When does occasion to sin become mortal sin?

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I just had the hugest spiritual battle of my life, but I fear I may have treaded a little too far into the woods.

Usually, in the past, I’d tickle with temptation, then there would be no going back, and I’d fall into definate mortal sin.

This past time, I tickled with it, but I finally had enough will power to back out, just flat out say no, and turn away. But is even that tickling a mortal sin? I sure hope its not, because it took everything in me to turn away, but on the other hand, I still tickled with it, but on the other other hand, I don’t want that effort to just be a waste. 🤷 🤷 🤷
 
it sounds to me like you’ve begun to develope the virtue which is contrary to the vice you’ve developed (if it is a vice- morally bad habit) and are simply confused by the experiance. you’ve resisted temptation, and therefore did not sin (by what i can gather). It sounds like it took you a while to resist it, but that is normal in the formation of a virtue (morally good habit). when the virtue is complete, the temptation in question won’t have as much appeal, and therefore the length of time and innerstruggle will be lessoned. just keep resisting temptation, honestly avoiding the occasion to sin, and focus on the writings of saints and on scripture. it will get easier, but it will take time. sometimes in a spiritual battle with your own concupiscience (inclinations to sin) it will seem more like you’ve lost when youv’e won. your fighting yourself, until the virtue is developed more it will always seem this way. when the virtue is develop-ed, it will hardly seem like a battle at all. Hope this makes sense.
 
CHCatholic said:
I just had the hugest spiritual battle of my life, but I fear I may have treaded a little too far into the woods.

Usually, in the past, I’d tickle with temptation, then there would be no going back, and I’d fall into definate mortal sin.

This past time, I tickled with it, but I finally had enough will power to back out, just flat out say no, and turn away. But is even that tickling a mortal sin? I sure hope its not, because it took everything in me to turn away, but on the other hand, I still tickled with it, but on the other other hand, I don’t want that effort to just be a waste. 🤷 🤷 🤷
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Temptation is not Sin. Even Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert, but He did not respond…He overcame the devil in all ways. When you act in response to the temptation & it is a grave act, then you have mortally sinned, However, through frequent reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, you gain so much spiritual grace & strength to overcome the evils of temptation. Congratulations on your spiritual power that comes directly from God who also sends us our Guardian angel to help us in our journey of faith.
Remember saints are sinners who fall down but get up. Let’s all work toward holiness and sainthood! 👍
 
Temptation is not sin. To willfully place ones self in an occasion of sin, to see how far you can go without sinning?. Well, just think about it.
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Temptation is not sin. To willfully place ones self in an occasion of sin, to see how far you can go without sinning?. Well, just think about it.
Deacon Ed B
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That is correct. In fact, I learned about “putting yourself in a near occasion of sin” being a sin last weekend on a retreat.
 
I have broken every one of the 10 Commandments. And I am not yet Catholic. Furthermore, I probably won’t ever be able to be accepted into the Church until my husband dies because he will not pursue an annulment, which is required before I can be accepted as a Catholic. Rotten stuff, eh? So how do I get forgiveness?

God forgives us before we even know we have sinned. I pray every day for guidance as to how to repay for my errors. It helps. It isn’t as good as a Sacrament, I’m sure, but I just can’t wait for my husband’s death to deal with it.

Life is truly difficult but afterlife is worth it.
 
An occasion of sin can be mortally sinful if it leads to mortal sin, whether that mortal sin is committed or not; however, to be sure it is always best to mention in Confession as there are variables including whether we deliberately went into that occasion of sin knowing it could or would lead to mortal sin…and the reason we did. As I said, variables…if necessary Father will ask questions in Confession…Blessings - Barb:)
 
Sherri_Irvin said:
I have broken every one of the 10 Commandments. And I am not yet Catholic. Furthermore, I probably won’t ever be able to be accepted into the Church until my husband dies because he will not pursue an annulment, which is required before I can be accepted as a Catholic. Rotten stuff, eh? So how do I get forgiveness?

God forgives us before we even know we have sinned. I pray every day for guidance as to how to repay for my errors. It helps. It isn’t as good as a Sacrament, I’m sure, but I just can’t wait for my husband’s death to deal with it.

Life is truly difficult but afterlife is worth it.
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Rest easy and be in Peace. You have the desire to go to Confession were you able, which you are not. More importantly is the fact that you are sorry for your sins. The Lord would never withhold His Mercy from you … you are not yet Catholic and thus unable to access The Sacraments. Forgiveness of mortal sins through The Sacrament of Penance is only binding on Catholics and joyous we are for the honor.
I pray every day for guidance as to how to repay for my errors. It helps. It isn’t as good as a Sacrament, I’m sure, but I just can’t wait for my husband’s death to deal with it.
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To long for the death of another is not a good move. It is God who gifts life and prolongs it to whenever for His Own Reasons, which are always good…there is nothing at all to stop you from asking advice of a priest through an appointment on this matter. I can well understand your very deep unhappiness at not being able to get an annulment and become a Catholic. I am unsure totally of this… but have you made enquiries and is your husband’s consent necessary to apply for annulment. If you dont know yourself, you could make enquiries on this point. I am taking it that you and your husband are separated. I think a legal divorce is necessary for the annulment process, as long of course as the partner is still living. There is usually in each diocesan office a contact who is the expert on annulments and the Marriage Tribunal. A phone call away usually.

God bless you richly and grant you Peace…Barb:)
 
Thank you so much. My husband and I are married and he is Catholic but I still cannot be accepted into the Church because he will not get an annulment. How unfair that seems yet it is the canon law. Kind of a Catch-22, right?
 
There’s such a thing as partial consent where for a moment your will fluctuated toward the commission of sin but then relented. One of the preconditions of mortal sin is FULL consent of the will which, in reading your post, seems to have been partial in the worst case scenario. If there’s doubt over having committed a mortal sin than you probably didn’t because another conditon for mortal sin is FULL knowledge that the act you performed was mortal. The only condition left is serious matter but without the other two conditons fulfilled you’ve made it through this test. 👍
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Temptation is not sin. To willfully place ones self in an occasion of sin, to see how far you can go without sinning?. Well, just think about it.
Deacon Ed B
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The world is full of “occasions of sin;” therefore, it’s impossible for one to remove oneself completely from them, right? From the Summa:
If God had deprived the world of all those things which proved an occasion of sin, the universe would have been imperfect. Nor was it fitting for the common good to be destroyed in order that individual evil might be avoided; especially as God is so powerful that He can direct any evil to a good end.
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The Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Occasion of Sin is good, too. It delineates the distinction between proximate and remote occasion.
 
Geremia said:
The world is full of “occasions of sin;” therefore, it’s impossible for one to remove oneself completely from them, right? From the Summa: .
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Re-read what I said. I said to willfully place yourself in qn occasion of sin to see how far you can go, is in itself sinful. Occasions of sin are around us. It is wrong to willfully seek them out and put yourself in that circumstance. Aquinas had it right. You applied it incorrectly
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
 
Deacon_Ed_B said:
Re-read what I said. I said to willfully place yourself in qn occasion of sin to see how far you can go, is in itself sinful. Occasions of sin are around us. It is wrong to willfully seek them out and put yourself in that circumstance. Aquinas had it right. You applied it incorrectly
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
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…👍 Thank you …

In the Our Father we ask God not to lead us into temptation and to deliver us from evil; hence, we should not lead ourselves into temptation by putting ourselves deliberately or willfully into an occasion of sin that could be avoided and is a sin itself, and could even be mortally sinful…

It is always a help when quoting from somewhere to give a link or at least the actual reference details…Blessings all …Barb:)
 
If you want to know how destructive the occasion of sin can be, I allowed myself into the occasion of sin for years, although I went and received the sacrament of reconciliation often sometime twice a week then I would do it again. I was in a terrible state. Now I have so much shame and contempt for myself because I can’t love God with my whole heart soul, mind and strength. I allowed my heart to be misdirected and now I lost the heart felt, deep love I should have for God. So for anyone out there who is involved in the occasion of sin, stop now before the love you have that belongs to God is diminished and you have a desire to love God but your heart isn’t in it.
Please pray for me.
 
If you knowingly put yourself in the near occasion of sin, and if this near occasion of sin puts you in grave danger of sinning mortally, then you have committed a mortal sin by knowingly putting yourself in the near occasion of sin God bless you.
 
Your absolutly correct. If I had of ask I would have found that out but I was too arrogant to ask. This is all my fault for not trying to find out the truth. I guess I just I preferred to remain sinning allowing myself to think I was only committing a venial sin. It’s a hard lesson to learn and one that will affect my life from now on.
I don’t do what I was doing anymore and haven’t for years, but now I have the guilt of knowing how wrong I was.
After I found out that this was the case I was deeply sorry for my sins, but now I have to live with the fact that I insulted the Lord so so much.
Mike
Please pray for me…
 
May God have mercy on my soul, forgive me my sins and bring me to everlasting life.
Mike
 
I should clarify. I’m really down on myself for my past sins, but I did truly believe I was only committing a venial sin. I had even spoken to a few priests and they assured me I wasn’t committing a mortal sin.
Maybe there was miscommunication.
God Bless
Mike
 
CHCatholic said:
I just had the hugest spiritual battle of my life, but I fear I may have treaded a little too far into the woods.
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It is important to distinguish regarding occasions of sin.

A near occasion for a mortal sin (usually that is the focus of the question): is some thing or person or place etc what generally leads one to commit a particular mortal sin…or likely will cause one to commit the mortal sin in question…

Such can be of a nature that it generally leads most to sin (basically a near occasion for all)…or is particular to a person.

(And that later part yes can change --though we need to take care in judging if something used to be a near occasion --but we think it is not now – it may be important to get some “outside advice” from a confessor.)

Ordinarily we are obliged to avoid such. Though there can be exceptions.

It is not just a temptation per se. Often times one must be around certain temptations due to duty or the simply the society we live in. Etc. (Though there could be say a venial sin by say being tempted and then hesitating with a temptation etc)

(Though we should judge well too what temptations to be around …there are many that it is better to simply avoid entirely and others which one cannot to easily avoid. And there are of course things simply not really fitting for a Christian anyhow.)

And it is not a “remote occasion” where one could be tempted but generally one does not fall. Such are often in our society.

There can also be “necessary” occasions…one can speak with ones confessor in regards to such.

Now of course if something generally does not lead one to mortal sin…but one sees that here and now it will…well one avoids it!

A good confessor too can help one judge.
Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI
  1. When does one commit a mortal sin?
1855-1861
1874

One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This sin destroys charity in us, deprives us of sanctifying grace, and, if unrepented, leads us to the eternal death of hell. It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance or Reconciliation.
  1. When does one commit a venial sin?
1862-1864
1875

One commits a venial sin, which is essentially different from a mortal sin, when the matter involved is less serious or, even if it is grave, when full knowledge or complete consent are absent. Venial sin does not break the covenant with God but it weakens charity and manifests a disordered affection for created goods. It impedes the progress of a soul in the exercise of the virtues and in the practice of moral good. It merits temporal punishment which purifies.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html
 
MikeStLa said:
I should clarify. I’m really down on myself for my past sins, but I did truly believe I was only committing a venial sin. I had even spoken to a few priests and they assured me I wasn’t committing a mortal sin.
Maybe there was miscommunication.
God Bless
Mike
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One would have to know that one is sinning mortally for one to be guilty of an actual mortal sin. You thought that you were only sinning venially. God bless you.
 
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