Using GD in thoughts and impure thoughts

[Amandylinee]

I feel like I struggle with OCD and scrupulosity. Sometimes, when I’m praying or just going about my day, “GD” and similar thoughts pop into my head. They happen quite often, and I normally just try to say an Act of Contrition or say “God, blessed be Your most Holy and most sacred Name” but they still pop up. Would this be qualified as a mortal sin? It is grave matter, but I am not sure how to distinguish the sin with the other two necessary components for mortal sin.
Also, I struggle with impure thoughts. I try to thing an alternate thought that won’t make me think of the impure thought if it comes. I’ve been told that I should not try to help myself by thinking the better thought, but sometimes it just helps. Sometimes it makes me feel like I committed a mortal sin, but a lot of times it makes me feel like I did not. I also follow an impure thought or temptation with an Act of Contrition.
I thought that since the better thought was not grave matter, it was not mortal sin. Rarely the better thought would lead me back to the impure thought. As far as using GD in my head, I thought that it was lack of intention and lack of deliberate consent. Keeping this in mind, I received Communion. Did this put me in the state of mortal sin?
I spoke to a confessor about my problem, and he told me to pray to St. Jerome, who struggled with similar thoughts. I have prayed to him, but the thoughts still happen.
I just don’t know what to think. I worry about it and think it about it constantly, but I just don’t know what to do.
Also as a side note, I tried thinking a beautiful thought as one suggested, and it worked for a while, but it never really seemed to ease the problem completely.
Responses, advice, and (name removed by moderator)ut would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Edmundus1581]

…
I spoke to a confessor about my problem, and he told me to pray to St. Jerome, who struggled with similar thoughts. I have prayed to him, but the thoughts still happen.
I just don’t know what to think. I worry about it and think it about it constantly, but I just don’t know what to do.
…
.

I could give some advice on this, but I suspect but the only person you will trust will be a priest. I also suspect that you have already done so, more than the once indicated here, and are afraid to trust their advice.

So, quite simply, go back to your regular confessor, tell him everything you have said here, and then trust his advice. The only reason you should tell him everything is so that YOU will feel that confident that you haven’t left anything out. You certainly don’t need to tell all of this to make a valid confession. He might try to stop you. If he does so, then explain that you do feel that you need to tell everything, and ask him if you can keep going.

Then, having done this thoroughly, once, accept his advice and keep acting on it. Don’t ask again. (for your own sake, not ours )

BTW, I also suffer from bad thoughts and bad words coming into me head (worse than you’ve described here) quite frequently. I never worry about them as “mortal sin”. I sometimes forget to confess them, because I am focusing on things I have consented to, and don’t worry about that either.

 

[Bookcat]

(from previous posts of mine)

Regarding thoughts

while Jesus makes it clear that one can sin in ones thoughts…just cause some lustful thought happens does not mean that one sinned…

(and one can have a sufficiently good reason to think about sexual matters…for instance studying moral theology…but care must be taken to avoid things that would be a problem…but that is another question)

What should we do with* unwanted* sexual thoughts or other bad thoughts…thoughts against God etc? Those pesky temptations that can come …even though we are not seeking them etc…

(there are of course some things we should avoid that cause them…and there can be sin if it is something one should reasonably avoid…but often they come uninvited)

First…Relax. Do not worry.

Now are they mortal sins?

For a mortal sin one needs a grave matter …full knowledge AND deliberate consent!!!

A. If you do not want the thought…it the thought displeases you: it can be a sign actually that you did not give consent or do not give full consent.

B. Even if you felt a temptation for the thought – and were drawn to it —but rejected it and maybe even turned to God : again a sign not full consent.

C. But what if one has a tempting thought --say of a sexual nature and even hesitated for a moment…but then rejected it for one did not want to sin? : it can be partial consent perhaps (and thus a venial sin)-- or it may be no sin at all but rather a strong temptation that drew you but then you saw what was happening and turned away.

D. A temptation can even be very strong or the thoughts very often – but this does NOT mean one has consented! so worry not…even it they go on for a long time…

remember --for it to be mortal there must be that deliberate consent!

What to do? on the spiritual side–relax first of all and remember the above.

Next – know that the more one fears the thoughts the more likely they are to come… or said another way --the more a person seeks to avoid the thoughts the more likely he will have a problem with them. (but do not worry about this either!)

for example: for the next 10 seconds try NOT to think of an apple.

tick tock …

tick tock…

Ok what did you think of? Most likely an apple.

So it is best to ignore them and just not consent and then turn your attention to some other good thing…for instance whatever you are doing. Simply do not consent and move on. and do not worry

another point – thoughts can just happen --they are the stuff with which we think…it is up to us to consent and take them further or not. and just because they are REAL VIVID and almost “think themselves” does not mean per se that one has given ANY consent.

they can be annoying…but need cause no actual harm …

(Now difficulties with thoughts can happen to anyone…and has for centuries…nothing new!..but I will note too that “some” have a condition known as OCD (I knew someone with this once…it was a painful experience)…and thus should seek further professional help to work at overcoming it and to live a more peaceful life)

 

[Bookcat]

Regarding scrupulosity:

One must distinguish between a scrupulous conscience and a delicate conscience.

A ‘tender conscience or delicate conscience’ sees the finer distinctions and seeks very much to avoid even very small sins …and …who can judge normally between mortal and venial sin…when in doubt is able to make judgments overcoming his doubt by prudence or abide by good advice etc

as for scruples…or scrupulosity

scruples or those who are even of a higher degree of scrupulosity take venial sin to be mortal…or non sins to be sins…or are plagued by doubts…unreasonable fears/anxieties about sins…seeing them or fearing them where they need not…etc etc

The french call it the doubting disease (though it is not a disease…) for one has lot of problems knowing one knows…thus with doubt (or more often “apparent doubt”)

of course there are degrees and it is possible for a person to have generally a delicate conscience or a normal conscience and still have a struggle with scruples in certain areas…or have very transient scruples at the time of their conversion …

and a person may go from one to the other…

one combats scruples with a good regular confessor…

by forming ones conscience…(with such as the Catechism etc)

and with his guidance acting against ones scruples…

possibly by general principles given often historically by confessors to deal with scruples

by prayer…

by trust and joy in living the Christian life…(not necessarily “emotional” by the way)

With the help of your confessor…etc:

Contra scruplos agendum est, et fixo operis pede certandum

(Act contrary to scruples and with a firm foot overcome them)

Overcoming ones scruples…ones fears with a “firm foot”. Learning to act against them under the guidance of your confessor. Dismiss them. Not argue with them. (ie. ones confessor says…“unless you are certain you have committed a mortal sin…go to communion”…and you feel the fear and the doubts and the worries at the time of communion “but perhaps I committed one…?” you tell yourself “I am not certain of any mortal sins and my confessor told me to go” and you act against your fears and go to Communion!) etc

(in a way one needs be “scrupulous” about attending to ones scruples…)

When scruples arise --turn to God and let the pass by.

Scruples are to be treated like a barking dog or a hissing goose…one does not stop to argue with a barking dog or a hissing goose does one? (image borrowed from a 15th cent. Carthusian).

They are to be “despised”…“dismissed”…

And again a regular confessor is very important here…in even coming to know what ones scruples are…and then what to dismiss…

As for your OCD (I have know a person with such…it is a difficult thing)…here from Jimmy Akin senior apologist of Catholic Answers:

jimmyakin.com/2005/04/a_crown_of_thor.html

If I can be of further feel free to pm me