor.12

7] And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn** was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.**

I don’t know what that thorn St. Paul was given; however, it does show that even he had to struggle with sin. Being in Corinth, which was like our modern day Las Vegas only worse, he no doubt faced many temptations.

Here’s a link to something I wrote on the persistant nature of sin.

Now here’s the good news…Christ forgives you and once you go to confession the sin you committed no longer exists. He destroys it for all eternity. If you mess up again, go back to confession and he will do it again, and again, and again. He wants you with Him and has proven He will do whatever it takes to make that happen if you keep coming to Him.

Finally, masturbation can be a form of addiction. Just like someone addicted to drugs may be clean for awhile and then fall off the wagon…if you were really addicted to masturbation before, you may have periods to time where you are struggling with this problem.

Keep praying. Go to confession. Never lose hope.
 
Thanks guys (espiecially StCsDavid and Moneo) I do feel a lot better after reading your posts:) . I will go to confession today.
 
tiberius said:
I have tried reading to figure this out (the catechism was worthless) and the several Catholic encyclopedias I read also told me nothing. None of them give me a straight answer about the after effects of mortal sin.

So here is my background: I am positive I am in a state of mortal sin (via masturbation). By nature I am a worrier. I have been to confession very recently about the same thing, upon leaving I promised to myself to really try to stop doing it (I said the same thing to myself the previous three confessions). I know I can stop - my first rosary a year ago (I converted last Easter) I asked the Blessed Mother to pray that I stop and I did. Now its been 9 months and again I am falling into sin only this time I know its wrong but I still do it I know I can stop but I choose not to - Its like I am a different person. I just feel so disgusted with myself - less than a year Das a Catholic and have failed so much. I literally think that I am going to Hell. I feel like Judas.

So I am going to go to confession (yet again 😦 )but what will happen to my state of mortal sin - dose it disappear and will the potential of me receiving grace return? If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right? I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
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Dear Tiberius,

You are sooooo not alone. No man (or women) is without sin, even after they become a Catholic. Masturbation is a sin that has and probably always will be a problem among Catholics as well as non-Catholics for years to come. That does not mean that we should simply accept it and “give in” when we feel the temptation. HOWEVER, if we do fall, we should certainly go to Holy Confession. God (Christ) gave our Church the ability to bind and loose. So, when the Priest says that you are absolved, you are absolved! Your problem, as well as so many others (me included), is that we leave the Confessional and are determined never to commit another sin and when we do, we feel we are not doing our part. Well, in the end, that may be the goal, but it is not reality. Therefore, we must ALWAYS try to find a way in which to abstain from our sins. For me, on the subject of masturbation, I find it VERY helpful to keep myself surrounded by Catholicism. I am constantly listening to EWTN, Catholic (or even Christian in general) music, going to Mass, saying rosaries, etc. In addition, I avoid all temptations within my power such as porn, some of the racier TV programs, etc. Sometimes, I fall. However, when that happens, I can find peace knowing that Holy Confession is available. God bless and keep up the good fight!! 👍
 
tiberius said:
Thanks guys (espiecially StCsDavid and Moneo) I do feel a lot better after reading your posts:) . I will go to confession today.
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You’re most welcome. Please say a prayer for me before the Blessed Sacrament following your confession, if you would be so kind. 👍
 
Moneo said:
Well, the first thing I am going to say is that you need to stop worrying so much. Easy to say, hard to do I realise … 😉
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I believe it is healthy to want to get rid of sin with such zeal that he has displayed. Not necessarily worry.
The second thing is to ask you whether or not you have a regular confessor and/or spiritual director.
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Yes, a spiritual director can be helpful, but choose carefully. CAF had a great radio show on seeking a spiritual director date 26/09/2006 with Father Dubay.
The third thing is to encourage you to continue your formation in the Faith if you are not already doing so. You appear to have an imperfect understanding of the nature of mortal sin and how it is resolved int he Sacrament of Penance.
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I do not think his understanding is imperfect.

A mortal sin kills (as much as is possible) grace in the soul and severs the tie between man and God.

However, there is a grey area with masturbation, not because it is a vice, but because one allows a certain ‘dual thought’ to occur. Now, if this has become a habit, then one must break it, either by shaking oneself out of the double thinking, literally, if one starts to masturbate, or by learning to place God at the front of every action. By double thinking, I mean having the knowledge that God views it as wrong, but convincing oneself it is not wrong, at the same time. This needs to be broken before one attempts to combat the sin (but one should still stop immediately!).

However, if one is just addicted to pleasure, yet yearns for heaven, then it is a case of ‘the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak’. This has to be beaten by gritting ones teeth and trying with all their might, even though the temptation will be overwhleming at times.
A mortal sin is a sin whose nature is so seriously evil or disordered that its commission completely separates us from God, depriving us of His grace, which is necessary for our salvation. You seem to have a good grasp on this detail. However, if you have confessed your sin, then it has been pardoned and God’s grace has been restored to your soul. You must still perform whatever penance the priest imposes in your confession, but the reception of God’s grace *is not *dependent upon the performance of the penance.
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I think he is asking that because he has sinned, yet repents, is it enough for forgiveness before he gets to confession.

I believe the Church teaches that perfect contrition (which is a sorrow for sins because one is sad at the thought of offending their Creator) is enough if one cannot get to confession. (But, of course, perfect contrition usually comes to those more advanced in the spiritual life)

If you are truly repentant, then heaven has rejoiced over you. All the angels and saints uttered a cry of joy the second you turned back to God, and I really mean that. Although you may only have imperfect contrition (which is simply a fear of hell as opposed to offence of God, and the Church teaches it is not enough to ‘supplement’ (for lack of a better word) confession, God is so happy that you have turned back to Him.
Think of it this way: when one sins, it is like falling ill. A venial sin is like catching a mild cold. It doesn’t incapacitate you, you don’t need to stay in bed or go to the hospital and it’s likely not going to develop into a life-threatening illness. Unless of course you don’t take care of it and it just goes on getting worse and worse… then it may eventually…
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A mortal sin is a serious illness. You need to get to the doctor ASAP and get medical attention. It does incapacitate you and if you don’t attend to it, it will result in death.
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😛 I don’t think that analogy is quite right.

Think of yourself hanging onto a rope, a venial sin means the rope gets frayed a little, too many and they will turn into a mortal sin, which means the rope is cut.

If one repents then God catches them as they fall, and confession restores the rope (or divine life) 🙂
a period of convalscence normally follows because the effects of the illness remain even after the body has been cured.
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But not necessarily, one should use confession as the springboard to a new life in Christ.
Just as physical illness does with the body, the encounter with mortal sin weakens the soul’s ability to respond to the grace which God infuses in it in the Sacrament of Penance. Sin dulls the souls spiritual sensitivity, strength and its reflexes. This is why, particularly in the case of a mortal sin which has become a vice (as may be the case here, I don’t know… consult with your confessor), once the sin is pardoned and the initial penance has been performed, there is often the need for one to be more attentive than usual in prayer and the offering of voluntary sacrifices to strengthen the grace which again lives in the soul.
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An excellent paragraph.

God Bless!
 
tiberius said:
I have tried reading to figure this out (the catechism was worthless) and the several Catholic encyclopedias I read also told me nothing. None of them give me a straight answer about the after effects of mortal sin.
Click to expand...
tiberius said:
If you make a good confession, your sins are forgiven. The temporal punishment remains, but you can get rid of that with indulgences (saying certain prayers, using holy water, etc.)
tiberius;1860420:
So here is my background: I am positive I am in a state of mortal sin (via masturbation). By nature I am a worrier. I have been to confession very recently about the same thing, upon leaving I promised to myself to really try to stop doing it (I said the same thing to myself the previous three confessions). I know I can stop - my first rosary a year ago (I converted last Easter) I asked the Blessed Mother to pray that I stop and I did. Now its been 9 months and again I am falling into sin only this time I know its wrong but I still do it I know I can stop but I choose not to - Its like I am a different person. I just feel so disgusted with myself - less than a year as a Catholic and have failed so much. I literally think that I am going to Hell. I feel like Judas.
Click to expand...
You have to have full consent of the will for a sin to be mortal, so you may not be in a state of mortal sin- that’s between you and God- with the guidance of your confessor. Talk to your confessor about how you feel. This struggle takes time to overcome.
tiberius said:
So I am going to go to confession (yet again 😦 )but what will happen to my state of mortal sin - dose it disappear and will the potential of me receiving grace return? If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right?
Click to expand...
No, the sin is forgiven when the priest gives you absolution.
tiberius said:
I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right? I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
Click to expand...
The mere fact you are truely sorry, presumably you have accused yourself before God and made a good act of contrition, then you are already forgiven. However, the weakness remains. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will remove that weakness from you. You may fail again but the point is ‘to try not to worry’. God knows you for who you are, not who you are not.

Why not have a good heart to heart with God, tell Him exactly how you feel. Ask for His help and He will.

No sin is too grave for forgivness, except a sin against the Love of God. Perhaps the greatest thing is to remember that you are very special in the eyes of God. He created you, looks upon the marvelous creature He has made and values you so much, He died for you. What more can God do?

You are very special. He does not demand that you do not sin. He merely asks you to try your best not to. But He is alwasys there for you. Even if you do sin, he is eagerly waiting for you to seek reconciliation with HIm.
 
If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right? I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
Click to expand...
The mere fact you are truely sorry, presumably you have accused yourself before God and made a good act of contrition, then you are already forgiven. However, the weakness remains. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will remove that weakness from you. You may fail again but the point is ‘to try not to worry’. God knows you for who you are, not who you are not.

Why not have a good heart to heart with God, tell Him exactly how you feel. Ask for His help and He will.

No sin is too grave for forgivness, except a sin against the Love of God. Perhaps the greatest thing is to remember that you are very special in the eyes of God. He created you, looks upon the marvelous creature He has made and values you so much, He died for you. What more can God do?

You are very special. He does not demand that you do not sin. He merely asks you to try your best not to. But He is alwasys there for you. Even if you do sin, he is eagerly waiting for you to seek reconciliation with HIm.
 
If I understand correctly the sin itself will not have the potential of being forgiven untill I die, right? I am so confused from what I have read it seems to me that once you do a mortal sin thats it - game over. Can one in God’s eyes even salvage this grave situation I have gotten myself into?
Click to expand...
The mere fact you are truely sorry, presumably you have accused yourself before God and made a good act of contrition, then you are already forgiven. However, the weakness remains. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will remove that weakness from you. You may fail again but the point is ‘to try not to worry’. God knows you for who you are, not who you are not.

Why not have a good heart to heart with God, tell Him exactly how you feel. Ask for His help and He will.

No sin is too grave for forgivness, except a sin against the Love of God. Perhaps the greatest thing is to remember that you are very special in the eyes of God. He created you, looks upon the marvelous creature He has made and values you so much, He died for you. What more can God do?

You are very special. He does not demand that you do not sin. He merely asks you to try your best not to. But He is alwasys there for you. Even if you do sin, he is eagerly waiting for you to seek reconciliation with HIm.
 
Again I thank everyone for the advice. Unfortunately the local priest was out of town today but tomorrow he will be back and I plan on doing my confession. I also decided to bring out the heavy weaponry - I bought myself a Miraculous Medal at the local Catholic store today and I will start wearing my scapulars again. Again I thank everyone - I will be sure to tell God tonight in my prayers (and tomorrow before the tabernacle I’ll tell Him in person) what a great help you guys were and I will ask him to bless all of you.
Thanks again –Alexander
 
tiberius said:
I have been to confession very recently about the same thing, upon leaving I promised to myself to really try to stop doing it (I said the same thing to myself the previous three confessions). I know I can stop

QUOTE]

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not. -Prov 3:5

Where are you look for the will power to stop? You say “I know I can stop” Is the strength to stop in you? I know the Lord can help you stop. look to the Lord for that extra bit of will power when your feeling week. My experence has shown me that any time I try not to sin under my own strength, I fall, and fall hard. But when I honestly look to the Lord for strength I can make it through the temptation. Rember in our Lords prayer “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil Amen”
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