Two Questions

[Paladin D]

Question 1: Let's say I get a sexual related thought in my mind, and dwell on it for like 10 seconds (and for some odd reason, without realizing at first what I'm doing is wrong), and then change my thoughts. Would that be considered a mortal sin? This happens with me time to time, and I tend to not be fully aware. I'm aware on what I'm thinking, but I somehow forget what I'm doing is sinful. Hard to explain really.

Quesiton 2: I've heard from many, that they go to Confession about once or twice a month. Let's say they go to confession every-other week. Now, if they committed a Mortal sin on the week that they usually don't go to Confession...would they be able to accept the Eucharist on Sunday?

Because with me, I would probally have to go to Confession every week. I'm suprised how some can go only once a month, and yet be clean of mortal sin for that long.

Also, if I were to go to Confession on Saturday (or some day before Sunday), and I committed a Mortal Sin after my confession and before the Mass...yet wanted to go to Confession before Mass...how would I? Without defying the Lord?

[jessinoelw]

Q 1. It depends on if you accept or reject these thoughts when they pop into your mind. If a thought comes up and you think, "Hey, now there's an idea!" and begin to dwell on in, then that would be sinful. But oftentimes thoughts just spring into your mind that we didn't ask to be there and if we reject them, we're not culpable.

Q 2. You cannot take the Eucharist if you are not in a state of grace. You must go to confession before receiving. If you sin after confession and before Mass, go to confession before Mass or do not receive the Eucharist until you have.

Q for you: Do you tend to be scrupulous (thinking everything is a grave matter and suffering from excessive guilt)?

--Jessica

[Paladin D]

Q for you: Do you tend to be scrupulous (thinking everything is a grave matter and suffering from excessive guilt)?

Yes, half the time.

Edited September 19, 2003 by Paladin D

[cmotherofpirl]

Remember a mortal sin has to be grave, with full knowledge and consent.

A thought popping in your head does so without your consent.

We have thoughts coming and going all the time. When you are really mad and you think "I could just slug you for that", you really arn't gonna hit somebody , its a reaction.

But

if you sit there and decide to enjoy it and drool over it, thats full consent.

[God Conquers]

Man, it's all up to your conscience. If you go to mass and your conscience is telling you to go to confession before recieving Jesus then go. If not, then it's cool. Just be honest, God'll show you the way.

[jessinoelw]

It's not all up to our conscience. We have to have properly formed consciences. The Church says that if we commit mortal sin we cannot receive communion before going to confession.

--Jessica

[cmotherofpirl]

Man, it's all up to your conscience. If you go to mass and your conscience is telling you to go to confession before recieving Jesus then go. If not, then it's cool. Just be honest, God'll show you the way.

Wrong.

To commit a mortal sin it has to be grave, you must have full knowledge, and give consent.

If you committ a mortal sin, you'll know it.

You don't rely on feelings you rely on facts.

[Anna]

Paladin D,

You said that once you realize your thought is sinful, you dismiss the thoughts. Therefore, you are not willfully entertaining impure thoughts. So you are not comitting a sin. You are trying to dismiss temptation, and there is nothing bad about that.

We can go to confession as often as we feel we need to. Daily, even! But considering that the Most Holy Eucharist remits venial sins, and a mortal sin concerns grave matter, most of us don't commit grave sins on a daily basis---I would hope!

Pax Christi. <><

[mark4IHM]

Paladin,

You ask very good questions.

You must not receive Holy Communion if you are in a state of mortal sin.

I wonder if your confusion is over the difference between temptation to sin and consenting to the temptation. It is never a sin to be tempted. To be sinful, a temptation to indulge in impure thoughts must be consented to. This gets murky, since sometimes the temptation can be so strong and sudden that one can confuse the strength of it with actual consent to the temptation.

I don't know that conscience is always an infallible guide in this matter, as it may be deadened by sin, or wrongly sharpened by guilt or even pride. My advice is basic: remember the requirements for a sin to be mortal, and seek clarification for specific examples with a trusted priest.

[Paladin D]

How can I be tempted with sexual thoughts? Isn't thinking sexual thoughts in the first place sinful? So if I am tempted...I already committed it?

[Dave]

Like others have said, just having a thought pop into your head isn't sinful. What you do with it once it arrives is the determination of whether it's sinful or not.