Scrupulosity

[Ash Wednesday]

[quote name='crusader1234' date='Jun 21 2005, 01:41 AM']This thread just screams 'tequila'.  Just kidding.  Pretty much.
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No kidding.

Raph, you just keep reminding yourself of these things. Imagine God is protecting you like a child, from a nasty barking dog. Have confidence that God will not let your soul slip away. He wants paradise for us, even more than we do. How amazing is that?

A religion of constant condemnation, guilt and anxiety is no way to live. It simply doesn't work. (In fact, I think one of my favorite prayers in the Mass is "Protect us from all anxiety.") I had a friend who lived that way, and practiced his Catholicism in this manner, and in the end he gave up and no longer practices the faith. In a day and age where Catholics are tempted to "overcompensate" for the rampant indifference of others, scruples can often sneak up on you.

Whenever I get scruples, I simplify my spiritual life because I find I will bite off more than I can chew at times. In simplifying, I mean I lay off on the heavy reading and dark subject matter. I also tend to pray more of the simpler informal prayers straight from the heart rather than the structured, recited prayers.

I think that a person becomes how they perceive God to be. Those who perceive God to be perpetually wrathful, judgmental and angry act as such. As we strive to be perfect in patience, Christlike trust, unconditional love and wisdom, we have to remind ourselves that this is the true nature of God as well.

Remember, "Gospel" means the GOOD NEWS!

[Carrie]

I deal with this alot too. My main problem comes after I've confessed. I sit and wonder if my confession was good enough? Was my penance hard enough? Did I really say everything that I was supposed to say? I really begin to doubt that I've been absolved of my sins. I do my best to work past it and let those doubts go, but it's very very difficult.

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='photosynthesis' date='Jun 21 2005, 01:42 AM']I thought Jesus gave us confession so that we would know that we are forgiven.  When I hear the priest say "I absolve you from your sins" I take it literally and trust that through the ministry of the Church God always forgives my sins because of what Jesus told Peter in the Bible.

I used to beat myself up about forgetting to confess certain sins...  I'd accuse myself and tell myself that i was so sinful that there was no way i could possibly confess every sin.

but I find that it helps to keep a list of things you want to confess.  That way you know it's there and you don't have to worry about it 24/7.  After I leave confession I like to tear up the list.
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It is a sin to assumethat you are in a state or Grace, it is the sin of presumption.


P.S. -- it also helpos to confess sins by catagory you may not know howmany timnes you had impure thoughts but you know you had them so confess them in general.

Edited June 21, 2005 by Don John of Austria

[Guest Eremite]

We can have moral certainty that we are in a state of grace. Otherwise, we could never receive Holy Communion, because, as St. Paul says in Romans, "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin". If there is a serious doubt that we are not in a state of grace, we must refrain from communion. Hence, moral certainty.

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='Eremite' date='Jun 21 2005, 10:51 AM']We can have moral certainty that we are in a state of grace. Otherwise, we could never receive Holy Communion, because, as St. Paul says in Romans, "whatever does not proceed from faith is sin". If there is a serious doubt that we are not in a state of grace, we must refrain from communion. Hence, moral certainty.
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You are to refrain from communion if you are uncertian about being in a state of Mortal sin, but one is not in a "state of Grace" if one has commited venial sins. However we agree if one is in serious doubt of thier being in Mortal sin or not should refrain from recieving communion.

[Guest Eremite]

[quote]one is not in a "state of Grace" if one has commited venial sins. [/quote]

Being in a "state of grace" refers to sanctifying grace, which we receive in baptism, and which we must maintain. Venial sin does not destroy the sanctifying grace in our souls.

[quote]Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God's forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1861[/quote]

This is why mortal sin is "mortal". It kills the sanctifying grace within us. Venial sins do not.

We can never have absolute certainty that we are in a state of grace, because that would require us to know ourselves perfectly. But such doubts do not disbar us from communion. Moral certainty is the rule of faith in this regard.

[Don John of Austria]

On this exact topic--- from Trent. This was proclaimed in response to Protestants but is applicable here. I have quoted the entire passage to prevent contextual misunderstandings.


But though it is necessary to believe that sins neither are remitted nor ever have been remitted except gratuitously by divine mercy for Christ's sake,[color=red] yet it must not be said that sins are forgiven or have been forgiven to anyone who boasts of his confidence and certainty of the remission of his sins[/color],[47] resting on that alone, though among heretics and schismatics this vain and ungodly confidence may be and in our troubled times indeed is found and preached with untiring fury against the Catholic Church. Moreover, it must not be maintained, that they who are truly justified must needs, without any doubt whatever, convince themselves that they are justified, and that no one is absolved from sins and justified except he that believes with certainty that he is absolved and justified,[48] and that absolution and justification are effected by this faith alone, as if he who does not believe this, doubts the promises of God and the efficacy of the death and resurrection of Christ. [color=red]For as no pious person ought to doubt the mercy of God, the merit of Christ and the virtue and efficacy of the sacraments, so each one, when he considers himself and his own weakness and indisposition, may have fear and apprehension concerning his own grace, since no one can know with the certainty of faith, which cannot be subject to error, that he has obtained the grace of God[/color].

[Guest Eremite]

That's saying exactly what I said. We cannot have the certainty of faith of our own soul, because that would require us to know ourselves perfectly. We need only have moral certainty, which is sufficient. If moral certainty were not sufficient, then no man could receive Holy Communion, because no man has the certainty of faith vis a vis his own soul.

And Trent says nothing about venial sins destroying sanctifying grace within us.

[Don John of Austria]

[quote name='Eremite' date='Jun 21 2005, 11:42 AM']That's saying exactly what I said. We cannot have the certainty of faith of our own soul, because that would require us to know ourselves perfectly. We need only have moral certainty, which is sufficient. If moral certainty were not sufficient, then no man could receive Holy Communion, because no man has the certainty of faith vis a vis his own soul.

And Trent says nothing about venial sins destroying sanctifying grace within us.
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I never said that venial sins destroyed sanctifying grace, I completly agree if you are using the term in the way Aquinus did however it is often used in a more general sense. That usage is what I was refereing to.

[toledo_jesus]

TCW I was told the same thing and it does work. do an examination of conscience so as to show proper respect for the Sacrament. If you have done this and you are not sure you've committed a mortal sin, then you should receive Communion. Generally, once you care about mortal sin, you know what it entails and when you've done it. And you don't forget. So, if you are in doubt about a mortal sin chances are you're being scrupulous and you should go to Communion and strengthen your resolve.

[Thurifer]

[quote name='Don John of Austria' date='Jun 21 2005, 12:04 AM']Not contrition contrition is what is neeeded for forgivness not to commit a sin. I think you are thinking og consent. Understanding is ifffy you need not understand that it is a mortal sin only that it is in fact a sin and that one willingly does it and it is a grave matter. Further many Grave matters are part of the Natural Law, that Law which is written on everymans heart-- refusal to obey it is not a get out of Jail free card.
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oops...Consent is right.

But the church does teach that consent, grave matter, and understanding are required for a sin to be mortal.

In Christ,
Gary