Praying in a state of mortal sin?

[Razer144000]

There a few threads on here about praying in a state of mortal sin. In those threads, some have said we are allowed to do it, others have implied that we are only allowed to do so when we have repented, and still others have said we shouldn’t pray at all when in a state of mortal sin. What is the Catholic teaching, if any?

 

[Bookcat]

Yes Pray! There is no question about this - one is to pray.

(and seek to perfect contrition…and also confession as soon as one can)

 

[AKDee]

It seems to me it would be very important to pray always (I’m pretty sure St. Paul said we should pray always, come to think of it…) but when in a state of mortal sin it might be your prayer that opens you up to the workings of the Holy Spirit to bring you back into a state of grace and communion.

 

[Lormar]

You keep praying and don’t ever stop no matter what you do or how many sins you commit.

The absolute worst thing a Catholic can tell another Catholic that is in a state of mortal sin is that their prayers are of no value. It was told to me too and caused me great anguish but, by the grace of God and Our Blessed Mother, I continued to pray because I would not, could not, believe that They wouldn’t hear the desperate pleas of a soul in anguish.

God doesn’t ever turn His back on us, and neither does His Mother. Ever.

 

[EveningSkye111]

Pray without ceasing!

 

[Casilda]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (RSVCE)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Douay-Rheims

16 Always rejoice.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

Never let anyone tell you that you cannot pray!
I was in a state of mortal sin and that is all I did, could do. I did repent to God, I tried to confess to a priest who brushed me off and said ‘make an appointment’. Sometimes confession to a priest isnt always possible, access is limited. What are we to do?!? PRAY.
Lord have mercy on us.

St. John Vianney, pray for us, pray for the church, pray for more godly, merciful priests.

 

[Lormar]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (RSVCE)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Douay-Rheims

16 Always rejoice.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.

Never let anyone tell you that you cannot pray!
I was in a state of mortal sin and that is all I did, could do. I did repent to God, I tried to confess to a priest who brushed me off and said ‘make an appointment’. Sometimes confession to a priest isnt always possible, access is limited. What are we to do?!? PRAY.
Lord have mercy on us.

St. John Vianney, pray for us, pray for the church, pray for more godly, merciful priests.

What I was told isn’t that I cannot pray, but that my prayers are of no use - for me or anyone else.

How anyone can say that to someone else is beyond me. Doesn’t the person realize the damage they can do? The person in mortal sin will just give up and stop praying entirely when it might very well be their pleading prayers from the heart that might win them the grace to either repent or rectify their situation.

 

[Casilda]

What I was told isn’t that I cannot pray, but that my prayers are of no use - for me or anyone else.

How anyone can say that to someone else is beyond me. Doesn’t the person realize the damage they can do? The person in mortal sin will just give up and stop praying entirely when it might very well be their pleading prayers from the heart that might win them the grace to either repent or rectify their situation.

God answered my prayers even if priests were unwilling or unavailable. Jesus is truly the High Priest.

 

[porthos11]

What I was told isn’t that I cannot pray, but that my prayers are of no use - for me or anyone else.

How anyone can say that to someone else is beyond me. Doesn’t the person realize the damage they can do? The person in mortal sin will just give up and stop praying entirely when it might very well be their pleading prayers from the heart that might win them the grace to either repent or rectify their situation.

Yes, it is a damaging and false statement.

If prayers are useless for the one in mortal sin, then how in blazes can God hear one’s prayers of repentance?

Yes, when one is in mortal sin, one cannot merit anything, strictly speaking. But God is so good that out of nothing but his generosity, moves the soul with actual graces so that the soul in mortal sin can be revived, and often, he makes this contingent upon the prayer of the sinner.

For those in difficult situations of sin, such as the divorced and civilly remarried, they can and should pray, and pray very hard for the resolution to their problem. I cannot believe God would be so monstrous that he would ignore such heartfelt pleas from sinners, especially those who so desire to reconcile with him. Given that his Son died for that, how indeed can be believe otherwise?

 

[Lormar]

Yes, it is a damaging and false statement.

If prayers are useless for the one in mortal sin, then how in blazes can God hear one’s prayers of repentance?

Yes, when one is in mortal sin, one cannot merit anything, strictly speaking. But God is so good that out of nothing but his generosity, moves the soul with actual graces so that the soul in mortal sin can be revived, and often, he makes this contingent upon the prayer of the sinner.

For those in difficult situations of sin, such as the divorced and civilly remarried, they can and should pray, and pray very hard for the resolution to their problem.** I cannot believe God would be so monstrous that he would ignore such heartfelt pleas from sinners, especially those who so desire to reconcile with him. Given that his Son died for that, how indeed can be believe otherwise?**

I’m with you.

When it was told to me, I’m just grateful that I was in the midst of reading The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus which gave me much hope. If I hadn’t, I may have despaired.

Again, and I can’t convey this strongly enough, don’t ever ever ever tell a person in mortal sin that their prayers are worthless and useless. Instead, encourage them to pray, even if the only prayer they can voice every day is “God, help me.”

 

[AKDee]

Exactly. That brings to mind a story I read about Archbishop Fulton Sheen who visited a dying man in the hospital who was unrepentant. He refused to confess and receive absolution. Archbishop Sheen said to him before he left that if he changed his mind to simply pray, “Jesus, Mercy”. The nursing staff reported that when the man was in his last moments, he was heard to be saying “Jesus, Mercy” over and over.

Certainly Archbishop Sheen would not have advised the man to pray if prayer would do him no good.

 

[technatrix]

Interestingly enough, I had this conversation with a priest not long ago. I was traveling a couple of weeks ago and had made plans to visit with a priest that helped me get out of a bad situation when I was a teen while I was in town. We talked about quite a few things, that I never went back to the Church among them, and he said something that sort of stuck with me and which might help you: He said that if I do nothing else, to never stop praying. Even if it’s nothing more formal than a few words about something good or bad or whatever, and even if I don’t really believe anyone will hear it. He said that God always listens, even when there’s no reason why he should and even when we don’t really want him to.

 

[littlestsouls2]

I’m with you.

When it was told to me, I’m just grateful that I was in the midst of reading The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus which gave me much hope. If I hadn’t, I may have despaired.

Again, and I can’t convey this strongly enough, don’t ever ever ever tell a person in mortal sin that their prayers are worthless and useless. Instead, encourage them to pray, even if the only prayer they can voice every day is “God, help me.”

I love that book!

St. Alphonsus writes:

“St. Bernard says that prayer in the mouth of a sinner, although it is without supernatural excellence, since it is not accompanied by charity, yet is useful and efficient in obtaining a release from sin; for, as St. Thomas teaches, the prayer of the sinner is indeed without merit, but it serves to obtain the grace of pardon; for the power of obtaining it is based not upon the worth of him who prays, but upon the divine bounty, and upon the merits and promise of Jesus Christ, who has said, “Every one that asketh receiveth.” The same may be said of the prayers offered to the divine mother. If he who prays, says St. Anselm, does not deserve to be heard, the merits of Mary, to whom he commends himself, will cause him to be heard. Hence St. Bernard exhorts every sinner to pray to Mary, and to feel great confidence in praying to her; because if he does not deserve what he demands, yet Mary obtains for him, by her merits, the graces which she asks of God for him.” (‘The Glories of Mary’)

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the prime example of the aforementioned truth. Countless theologians and mystics remind us that, in the Mass, God comes not to judge, but to save.

“In Mass I come with such humility that there is no sinner, no matter how depraved he be, that I am no ready to receive, if only he desires it. I come with such sweetness and mercy that I will pardon My greatest enemies, if they ask for pardon. I come with such generosity that there is no one so poor that I will not fill him with the riches of My love. I come such heavenly food as will strengthen the weakest, with such light as will illumine the blindest, with such a plenitude of graces as will remove all miseries, overcome all obstinacy and dissipate all fears.”
– Jesus to St. Mechtilde

Pax.

 

[fred_conty]

There a few threads on here about praying in a state of mortal sin. In those threads, some have said we are allowed to do it, others have implied that we are only allowed to do so when we have repented, and still others have said we shouldn’t pray at all when in a state of mortal sin. What is the Catholic teaching, if any?

Here are God’s thoughts on the subject of praying in the state of grace, which is the oposite of mortal sin.

“…the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully.” James 5;16-17

“…dear to him is the prayer of honest men.” Proverbs 15:8

“…but he listens to the prayers of the virtuous .” Proverbs 15:29

“We know that God dosen’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will.” John 9;31

Job 42:8 My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly.

The Lord will not refuse any good to those who walk without blame. Ps 84

God is saying that being in friendship with God is important for prayer to be strong.

Of course, the prayer of the sinner asking for help and forgiveness is a potent prayer because Jesus said he goes after his lost lambs, and the Father welcomes his lost son back home.

 

[Casilda]

John 8
1 And Jesus went unto mount Olivet.
2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him, and sitting down he taught them.
3 And the scribes and the Pharisees bring unto him a woman taken in adultery: and they set her in the midst,
4 And said to him: Master, this woman was even now taken in adultery.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest thou?
6 And this they said tempting him, that they might accuse him. But Jesus bowing himself down, wrote with his finger on the ground.
7 When therefore they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said to them: He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again stooping down, he wrote on the ground.
9 But they hearing this, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest. And Jesus alone remained, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee?
11 Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.
12 Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, walketh not in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

We are all welcomed at the foot of Jesus, repentant, to receive forgiveness. We should do it constantly, constantly in prayer, unceasingly.

 

[clem456]

King David was an adulterer and murderer.
What we call Psalm 51 is known as The Miserere.

Is it an accident that the word “miserere”, which means “have mercy”, derives from the word “miser”, meaning “wretched”?
Our wretchedness is a cry to God for help.
David puts the wretched cry of our sinfulness into timeless words.

A psalm of David,
2when Nathan the prophet came to him after he had gone in to Bathsheba.a
I
3Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love;
in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.
4Thoroughly wash away my guilt;
and from my sin cleanse me.
5For I know my transgressions;
my sin is always before me.b
6Against you, you alone have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your eyes
So that you are just in your word,
and without reproach in your judgment.c
7Behold, I was born in guilt,
in sin my mother conceived me.d
8Behold, you desire true sincerity;
and secretly you teach me wisdom.
9Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.e
10You will let me hear gladness and joy;
the bones you have crushed will rejoice.
II
11Turn away your face from my sins;
blot out all my iniquities.
12A clean heart create for me, God;
renew within me a steadfast spirit.f
13Do not drive me from before your face,
nor take from me your holy spirit.g
14Restore to me the gladness of your salvation;
uphold me with a willing spirit.
15I will teach the wicked your ways,
that sinners may return to you.
16Rescue me from violent bloodshed, God, my saving God,
and my tongue will sing joyfully of your justice.h
17Lord, you will open my lips;
and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
18For you do not desire sacrifice* or I would give it;
a burnt offering you would not accept.i
19My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.
III
20*Treat Zion kindly according to your good will;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.j
21Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just,
burnt offering and whole offerings;
then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.

 

[Bill_Martin]

The idea that you should not pray when in mortal sin is utterly nonsensical and contradicted very clearly and strongly by the Bible. That would be like saying only to go to the doctor when you’re healthy, or to only bring your car to a mechanic when it’s working fine.