Smoking before mass

[DEESYPAL]

I went to an evening mass during the week and I had a cigerette maybe 10mins within the hour. I knew full well I was breaking the fast but i wasnt sure If indeed it was a mortal sin. I went to confession before mass but I didnt mention this breaking of the fast. I recieved communion.
I dont know there so many opinions on this! I have heard people fast from midnight and also something about 3 hours before an afternoon mass. How can eating before communion be a mortal sin = to murder or other grave sins!

I am confused and being eaten away by this scruplosity lol!

 

[Lainey63]

Smoking a cigarette before mass is not breaking a fast. I had this very same question years ago and I asked the priest during confession. It is ok to smoke a cigarette before mass. The fast is from food & drink…you can drink water. Years ago the fasting period was changed from Midnight until the time you received at mass and reduced to one hour because so many people were either getting sick (depending on what mass they made it to) or just not receiving holy communion. This was done so more people could receive holy communion. If you do suffer from being scrupulous the worst thing you can do is ask a bunch of anonymous people the right thing to do. Because you are going to listen to the one that is going to be that strikes the most fear into your heart. Go to a priest and ask & Trust in God.
.

 

[m134e5]

I went to an evening mass during the week and I had a cigerette maybe 10mins within the hour. I knew full well I was breaking the fast but i wasnt sure If indeed it was a mortal sin. I went to confession before mass but I didnt mention this breaking of the fast. I recieved communion.
I dont know there so many opinions on this! I have heard people fast from midnight and also something about 3 hours before an afternoon mass. How can eating before communion be a mortal sin = to murder or other grave sins!

I am confused and being eaten away by this scruplosity lol!

I am not sure it was a sin, but the smell is offensive to others and it is inconsiderate of you to smoke right before going into any public place- just because you’re not smoking at the moment doesn’t mean that those of us who don’t smoke can’t smell it anymore. We still have to smell those who just smoked (and our own clothes and personal belongings that stink like smoke because we’ve been around you for too long). Many smokers probably don’t recognize this- but they should.

 

[RosaryFan]

I am not sure it was a sin, but the smell is offensive to others and it is inconsiderate of you to smoke right before going into any public place- just because you’re not smoking at the moment doesn’t mean that those of us who don’t smoke can’t smell it anymore. We still have to smell those who just smoked (and our own clothes and personal belongings that stink like smoke because we’ve been around you for too long). Many smokers probably don’t recognize this- but they should.

I happen to like the smell of cigs on someone’s clothes and breath. Reminds me of the good ol’ days!!

 

[teachccd]

I went to an evening mass during the week and I had a cigerette maybe 10mins within the hour. I knew full well I was breaking the fast but i wasnt sure If indeed it was a mortal sin. I went to confession before mass but I didnt mention this breaking of the fast. I recieved communion.
I dont know there so many opinions on this! I have heard people fast from midnight and also something about 3 hours before an afternoon mass. How can eating before communion be a mortal sin = to murder or other grave sins!

I am confused and being eaten away by this scruplosity lol!

No, you’re good. But this does remind me of an old priest that we had at our parish when I was a kid. When we used to receive the host (always on our tongue back then) it was as if I just smoked a cigarette. Since he had obviously just smoked before Mass the congregation got to receive communion with quite a different taste.

I will just address your one question:

How can eating before communion be a mortal sin = to murder or other grave sins!

It may not be a mortal sin especially if one does not know or does not eat with the intention of breaking the fast. This is a discipline and as you noted was changed from the midnight fast. I would find that there are a lot more issues to be concerned with but the Church does require this as an acknowledgement of the reverence that we should show the Eucharist. So it would be on par with any irreverent act towards the Eucharist and since the Eucharist is Christ Himself it could constitute grave matter.

Is talking in Mass a mortal sin? Is coming to Mass late or leaving early a mortal sin? In most cases not, but we must be prudent in such matters and I see this as being very offensive if done intentionally and without just cause.

Take care to not be so scrupulous. God loves you more that to think that a cigarette before Mass would render eternal death to your soul. Enjoy the infinite love and mercy of God. Utilize the sacrament of reconciliation and LISTEN to your confessor. Do not try to rationalize why he was too lenient on you. Just know that God knows your heart and gave you the priest to reassure you of that…teachccd

 

[LilyM]

Even worse - I had a dentist as a kid who used to smoke heavily. This was in the days before health concerns led to dentists wearing surgical gloves or anything. If a mere touch to the tongue is bad, imagine having a smoker rummaging around in your mouth for half an hour or more - ecch!

 

[LilyM]

I went to an evening mass during the week and I had a cigerette maybe 10mins within the hour. I knew full well I was breaking the fast but i wasnt sure If indeed it was a mortal sin. I went to confession before mass but I didnt mention this breaking of the fast. I recieved communion.
I dont know there so many opinions on this! I have heard people fast from midnight and also something about 3 hours before an afternoon mass. How can eating before communion be a mortal sin = to murder or other grave sins!

I am confused and being eaten away by this scruplosity lol!

Put it this way - eating before communion is probably not equivalent to murder, but both are mortal - deadly to the soul. In the same way, giving a beggar a dollar is not the same as giving him a million bucks, but both are acts of charity and GOOD for the soul.