Someone with a Distorted view of holiness

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Zerg

Zerg

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I know a young person with mental illness affecting every aspect of their life, who unfortunately is struggling with scruples and fear of demonic possession or admittance to Hell.

Yes, the Christian life is not easy, but if someone is this state, they need to acknowledge their limitations. Not everyone is expected to join the military, for example.
Fasting, self-harming to do “imaginary penances” does not make a sick person stronger.

I was very moved by a vibrant, enthusiastic priest who visited my parish with a homily that went: “You have the RIGHT to go to HEAVEN! But you need to use the sacraments.”
“Salvation is a gift, NOT a reward”.
“Mary is our mother.”

I read that scruples is usually caused by someone who hasn’t had a lot of “life experience” and thus has not properly formed their conscience.

I don’t know if I could say anything to help this person, or maybe I might make them worse.

All I can think of is frequent confession, and asking God daily for wisdom?
 
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Zerg said:
All I can think of is frequent confession, and asking God daily for wisdom?
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Yes, keep it simple, pray always, receive the sacraments often, say the rosary often, and love God and others.

By the way, Zerg, do you play a lot starcraft?
 
Zerg said:
I know a young person with mental illness affecting every aspect of their life, who unfortunately is struggling with scruples and fear of demonic possession or admittance to Hell
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This person needs to be under the care of a psychiatrist and their pastor.

You can help by encouraging them to get professional help. Scruples is itself a form of mental illness.
 
I have recently been examining things as well and realized something due to another discussion. All this talk about going to heaven and hell and what sins are mortal and so forth is actually a discussion about the Judgement of Jehovah. The Father of creation. If someone gets very concerned about this, they may get scrupulous. However, it is by Jehovah’s will that Jesus did his work on earth and gave his life and now we have the Church. So if your friend thinks about how much the Church forgives sins he may realize that this is Jehovah’s will at work. So the same one that can cast someone out of heaven has also given Jesus and the Church because we need it. We should keep the Judgement in mind but we should recognize his mercy and forgiveness in the Church. He should make his preparations but find comfort in the grace given to us.

As for possession, that is a very scary thought, sure. I recommend calling for God in the event that a demon approaches. Anyone more experienced about demons?
 
The best remedy for scrupulosity is to find a good spiritual director.
 
Things Jesus Revealed to St. Faustina About Divine Mercy

(6) My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners. If only they could understand that I am the best of Fathers to them and that it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. Diary 367

(7) These rays shield souls from the wrath of My Father. Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him. I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy. Diary 299

(8) My daughter, write that the greater the misery of a soul, the greater its right to My mercy; [urge] all souls to trust in the unfathomable abyss of My mercy, because I want to save them all. Diary 1182

(9) The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy. My mercy is confirmed in every work of My hands. He who trusts in My mercy will not perish, for all his affairs are Mine, and his enemies will be shattered at the base of My footstool. Diary 723

(10) [Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Diary 1146

(11) I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy. Diary 1109

(12) I desire trust from My creatures. Encourage souls to place great trust in My fathomless mercy. Let the weak, sinful soul have no fear to approach Me, for even if it had more sins than there are grains of sand in the world, all would be drowned in the unmeasurable depths of My mercy. Diary 1059
 
Do they have an actual diagnosis by a professional?
Some mental illness can be obvious, even to the untrained eye, but the type of spiritual direction they need would depend on their diagnosis (you wouldn’t want to push somebody where they’re broken and cause a catastrophic response).
They need a psychiatrist first.
 
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