Newbie question about mortal sin

[twistoffcap]

I trying to make sure I understand mortal sin. For someone to commit a mortal sin one has to know at the time of committing the sin that it is of grave matter? If a person learns after the fact that the sin committed is of grave matter, does it then become a mortal sin?

 

[PerfectTiming]

I trying to make sure I understand mortal sin. For someone to commit a mortal sin one has to know at the time of committing the sin that it is of grave matter? If a person learns after the fact that the sin committed is of grave matter, does it then become a mortal sin?

If I commit sin X for the first time without knowing it is grave matter, it is not mortal. If I learn that it is grave matter, that does not make the first time I committed it a mortal sin but if I commit sin X again then it is a mortal sin.

 

[sw85]

I trying to make sure I understand mortal sin. For someone to commit a mortal sin one has to know at the time of committing the sin that it is of grave matter?

Correct;

BUT

ignorance of the graveness of the matter can be culpable. If you rashly commit an act without giving any thought to its moral liceity, when both the means and the ability to determine its moral worth are available to you, your ignorance might be culpable. If, on the other hand, you do your duty in thinking the matter through but, for instance, are led astray by error or ignorance, and only afterwards discover the matter of the sin, your culpability for the sin may be greatly lessened.

A Catholic probably has less excuse for ignorance than does a non-Catholic; and a lifelong Catholic probably has less excuse than does an adult convert; and a priest has less excuse than a layperson, a bishop less excuse than a priest, etc.

I don’t know that a sin can be compounded after the fact. However, it would nevertheless behoove you to go to confession.

 

[fms]

I trying to make sure I understand mortal sin. For someone to commit a mortal sin one has to know at the time of committing the sin that it is of grave matter? If a person learns after the fact that the sin committed is of grave matter, does it then become a mortal sin?

I would ask my Father Confessor in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

 

[Viki63]

For a sin to be mortal it has to be grave matter,
it has to be willingly committed (no one is forcing you),
and you have to know at the time that it’s a sin.

So you can’t really commit a mortal sin without knowing it at the time. Although, people can be good at fooling themselves, I suppose. But if you sincerely desire to remain close to God and please Him, it would be hard to commit a mortal sin.

 

[speakttruth]

Here is what the church teaches

Q. What is a mortal sin?
A. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines a mortal sin as follows:

“Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him.” (C.C.C. # 1855)Q. What is the difference between a mortal sin and a venial sin?
A. For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must exist at the same time.

1. It must be of a grave matter;
2. It must be committed with full knowledge that it is a mortal sin;
3. It must be committed with full consent. [Full consent means to do it “voluntarily.”] (C.C.C. # 1857)

Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: ‘Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger." (C.C.C. # 1858)

“Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s laws. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.” (C.C.C. # 1859)

“When the will sets itself upon something that is of its nature incompatible with the charity that orients man toward his ultimate end, then the sin is mortal by its very object… whether it contradicts the love of God, such as blasphemy or perjury, or the love of neighbour, such as homicide or adultery… But when the sinner’s will is set upon something that of its nature involves a disorder, but is not opposed to the love of God and neighbour, such as thoughtless chatter or immoderate laughter and the like, such sins are venial.” (C.C.C. # 1856)

“Mortal sin, by attacking the vital principle within us - that is, charity - necessitates a new initiative of God’s mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished within the setting of the Sacrament of Confession.” (C.C.C. # 1856)

“Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the private of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance of God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.” (C.C.C. # 1861)

“To choose deliberately - that is, both knowing it and willing it - something gravely contrary to the divine law and to the ultimate end of man is to commit a mortal sin. This destroys in us the charity without which eternal beatitude is impossible. Unrepented, it brings eternal death.” (C.C.C. # 1874)

“There are a great many kinds of sins. Scripture provides several lists of them. The Letter to the Galatians contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit: ‘Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.’” (C.C.C. # 1852)

Q. What is a sin?
A. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (C.C.C.) defines a sin as follows:

"Sin is an offense against reason, truth and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as “an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.” (C.C.C. # 1849)

"Sin is an offense against God: ‘Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.’ Sin sets itself against God’s love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become ‘like gods,’ knowing and determReturn to Table of Contents
ining good and evil. Sin is thus ‘love of oneself even to contempt of God.’ In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation. (C.C.C. # 1850)

Biblical Commentary; The Gospel According to Matthew Part II; Page 85, # 31.)

 

[speakttruth]

Here is what the church teaches

More about sin

Q. What about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
A. On this subject, it can be said that,

“Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.” There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss." (C.C.C. # 1864)

“Blasphemy against the Spirit: The saying about blasphemy against the Spirit has long presented difficulty, particularly in Catholic theology, which affirms the possibility of repentance up to the moment of death. This teaching is solidly founded in the NT, and this saying of Jesus cannot be understood in a way that contradicts his invitations to repentance. Refusal to recognize the Son of Man as Messiah can be forgiven; faith atones for previous denial of faith. This Messianic claim is missing in Mk. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, however, attributes the activity of the Spirit to some other power. The present activity of God can be attested only through the actions of the Spirit. If these are not recognized, then there is no means by which God can reach man. The one who will not accept the work of the Spirit has made it impossible for himself to recognize the word and the work of God. Only he can be forgiven who confesses that he has something to be forgiven.” (Taken from: The Jerome Biblical Commentary; The Gospel According to Matthew Part II; Page 85, # 31.)

Hope this helps
GB