Abbey-Roads2

Mortal sin, and merit. 

Tammy Faye Baker used to say that so cute - “That mean ole Devil” when she was talking about temptation and sin.  There was something ‘nice’ about the way she spoke of the devil, she wasn’t mocking or pretending to exorcise him, rather she spoke about him as an evil spirit who wants to destroy souls.  She more or less brushed the idea of Satan aside, confident in the power of the Resurrection of Christ.  In other words, she trusted in the merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Protestants have it together that way.  They repent after a sin and they trust in the mercy of God and move on.  Sadly they miss the critical  benefit of sacramental confession and absolution, but their sin and repentance does not seem to interrupt their lives in the same way as habitual sin sometimes does for  Catholics.  Especially those who strive to live in the state of grace while struggling to overcome a particular sin.

“You will find in the Sacred Heart of Jesus a remedy for all your ills, strength in your weakness, and a refuge in all necessities.” - S. Margaret Mary

Most Catholics know what mortal sin does to the soul.  Aside from depriving the soul from sanctifying grace, grave, or mortal sin places the soul at enmity with God, causing the soul to lose charity towards God and neighbor, as well as the loss of all merit, therefore incapable of meriting grace.  The impenitent soul is deprived of heaven and deserves everlasting punishment in hell.

When a Catholic is conscious of committing a mortal sin, he likewise understands its consequences.  If he hates his sin, and repents immediately, resolving to confess at the next opportunity, surely God accepts his repentance.  I think the parable of the prodigal son demonstrates this well.  The son was a long way off, yet he resolved to return to his father’s house.  The father saw him approaching and ran out to meet him, and only after coming into the house and being washed, was the prodigal dressed in a new robe, and thereby restored to his place in the family. 

“Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.” - Promises of the Sacred Heart 

I think this is how it works with those of us who repent of mortal sin.  The aftermath of our sin is like the muck of the pig stye, we come to our senses and repent, asking God’s forgiveness.  It is no time to think of merit, we must begin our penance then and there, continue our prayer and devotions, and return to the father’s house through the sacrament of penance.

Years ago when I struggled with a sin, I would give up prayer until the day I was able to go to confession, sometimes I would omit Mass all together, because I couldn’t merit, nor could I receive Communion.  That was the height of self love and that ‘mean ole Devil’ loved it.  He loves us to forge new links in our chain through repeated sin.  Some people may understand what I’m saying here, it is like this, “Well I’m in mortal sin anyway, so I may as well do it again, until I get to confession.”  Wrong.  That attitude is presumption - albeit forgivable.

“If you are in an abyss of weakness which causes you to fall at each moment, go and lose yourself in the strength of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which will strenghten you and lift you up as often as you fall.” - S. Margaret Mary

Although that ‘mean ole Devil’ will try to convince us of the opposite - that it is presumptuous for us to pray in a state of sin.  Wrong again.  When we repent, we must exert ourselves to  place all of our trust in the merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  No matter what our state of soul, we must offer the merits of the Heart of Jesus to the Father to obtain mercy and forgiveness.  Or, if nothing else, we need to plunge ourselves into the blood and water flowing from the Heart of Christ.   We need to act, and forget  any concern for our own merit, and immediately pick ourselves up and  begin our return to the Father, trusting in the merits of Jesus crucified.  Even if we stumble and fall through repeated sin on the way to confession, we need to repent again and continue.  Never stop repenting, never stop praying.

As for Mass and communion, often we may think that just because we cannot merit, or please God, or receive Holy Communion, because we are in a state of sin, we avoid, or neglect assisting at Mass all together.  That is dumb, especially if we add on another mortal sin by missing Mass on Sunday.  (That mean ole Devil delights in that even more than the other mortal sin.)

  “When you hear Mass, unite yourself to the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and beseech him to apply to you the merits of his heart according to his adorable designs.” - S. Margaret Mary

Sometimes, when a person who has committed a serious sin goes to Mass, they may feel self-conscious if they stay behind at Communion time because they can’t receive.  That can be pride and self-love, as well as a trick of the demon.  First of all, the efficacy of the Mass is not restricted to our communicating.   The sacrifice of the Mass is efficacious in itself.  Years ago, very few people communicated every Sunday, and fewer every day.  Saints such as Matt Talbot and Benedict Joseph Labre assisted at several Masses a day without recieving Communion.

Today people think they must receive Communion at every Mass they attend, I know some people who go to at least two or three Masses a day and receive at each.  I guess they can do that, but the efficacy of Holy Mass is essentially the sacrifice of Calvary.  The purpose of Mass is first and foremost the worship and adoration of God as our creator.  The second is Eucharist, that is to offer thanksgiving to God for his gifts.  Thirdly, we ask God for his blessings upon all our needs and all creation, while the sacrifice of the Mass satisfies the justice of God for the sins committed against him.

“Since he clings to me in love I will free him.”- Ps. 90

Holy Mass imparts the grace to repent of mortal sin, while in and through the Eucharist, we can obtain the forgiveness of venial sins if we are in the state of grace, as well as remission of the temporal penalty due to sin.  We know that our prayers are heard through Mass because in the Mass Our Lord himself prays for us.  You see, this is precisely why divorced and remarried Catholics are encouraged to continue attending Mass, despite the fact they are not able to receive Holy Communion.  Never allow anything to separate you from the love of Christ.  Repent and pray and attend Mass until you can return to the sacrament of penance to be restored to communion.

We must always have hope.  I think we should learn to anticipate God’s mercy and forgiveness in our repentance, just as he anticipates our return to him in confession.  I have experienced the devout attendance at Mass, without receiving Holy Communion, to be very efficacious.  God loves humilty - “a humble and contrite heart, he will not reject.” (Psalm 50)

“If you find yourself in an abyss of infidelity  and inconstancy, hide yourself in the strength and stability of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our true friend; he will teach us to be faithful and constant in loving as he has ever been.” - S. Margaret Mary