Praying in Mortal Sin

[YehoiakhinEx232]

I’m in a state of mortal sin and won’t be able to get to confession for a while. I want know if I can still pray the Rosary and other prayers while in this state and if they will have any effect.

I’ll try to get to confession as soon as possible.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

I’m in a state of mortal sin and won’t be able to get to confession for a while. I want know if I can still pray the Rosary and other prayers while in this state and if they will have any effect.

I’ll try to get to confession as soon as possible.

I personally would not cease to pray but that is my opinion. I do not know if you must repent first before you pray. John 9:31 states that God does not hear the prayers of a sinner. I am sorry if that sounds TOO HARSH.

 

[jaimeleglise]

My spiritual director (a priest) once told me that the graces one would receive from prayers or good deeds are held until the person in mortal sin confesses. Then they are given to him. Yes, it is a good idea to pray now but go to confession as soon as possible.

 

[Confiteor_Deo]

You certainly should pray while in the state of mortal sin. You cannot receive any merit in this state, but anything you pray or do as good work will give you actual grace to help you go back into the state of grace. No prayer is worthless.

 

[porthos11]

My spiritual director (a priest) once told me that the graces one would receive from prayers or good deeds are held until the person in mortal sin confesses. Then they are given to him. Yes, it is a good idea to pray now but go to confession as soon as possible.

This is true only for sacraments, especially the unrepeatable and relatively unrepeatable ones (e.g. confirmation, holy orders, matrimony).

When one is in mortal sin, one does not gain any merit or reward, so there are no “reserves” even if one performs good works or prays in the state of mortal sin.

However, God DOES give actual grace (through what is technically called meritum de congruo; loosely stated, it means that God gives out of his own goodness, and not because he “owes” the person) to those who do good and pray even in mortal sin. These actual graces are real aids to help the and dispose the sinner to penance and absolution and therefore back to the state of sanctifying grace.

But no, Catholic teaching has been clear that one does not merit in the state of mortal sin. Any past merits obtained while in the state of grace but lost through mortal sin ARE indeed restored upon a return to grace, but any good works done in the state of mortal sin are not salutary, i.e. they do not obtain “reward in heaven” so to speak, and they are not held in reserve either. Any congruous actual graces God deigns to give the poor pious sinner are given immediately.

 

[Gertabelle]

This is true only for sacraments, especially the unrepeatable and relatively unrepeatable ones (e.g. confirmation, holy orders, matrimony).

When one is in mortal sin, one does not gain any merit or reward, so there are no “reserves” even if one performs good works or prays in the state of mortal sin.

However, God DOES give actual grace (through what is technically called meritum de congruo; loosely stated, it means that God gives out of his own goodness, and not because he “owes” the person) to those who do good and pray even in mortal sin. These actual graces are real aids to help the and dispose the sinner to penance and absolution and therefore back to the state of sanctifying grace.

But no, Catholic teaching has been clear that one does not merit in the state of mortal sin. Any past merits obtained while in the state of grace but lost through mortal sin ARE indeed restored upon a return to grace, but any good works done in the state of mortal sin are not salutary, i.e. they do not obtain “reward in heaven” so to speak, and they are not held in reserve either. Any congruous actual graces God deigns to give the poor pious sinner are given immediately.

This is very interesting. Is there a source you could post for those of us who’d like more information from, well, the source?

Thanks.

 

[PraiseChrist]

Dear friend in Christ,

I know what you mean by this. It’s better to pray MORE in mortal sin, as God never rejects us, if we ask for the grace to obtain contrition and amendment of life.
Pray the rosary for the intention of returning to a state of grace, and to get to confession at once.
Remember that Our Lady is called the Refuge of Sinners, a great title, and those who are devoted to Mary can relate personal, little miracles, like conversions.

 

[Gertabelle]

When in mortal sin, I pray for others more than myself. And I get to confession ASAP.

 

[1neophyte]

I personally would not cease to pray but that is my opinion. I do not know if you must repent first before you pray. John 9:31 states that God does not hear the prayers of a sinner. I am sorry if that sounds TOO HARSH.

That is a pretty extreme example of taking a scripture wayyyy out of context and drawing a completely erroneous conclusion. You might be able to conclude that someone in mortal sin might be unable to restore sight to the blind, but to even suggest that God doesn’t hear a sinner’s prayer? Yikes.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

That is a pretty extreme example of taking a scripture wayyyy out of context and drawing a completely erroneous conclusion. You might be able to conclude that someone in mortal sin might be unable to restore sight to the blind, but to even suggest that God doesn’t hear a sinner’s prayer? Yikes.

Ok. Oops.

 

[Hatikvah]

I personally would not cease to pray but that is my opinion. I do not know if you must repent first before you pray. John 9:31 states that God does not hear the prayers of a sinner. I am sorry if that sounds TOO HARSH.

It is according to God’s will, not man’s state of grace. If a man were to request something of you, it is up to you to say “yes” or “no” by your own free will. We cannot hold Him to a single standard, especially with something as divine as prayer. He doesn’t have to be consistent! It is as such with God:

And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15, ESV)

Jeremiah 29:13 even states that people who seek God will find Him. So He always is listening if we are truly looking, but He does not always respond!

Yehoiakhin, you can always try for perfect contrition (regretting your sin and not being guilty out of fear of punishment, but out of your love for God). This is a good resource from CA on making an act of contrition.

 

[BornInMarch]

I personally would not cease to pray but that is my opinion. I do not know if you must repent first before you pray. John 9:31 states that God does not hear the prayers of a sinner. I am sorry if that sounds TOO HARSH.

The church says that people usually go to Hell if they die with confessed mortal sins, but it also states that God sometimes makes exceptions to this rule. A specific example that comes to mind is suicide, and the Catechism’s stance on those who commit it:

"Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God …

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."

In other words the Catechism is saying ‘Suicide is still a Mortal Sin BUT people who commit it might still go to Heaven despite being unable to preform the sacrament of reconciliation.’

I think that if someone dies with unconfessed mortal sins, but was sincerely repentant and planned on going to confession, then a reasonable and loving God would make an exception.

But still go to Confession when you can. At least twice a month as a rule of thumb, and pray in-between so that if you die before you can reach Confession God will understand that you tried your best.

 

[thistle]

I’m in a state of mortal sin and won’t be able to get to confession for a while. I want know if I can still pray the Rosary and other prayers while in this state and if they will have any effect.

I’ll try to get to confession as soon as possible.

Prayer is even more important when you are in a state of mortal sin. It can help move you to go to Confession.

 

[Gertabelle]

The church says that people usually go to Hell if they die with confessed mortal sins, but it also states that God sometimes makes exceptions to this rule. A specific example that comes to mind is suicide, and the Catechism’s stance on those who commit it:

"Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God …

We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives."

In other words the Catechism is saying ‘Suicide is still a Mortal Sin BUT people who commit it might still go to Heaven despite being unable to preform the sacrament of reconciliation.’

I think that if someone dies with unconfessed mortal sins, but was sincerely repentant and planned on going to confession, then a reasonable and loving God would make an exception.

But still go to Confession when you can. At least twice a month as a rule of thumb, and pray in-between so that if you die before you can reach Confession God will understand that you tried your best.

You are confusing grave matter with mortal sin.

Grave matter means that an action in itself is profoundly evil. It is an essential part of mortal sin.

Mortal sin means that one has committed an act that constitutes grave matter,
AND a person knows that it is grave matter,
AND the person acts in complete freedom in choosing to commit an act of grave matter.

In your example of mercy being shown to the person who has committed suicide, it is not that God shows mercy to one who has committed an unrepentant mortal sin. Of course He could – He is GOD! But a soul in that state – in unrepentant mortal sin – would not accept God’s mercy, and has already made his choice against God through his lack of repentance.

God can indeed show mercy, however, to one who has committed suicide, because often (and sadly) suicide is not a mortal sin for that person. Yes, it is absolutely grave matter. And the person may know that it is grave matter. But suicide often arises out of mental illness, and that means the person is not acting in full freedom – not even close.

I had a very dear friend who committed suicide some 25+ years ago. She was struggling with mental illness and even in her death was trying to reach out to God for help.

Grave matter? Yes.
Mortal sin? Only God knows the suffering of her soul, poor dear. We can absolutely trust in His mercy for her and others like her!

 

[jaimeleglise]

Thank you very much, Porthos for clarifying that for me. May God bless you abundantly.