Oops! Will I go to Hell for this?

[Paris_Blues]

Okay, so I started reading the Bible after seeing the Passion in March 2004, right? I don’t know why or what I was thinking but I promised our Lord that I would EVERY SINGLE DAY read in Scriptures until the day I die and if I forget, strike me dead!

Now, I would read the OT in the morning and the NT during the evenings. I’ve already finished the NT three times and still halfway done with the OT. However, a month and a half ago in September this year, I was struggling with some personal issues and reading comprehension problems with the text books in college and was so upset and weary that I STOPPED reading Scripture! Heck, I wasn’t even understanding what I was reading in the OT!

It wasn’t until about two weeks ago when the promise I made burst into my mind and thought, oh dang, look what a fool I made myself! Sorry Lord is all I could pray.

I still can’t find myself picking up Scripture to this day and I’m cursing at myself and almost hate myself for what I did.

If I remember correctly, isn’t there somewhere in Scripture where it says that don’t make promises to God unless you will do it?

Now what?

 

[puzzleannie]

no you won’t go to hell, such a promise is not binding, what might get you in trouble is cursing yourself (or anybody else)
what to do now? get your priorities in order, deal with your time managment issues, set aside time for prayer and bible reading every day, but be realistic. Don’t set wildly unmanageable goals. Try for 15 minutes, and be faithful, rather than 3 hours when you are bound to fail.

 

[Trick]

Paris Blues:

Okay, so I started reading the Bible after seeing the Passion in March 2004, right? I don’t know why or what I was thinking but I promised our Lord that I would EVERY SINGLE DAY read in Scriptures until the day I die and if I forget, strike me dead!

Now, I would read the OT in the morning and the NT during the evenings. I’ve already finished the NT three times and still halfway done with the OT. However, a month and a half ago in September this year, I was struggling with some personal issues and reading comprehension problems with the text books in college and was so upset and weary that I STOPPED reading Scripture! Heck, I wasn’t even understanding what I was reading in the OT!

It wasn’t until about two weeks ago when the promise I made burst into my mind and thought, oh dang, look what a fool I made myself! Sorry Lord is all I could pray.

I still can’t find myself picking up Scripture to this day and I’m cursing at myself and almost hate myself for what I did.

If I remember correctly, isn’t there somewhere in Scripture where it says that don’t make promises to God unless you will do it?

Now what?

Go to confession.

You may want to replace the daily scripture reading with another devotion.

Trick

 

[Paris_Blues]

Trick:

Go to confession.

You may want to replace the daily scripture reading with another devotion.

Trick

Like the Rosary?

 

[Trick]

Paris Blues:

Like the Rosary?

Sounds good.

Trick

 

[Madia]

Did you know that a priest can dispense you from private vows?

From the Code of Canon Law:

Can. 1196 In addition to the Roman Pontiff, the following can dispense from private vows for a just cause provided that a dispensation does not injure a right acquired by others:
1/ the local ordinary and the pastor with regard to all their subjects and even travelers;

vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4E.HTM

Here’s some posts from EWTN that might help:
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=423790&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2005&Author=&Keyword=private+vows&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=5&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=427525&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2005&Author=&Keyword=private+vows&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=4&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=

 

[dafalax]

I promised to pray the rosary every day as part of my scapular devotion to Our Lady. When i missed a day or so, i confessed it. The priest (whom i trust) told me it wasn’t a sin and that if i don’t have enough time (or don’t make time), i won’t be punished for it. Martin Luther promised Our Lady that he’d become a monk if she saved him from the lightning storm he was caught in. Maybe it would have been better if he’d broken that promise, eh?

 

[JimO]

We fall and we get back up. God loves you and isn’t waiting to “send you to hell” at the first slip up. I doubt that what you described is even a sin, but discussing it with a priest in confession is always a good idea.

Remember, mortal sin is what places one in grave danger of hell and it must first be a grave matter, the person must have full knowledge of its gravity and give full consent of the will. Unless all three apply, it isn’t a mortal sin. Making a spontaneous promise to God in a moment of enthusiasm and then breaking that promise is not a grave matter. Mortal sin can be viewed as a kind of “thumbing your nose” at God and His commands.