Question regarding presumption- in desperate need of advice

[Amandylinee]

I am very scrupulous and OCD when it comes to my faith. I have been struggling with the sin of presumption lately. It seems like every time I’m about to commit a venial sin the phrase “I can just go to confession” pops in my head and I try to tell myself it’s ok because I did not deliberately think it. However, this past Thursday I went to confession. When Father was giving me advice, I realized I forgot a venial sin then I told myself “it’s okay, it’s just a venial sin and he’s about to absolve me.” Is this wrong? And then I kept worrying about it leading up to Mass, which was right after confession. I have a bad habit of telling myself beforehand what a priest once told me: “If you cannot put your hand on the Bible and swear to God before Mary and all the angels and saints that it is or isn’t a mortal sin, let it go.” I go ahead and receive after thinking this then I end up confessing out of guilt. Well Thursday before Holy Communion I thought that same thing, then this thought popped in my mind: “I’ll just end up confessing it anway.” I brushed it out of my mind and said “I can’t just go to confession” or something along those lines. I received and now I wonder, if I knew I was going to confess, mortal sin or not, was it wrong to receive Holy Communion? This whole scrupulosity tortures me. I just want to live my life, be a servant to God, and not be scrupulous.

 

[marty1818]

When Father was giving me advice, I realized I forgot a venial sin then I told myself “it’s okay, it’s just a venial sin and he’s about to absolve me.” Is this wrong?

You only need to confess mortal sins. It is good to confess venial sins,however, unnecessary, so what you did is fine.

I received and now I wonder, if I knew I was going to confess, mortal sin or not, was it wrong to receive Holy Communion?

It would only be wrong if you received communion in a state of mortal sin.

This whole scrupulosity tortures me. I just want to live my life, be a servant to God, and not be scrupulous.

You mentioned you also deal with OCD in addition to scrupulosity. I’d recommend two things:

1. If you haven’t yet, meet with your doctor and discuss a treatment program that can help improve your OCD.
2. If you don’t have a spiritual director or regular confessor, try to find one to help with your scrupulosity. You will need to trust them and the direction they give you.

 

[RedDuke50]

I think presumption is only a mortal sin when it is for a mortal sin. In other words, it is like saying, “I know murder is a mortal sin and I shouldn’t kill that person. But hey, I can just go to Confession, confess it, and I will be fine. I am going to kill that person now.”

In Confession, it is not needed to confess venial sins at all. It is a good thing but it is not necessary. The only thing necessary to confess in Confession is mortal sins. And as marty said, the only time you can’t receive Communion is when you are not in the state of grace (or received Him twice in normal Masses that same day…). If you have a venial sin, it is completely fine to receive Him. You may remember that sin, have contrition for it, and receive Him though I do not think this is necessary (but a good act). He will cleanse your soul of all venial sins when you receive Him as the Eucharist.