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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
spiritual distress	margaret	Saturday, September 11, 2004
Question: this may be nutty, but i really am so distressed, i need some advice... i was in mortal sin for some months. i went to confession and, i believe, i made a good confession. but i just feel...off. i still feel as if there is something keeping me from God. i felt joyful after confession, but i also felt as if something was missing and i don't know what it is. i could always before feel when i was in the state of grace. i could always put myself in the Presence of God, and be aware of that. but i don't now. even praying, it feels...off, like there is just a void between me and God that was never the before- not when i was in the state of grace. this is really distressing me- i don't want to recieve Communion if there is the real possibility that i am not, in fact, in the state of grace. but i didn't leave anything i thought to be a mortal sin out of my confession, and i haven't committed any mortal sins since. so i don't know what to do. is God testing me? is the devil tempting me? i don't know and i just feel so consumed by this. bleh. thank you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear Margaret: If you made a good confession and have not committed any mortal sins since then, you ARE in a state of Grace whether you "feel" it or not. A State of Grace is NOT a feeling and cannot be reliably discerned by "feeling". Whether or not one is in a State of Grace is an ontological reality, not a feeling. Unfortunately we live in a world where feeling has become the primary way to interpret the world and our experiences. Theologians call this kind of thinking "sensualism". In fact, this is a form of idolatry in our society where "feeling" is virtually worshiped and certainly is placed above God who is a reasonable God and above faith in Him. Unfortunately, many people become seduced into this way of thinking or at least are influenced by it to their pain unusually. These thoughts are not being placed in your mind by God. It is the "other guy" who has the motivation to confuse you and worry you with these thoughts. If you "feel" something missing, it may be just a blue period for you, a dryness, or even a depression. Go before the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration and talk to God about this. During part of your time there, sit quietly and just bathe in the healing rays of the Son. Also, do not let the devil rob you of your joy in the Eucharist. Receive our Lord in the Eucharist if you have no unconfessed mortal sins and are otherwise properly disposed. Good Confession + no mortal sins afterward up to this date = State of Grace = Receive the Eucharist It is as simple as 1 + 1 = 2 and remember that 1 + 1 STILL equals "2" even if you FEEL that there is something wrong with that equation. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

spiritual distress

margaret

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Question:

this may be nutty, but i really am so distressed, i need some advice...

i was in mortal sin for some months. i went to confession and, i believe, i made a good confession. but i just feel...off.

i still feel as if there is something keeping me from God. i felt joyful after confession, but i also felt as if something was missing and i don't know what it is. i could always before feel when i was in the state of grace. i could always put myself in the Presence of God, and be aware of that. but i don't now. even praying, it feels...off, like there is just a void between me and God that was never the before- not when i was in the state of grace. this is really distressing me-

i don't want to recieve Communion if there is the real possibility that i am not, in fact, in the state of grace. but i didn't leave anything i thought to be a mortal sin out of my confession, and i haven't committed any mortal sins since. so i don't know what to do. is God testing me? is the devil tempting me? i don't know and i just feel so consumed by this. bleh.

thank you.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear Margaret:

If you made a good confession and have not committed any mortal sins since then, you ARE in a state of Grace whether you "feel" it or not.

A State of Grace is NOT a feeling and cannot be reliably discerned by "feeling". Whether or not one is in a State of Grace is an ontological reality, not a feeling.

Unfortunately we live in a world where feeling has become the primary way to interpret the world and our experiences. Theologians call this kind of thinking "sensualism". In fact, this is a form of idolatry in our society where "feeling" is virtually worshiped and certainly is placed above God who is a reasonable God and above faith in Him.

Unfortunately, many people become seduced into this way of thinking or at least are influenced by it to their pain unusually.

These thoughts are not being placed in your mind by God. It is the "other guy" who has the motivation to confuse you and worry you with these thoughts.

If you "feel" something missing, it may be just a blue period for you, a dryness, or even a depression. Go before the Blessed Sacrament in Adoration and talk to God about this. During part of your time there, sit quietly and just bathe in the healing rays of the Son.

Also, do not let the devil rob you of your joy in the Eucharist. Receive our Lord in the Eucharist if you have no unconfessed mortal sins and are otherwise properly disposed.

Good Confession + no mortal sins afterward up to this date = State of Grace = Receive the Eucharist

It is as simple as 1 + 1 = 2 and remember that 1 + 1 STILL equals "2" even if you FEEL that there is something wrong with that equation.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum