The Great Commandment and mortal sin

[ffg]

It is a mortal sin to miss mass on Sunday. But if you don’t know then it ain’t. Should we not tell people that it is a mortal sin so they can’t commit what they don’t know is a mortal sin? That was my question.

A couple angles -

We can Look to history for an answer.

Did Jesus tell the apostles to hide the good news, or share it?

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Does a doctor help or just know what would help, but withhold the information.

Full context is not simply ‘no sin if you go here’, but ‘boundless graces within’, specifically when there is understanding of the event going on within and one enters prepared for the event.

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Then you have the ‘to whom much is given’ angle.

If one is Catholic, that’s quite a jewel. If a Catholic travels through life clueless of the requirements of Catholicism, they may be in for a rough surprise.

If a knowledgable person travels through life not sharing the good news of Catholicism, they might be in for a more rough surprise.

The most common sins and ironically, the most ignored for confession are those of omission.

Not using well that ‘much’ that is given.

I hope this helps.

Take care,

Mike

 

[opusAquinas]

Since intention to sin is also sin, stealing something of little value, but thought to be of great value, which expresses a great lack of charity, could be a mortal sin. And then stealing something of great value, but thought to be of little value.

Baltimore Catechism No.4:

**56 Q. How many things are necessary to make a sin mortal? ** A. To make a sin mortal three things are necessary: a grievous matter, sufficient reflection, and full consent of the will.

“Grievous matter.” To steal is a sin. Now, if you steal only a pin the act of stealing in that case could not be a mortal sin, because the “matter,” namely, the stealing of an ordinary pin, is not grievous. But suppose it was a diamond pin of great value, then it would surely be “grievous matter.”

“Sufficient reflection,” that is, you must know what you are doing at the time you do it. For example, suppose while you stole the diamond pin you thought you were stealing a pin with a small piece of glass, of little value, you would not have sufficient reflection and would not commit a mortal sin till you found out that what you had stolen was a valuable diamond; if you continued to keep it after learning your mistake, you would surely commit a mortal sin.

“Full consent.” Suppose you were shooting at a target and accidentally killed a man: you would not have the sin of murder, because you did not will or wish to kill a man.

Therefore three things are necessary that your act may be a mortal sin: (1) The act you do must be bad, and sufficiently important; (2) You must reflect that you are doing it, and know that it is wrong; (3) You must do it freely, deliberately, and willfully.
**57 Q. What is venial sin? ** A. Venial sin is a slight offense against the law of God in matters of less importance, or in matters of great importance it is an offense committed without sufficient reflection or full consent of the will.

“Slight,” that is, a small offense or fault; called “venial,” not because it is not a sin, but because God pardons it more willingly or easily than He does a mortal sin. “Less importance,” like stealing an ordinary, common pin. “Great importance,” like stealing a diamond pin. Without “reflection” or “consent,” when you did not know it was a diamond and did not intend to steal a diamond.

Thank you for this quote from the catechism. I wonder though if it is a mortal sin not to tell people what a mortal sin is? Like should you tell a catholic it is a mortal sin to miss mass? Or will it only make them more culpable? Or does not telling them make me culpable.

 

[opusAquinas]

I once told someone about the Great Commandment - a baptized lapsed Catholic who simply did not care about God at all but having faith would be willing to avoid sin so as not to be punished in hell otherwise literally did not care at all about Jesus.

Even after telling this person hoping it would urge that person on to love God - it didn’t help - instead some people said it will damn that person because this person will never follow the Great Commandment.

That’s why I’ve heard don’t tell people about the Great Commandment because lots can’t follow it and therefore are in mortal sin. Many people (of sense to me) have said this to me so that I believe it to be true after all Our Lord commanded it.

 

[Vico]

Thank you for this quote from the catechism. I wonder though if it is a mortal sin not to tell people what a mortal sin is? Like should you tell a catholic it is a mortal sin to miss mass? Or will it only make them more culpable? Or does not telling them make me culpable.

People need to learn what is grave sin. This is from the conscience, and from catechesis. We give witness to the faith which helps others by our example. Not giving a good example is to give scandal, which may be a grave sin it is to intentionally lead others into sin.

 

[ffg]

I think the necessity to share truth comes with the presence of a thirsty audience.

There is a Catholic at work who shares his life story full of living in sin, if I was to make the smallest comment -

say ‘perhaps you should read up on the church teaching about getting married after divorce without annulment.’

The destination wedding is set already, they are not interested in church teaching.

If they were, they wouldn’t be living together, receiving communion and calling the Blood of Christ, wine.

I’m not sure if ‘not talking’ is grave matter, since the focus seems to be on sin that is mortal.

Maybe where sin might come into play is back to the first line, if someone shows interest, we should be sure to share info that aligns with church teaching.

I’ve done this once with him, but it was in a bar with a bunch of other work folks and the conversation quickly shifted, quite purposefully. Wasn’t a great place, but he brought up something he didn’t like about the Church and I had to defend the Church by explaining rather quickly.

I listen to his details of his Hawaii wedding coming up, he likes to share, but I don’t say much.

I don’t think I’m sinning by not interjecting, definitely not mortal sinning, as I don’t have full knowledge of wrong, if so, and if ‘not talking’ is grave matter.

Perhaps I should be pulling a ‘stop the presses’ act, but as they are not thirsty to learn, I don’t think it would have an effect but possibly get me fired.

Take care,

Mike