Author Topic: Must you actually feel sorrow in order to be forgiven? (Read 1644 times)

InfiniteFaith · « **on:** July 24, 2014, 02:57:49 AM »

I have read some Catholic sources that say we need to feel sorrow for our sins in order to be forgiven of them at confession. Does this mean that we have to actually feel the emotion? What if we do not feel this emotion?

I have to admit that I do not always feel the emotion of being sorry after committing a mortal sin. At times, I commit the mortal sin, then I ask God for forgiveness. Then maybe the next day (or even a few hours later) I will start worrying about going to hell if I die since I cannot make it to confession until a few days later. I will say that at times, I even just find myself feeling the emotion of sorrow. Then I think that maybe it was because of the mortal sin that had been committed the previous day or even earlier that day. But to be honest i can't say that I always feel that feeling of being sorry and it worries me that I don't.

But right now, I am really struggling as some of you might have been able to tell from my recent posts. I am not really seeing God in my life, and this has been going on for the last 1-2 years. I don't feel/think that I am living a Holy life, and I sure don't see God like I used to. Over the past 2 years I have given back into smoking cigarettes, masturbating more frequently, committing calumny, using bad language, detraction, lying at times (not too much though), etc. Its really awful and I have been really sinful. Its so frustrating because i am so weak against temptation nowadays. Whereas, before, I was seeing God and noticing Him in my everyday life. I also sensed His love for me, and I loved Him in return. I was living more holy than ever then. It was easier to resist temptation when in this state, and I would fight against sin because of how confident I was in my relationship with God. Now I am so weak to sin because I am blind. And another thing, I committed mortal sin yesterday asked for God to forgive me, then I turned around and committed the same sin today like it was nothing. I didn't even bother to resist my temptation. I just gave into it because I had no Faith in myself nor in God. Mainly because I feel like I am blind, and while being blind I don't care as much and I have no zeal.

I will say that over the past 5-6 weeks I have been really pealing away the layers of the onion. I have gone 40 days without smoking. I have went 5 weeks without masturbating. I have confessed and given up my views on racial superiority and have been battling with being more sensitive to the feelings and needs of people of other races. I will say that I have been looking at women a lot and have been battling back and forth with lust during this time. But I have been making a lot of sacrifices during this time frame, and I still feel blind.

I have lost my zeal, and I can't tell if its me. Or if maybe it has something to do with my switch to the SSPX. Lately, I have been reading stuff, written by the Novus Ordo, about how the sacraments of reconciliation and matrimony are invalid in the SSPX. So maybe I should go try the Novus Ordo again? And see if that helps? Myabe my confessions haven't been valid, not because of being the SSPX, but because I am not feeling sorrowful for my mortal sin always?

I am so lost right now, and it is so frustrating. It actually causes me to become irritable. I can't do anything without the Lord!!! And I don't know, but maybe I did something a while ago that really offended Him, and that is why He is not reaching out to me. I don't know what to think.

Please do not tell me to seek counseling for a priest as that is not so readily available to me. I'm sure there is someone here that has some good advice.

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2014, 04:15:58 AM »

I'm not sure if someone has just prayed for me since I posted this thread, but I noticed that my mood has changed, and I have felt a bit of joy. If so, thanks and I could always use the prayers.

poche · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2014, 04:19:26 AM »

The more you commit sin the easier it is to do that same thing or something worse. The less likely it is that you will be sorry for what you have done. It's a slippery slope. That being said it is also important to never give up. As often as we fall we have to get up. The just man falls seven times. Jesus while he was on his way to Calvary fell three times according to the stations of the cross. And each time he got up. This is why it's called the Church Militant. Because the struggle against sin is never ending. You have to be sorry for whatever sin you have commited. Even the Jєωs will tell you that if you are not truly sorry for having sinned against god then you will not be forgiven.
For a god perspective, I recommend that you study the sayings of the Fathers of the Desert.

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2014, 05:09:39 AM »

Quote from: poche

The more you commit sin the easier it is to do that same thing or something worse. The less likely it is that you will be sorry for what you have done. It's a slippery slope. That being said it is also important to never give up. As often as we fall we have to get up. The just man falls seven times. Jesus while he was on his way to Calvary fell three times according to the stations of the cross. And each time he got up. This is why it's called the Church Militant. Because the struggle against sin is never ending. You have to be sorry for whatever sin you have commited. Even the Jєωs will tell you that if you are not truly sorry for having sinned against god then you will not be forgiven.
For a god perspective, I recommend that you study the sayings of the Fathers of the Desert.

What do I do if I do not feel sorry? Should I even go to confession? Or just wait around hoping to feel sorry some day then go to confession? Should I pray to feel sorry? I don't know what to do.

Nadir · « **Reply #4 on:** July 24, 2014, 05:33:13 AM »

Forget your feelings. They are NOT to be trusted. Instead take action.

St Bernard tells us:

Quote

"Take not your eyes from the light of this star if you would not be overwhelmed by the waves;
if the storms of temptation arise,
if you are thrown upon the rocks of affliction, look to the star, invoke Mary.
Are you confounded at the enormity of your sins,
are you ashamed at the defilement of your conscience,
are you terrified on account of the dreadful judgment, so that you begin to be overpowered by sadness, or even to sink into the abyss of despair, then turn your thoughts to Mary.
In dangers, in distress, in doubt, call on Mary.
She will not be far from your mouth, or your heart; and that you may obtain her intercession omit not to imitate her conduct.
When you follow her, you will not go astray;
when you invoke her, you will no longer be in doubt;
when she supports you, you will not fall;
when she leads you, you will surely come to eternal life, and will find by your own experience that she is justly called Maria - that is, Star of the Sea."

Pray this every time you are tempted:

Quote

Remember O most loving virgin, Mary, that never was it known in any age, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, we fly to thee, O Virgin of Virgins, our Mother.

To thee do we come, before thee we stand sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our prayers in our necessities, but graciously hear and answer them.

Amen.

OHCA · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2014, 05:40:54 AM »

Yes--pray to feel sorry for your sins. Even if you are only sorry because you dread the consequences of hell (imperfectly sorry as opposed to perfectly sorry which is due to one's love of God), your sins are forgiven in confession. The devil is crafty--sounds to me like he's trying to discourage & confuse you, and keep you out of the confessional.

Also, stop reading NO material.

TKGS · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2014, 06:18:15 AM »

There are two kinds of contrition: Perfect and imperfect.

Perfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we have offended God. Imperfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we fear the pains of hell. Both are sufficient.

Sorrow for our sins is not necessarily an emotion; but an act of the will. Of course, like love, sorrow can be highly emotional; but again like love, sorrow can be merely an intellectual decision that you come to embrace. You decide to have sorrow for your sins when you accept the humility of going to the confessional, directly accusing yourself of your sins to the priest, listening to his counsel, and performing the penance assigned to you. This is a demonstration of sorrow for your sins.

As Nadir said above, "feelings" should not be trusted.

The problem today is that the very understanding of "emotions" has changed in English. The Oxford English Dictionary says that an emotion is: "A natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circuмstances, mood, or relationships with others." This is what your Catholic source meant when he wrote that you must have sorrow for your sins and, frankly, the act of confession is, in itself, the demonstration of sorrow. Unless you are an extremely evil person who goes to confession with the intended purpose of not having sorrow for your sins, this is not an issue.

I contrast this definition with the definition given by Collins English Dictionary: " any strong feeling". While this is an acceptable definition of "emotion", it is only one particular use of the word.

Faith is not based on emotions, nor is the practice of the faith based on emotions. Faith is based on the intellect, i.e., reason. When you read old catechisms or writings about the faith, keep this in mind. When the author uses a word or phrase that seems to require some sort of "feeling", know that you are interpreting his words according to the modern popular culture and that you should consider his words to have an intellectual basis rather than a basis in your gut feelings.

Dolores · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2014, 07:44:46 AM »

Quote from: TKGS

There are two kinds of contrition: Perfect and imperfect.

Perfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we have offended God. Imperfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we fear the pains of hell. Both are sufficient.

Both are sufficient for forgiveness through sacramental Confession. Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession, but imperfect contrition is not.

OHCA · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2014, 10:33:49 AM »

Quote from: Dolores

. . . Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession . . .

When coupled with a firm sincere intention of confessing the sin(s) in sacramental confession as soon as possible.

Neil Obstat · « **Reply #9 on:** July 24, 2014, 03:30:40 PM »

Quote from: InfiniteFaith

I have read some Catholic sources that say we need to feel sorrow for our sins in order to be forgiven of them at confession. Does this mean that we have to actually feel the emotion? What if we do not feel this emotion?

I have to admit that I do not always feel the emotion of being sorry after committing a mortal sin. At times, I commit the mortal sin, then I ask God for forgiveness. Then maybe the next day (or even a few hours later) I will start worrying about going to hell if I die since I cannot make it to confession until a few days later. I will say that at times, I even just find myself feeling the emotion of sorrow. Then I think that maybe it was because of the mortal sin that had been committed the previous day or even earlier that day. But to be honest i can't say that I always feel that feeling of being sorry and it worries me that I don't.

But right now, I am really struggling as some of you might have been able to tell from my recent posts. I am not really seeing God in my life, and this has been going on for the last 1-2 years. I don't feel/think that I am living a Holy life, and I sure don't see God like I used to. Over the past 2 years I have given back into smoking cigarettes, masturbating more frequently, committing calumny, using bad language, detraction, lying at times (not too much though), etc. Its really awful and I have been really sinful. Its so frustrating because i am so weak against temptation nowadays. Whereas, before, I was seeing God and noticing Him in my everyday life. I also sensed His love for me, and I loved Him in return. I was living more holy than ever then. It was easier to resist temptation when in this state, and I would fight against sin because of how confident I was in my relationship with God. Now I am so weak to sin because I am blind. And another thing, I committed mortal sin yesterday asked for God to forgive me, then I turned around and committed the same sin today like it was nothing. I didn't even bother to resist my temptation. I just gave into it because I had no Faith in myself nor in God. Mainly because I feel like I am blind, and while being blind I don't care as much and I have no zeal.

I will say that over the past 5-6 weeks I have been really pealing away the layers of the onion. I have gone 40 days without smoking. I have went 5 weeks without masturbating. I have confessed and given up my views on racial superiority and have been battling with being more sensitive to the feelings and needs of people of other races. I will say that I have been looking at women a lot and have been battling back and forth with lust during this time. But I have been making a lot of sacrifices during this time frame, and I still feel blind.

I have lost my zeal, and I can't tell if its me. Or if maybe it has something to do with my switch to the SSPX. Lately, I have been reading stuff, written by the Novus Ordo, about how the sacraments of reconciliation and matrimony are invalid in the SSPX. So maybe I should go try the Novus Ordo again? And see if that helps? Myabe my confessions haven't been valid, not because of being the SSPX, but because I am not feeling sorrowful for my mortal sin always?

I am so lost right now, and it is so frustrating. It actually causes me to become irritable. I can't do anything without the Lord!!! And I don't know, but maybe I did something a while ago that really offended Him, and that is why He is not reaching out to me. I don't know what to think.

Please do not tell me to seek counseling for a priest as that is not so readily available to me. I'm sure there is someone here that has some good advice.

These are great replies:

Quote from: Dolores

Quote from: TKGS
There are two kinds of contrition: Perfect and imperfect.

Perfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we have offended God. Imperfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we fear the pains of hell. Both are sufficient.

Both are sufficient for forgiveness through sacramental Confession. Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession, but imperfect contrition is not.

Quote from: OHCA

Quote from: Dolores
. . . Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession . . .

When coupled with a firm sincere intention of confessing the sin(s) in sacramental confession as soon as possible.

I would like to add that while it is evident that perfect contrition (which is perfected by a firm intention to confess at the first opportunity) is more powerful with God than imperfect contrition, and the latter is sufficient when combined with the sacrament of Penance to effect remission of sins, still there is a remnant that persists after absolution, and that is the penance that the priest assigns you to do, before your sin is completely forgiven, and through which the temporal punishment due to your sin is satisfied.

After all of this, we are encouraged to pursue the practice and eventual achievement of perfect contrition, and for most of us, it takes a lifetime.

Truly achieving the state of perfect contrition requires the purest of intention and the most abandonment to the divine will of God. Anyone with a weakness for pride, for example, will have a most difficult time achieving perfect contrition.

Even so, regardless of your personal foibles or vulnerabilities, you are most highly advised and would be most wise, to make it your constant intention to strive to achieve perfect contrition.

Anyone who does achieve perfect contrition, if it is real, will not use that as an excuse to avoid going to Confession! Nor will a priest believe you if you confess to him that you have finally achieved perfect contrition, because if you say that, the saying of it per se is a dead giveaway that it is not true. If you really were perfectly contrite, you would also be perfectly humble, and therefore you would never say, "I have achieved perfect humility."

I hope I don't have to explain that.

Quote from: TKGS

Faith is not based on emotions, nor is the practice of the faith based on emotions. Faith is based on the intellect, i.e., reason. When you read old catechisms or writings about the faith, keep this in mind. When the author uses a word or phrase that seems to require some sort of "feeling", know that you are interpreting his words according to the modern popular culture and that you should consider his words to have an intellectual basis rather than a basis in your gut feelings.

This is very important. In our modern age, "emotions" have taken on a new meaning. Under the proper order of things, our emotions are subject to our intellect. But we moderns are IMMERSED in a Modernist culture that proclaims that how you FEEL about anything is definitive, but more than that, it erroneously proclaims that reality itself is inherently fixed in what spontaneously erupts from your imagination and capriciously vague sense of FEELINGS. Therefore, your own reality can change from moment to moment as do your feelings about anything and everything. That is, your own subjective reality is the whole of everything real to you (this is an error BTW).

If you would like to know A LOT more on this topic, I highly recommend Frank Sheed's book, Theology and Sanity (Ignatius Press, 1946, 1978, 441pp + 10pp of Index + 20pp of titles, Contents and 2 Prefaces = '471pp'), because it takes these very profoundly difficult themes and principles and doctrines, and it brings them into the realm of everyday conversational language (English) for everyone to understand it well.

Readers who may shudder at the mention of IP should take solace in knowing that they haven't corrupted the text by more than a few instances of "inculsive language" to the effect that, for example, "We live, indeed, in a vast context of things that are, events that have happened, a goal to which all is moving. That we should mentally see this context is part of mental health. Just as knowing that all things are upheld by God is a first step in knowing what we are, so a clear view of the shape of reality is a first step toward knowing where we are. To know where we are and what we are--that would seem to be the very minimum required by our dignity as man," became, "...To know where we are and what we are--that would seem to be the very minimum required by our dignity as human beings," and, "... it is not even enough that we should see the same things as other men plus the things the Church teaches," became, "And it is not even enough that we should see the same things as other people plus the things the Church teaches" (p. 27 in the new edition). Therefore, the minor vocabulary adjustments, while conspicuous, do not greatly change the meaning of the text, notwithstanding the historical context of the fact of the changes.

That is to say, we all know the pernicious agenda that has pushed for inclusive language to the effect that all of society and sanity is undermined, which is a topic not unrelated to this thread. It's more closely related to the EC ccclxvi thread, however.

I should probably post some excerpts of this fine tome around here somewhere.

.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #10 on:** July 24, 2014, 04:30:42 PM »

Meditate on the Passion of Christ and you will soon be tearful.

Think about how Our Lord's Cross would not have been so heavy if not for your sins. Feel every prick of thorns, every whip of the lash, digging into his skin and tearing it off, because of the hooks at the end of the lash.

Think about how he falls, and is kicked and spit upon, then finally the nails, and the worse part was being brought up in a standing position while hanging on the Cross and the soldiers pounce the Cross into a hole in the ground, while all his wounds are magnified with pain, the Cross is thrust back and forth, with Our God hanging, as they work it into place.

If you ever want sorrow, meditate on these points for starters, you will gain other insights and feel sorrow.

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2014, 07:19:43 PM »

Quote from: Neil Obstat

Quote from: InfiniteFaith
I have read some Catholic sources that say we need to feel sorrow for our sins in order to be forgiven of them at confession. Does this mean that we have to actually feel the emotion? What if we do not feel this emotion?

I have to admit that I do not always feel the emotion of being sorry after committing a mortal sin. At times, I commit the mortal sin, then I ask God for forgiveness. Then maybe the next day (or even a few hours later) I will start worrying about going to hell if I die since I cannot make it to confession until a few days later. I will say that at times, I even just find myself feeling the emotion of sorrow. Then I think that maybe it was because of the mortal sin that had been committed the previous day or even earlier that day. But to be honest i can't say that I always feel that feeling of being sorry and it worries me that I don't.

But right now, I am really struggling as some of you might have been able to tell from my recent posts. I am not really seeing God in my life, and this has been going on for the last 1-2 years. I don't feel/think that I am living a Holy life, and I sure don't see God like I used to. Over the past 2 years I have given back into smoking cigarettes, masturbating more frequently, committing calumny, using bad language, detraction, lying at times (not too much though), etc. Its really awful and I have been really sinful. Its so frustrating because i am so weak against temptation nowadays. Whereas, before, I was seeing God and noticing Him in my everyday life. I also sensed His love for me, and I loved Him in return. I was living more holy than ever then. It was easier to resist temptation when in this state, and I would fight against sin because of how confident I was in my relationship with God. Now I am so weak to sin because I am blind. And another thing, I committed mortal sin yesterday asked for God to forgive me, then I turned around and committed the same sin today like it was nothing. I didn't even bother to resist my temptation. I just gave into it because I had no Faith in myself nor in God. Mainly because I feel like I am blind, and while being blind I don't care as much and I have no zeal.

I will say that over the past 5-6 weeks I have been really pealing away the layers of the onion. I have gone 40 days without smoking. I have went 5 weeks without masturbating. I have confessed and given up my views on racial superiority and have been battling with being more sensitive to the feelings and needs of people of other races. I will say that I have been looking at women a lot and have been battling back and forth with lust during this time. But I have been making a lot of sacrifices during this time frame, and I still feel blind.

I have lost my zeal, and I can't tell if its me. Or if maybe it has something to do with my switch to the SSPX. Lately, I have been reading stuff, written by the Novus Ordo, about how the sacraments of reconciliation and matrimony are invalid in the SSPX. So maybe I should go try the Novus Ordo again? And see if that helps? Myabe my confessions haven't been valid, not because of being the SSPX, but because I am not feeling sorrowful for my mortal sin always?

I am so lost right now, and it is so frustrating. It actually causes me to become irritable. I can't do anything without the Lord!!! And I don't know, but maybe I did something a while ago that really offended Him, and that is why He is not reaching out to me. I don't know what to think.

Please do not tell me to seek counseling for a priest as that is not so readily available to me. I'm sure there is someone here that has some good advice.

These are great replies:

Quote from: Dolores
Quote from: TKGS
There are two kinds of contrition: Perfect and imperfect.

Perfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we have offended God. Imperfect contrition means that we have sorrow for our sins because we fear the pains of hell. Both are sufficient.

Both are sufficient for forgiveness through sacramental Confession. Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession, but imperfect contrition is not.

Quote from: OHCA
Quote from: Dolores
. . . Perfect contrition is also sufficient for forgiveness without sacramental Confession . . .

When coupled with a firm sincere intention of confessing the sin(s) in sacramental confession as soon as possible.

I would like to add that while it is evident that perfect contrition (which is perfected by a firm intention to confess at the first opportunity) is more powerful with God than imperfect contrition, and the latter is sufficient when combined with the sacrament of Penance to effect remission of sins, still there is a remnant that persists after absolution, and that is the penance that the priest assigns you to do, before your sin is completely forgiven, and through which the temporal punishment due to your sin is satisfied.

After all of this, we are encouraged to pursue the practice and eventual achievement of perfect contrition, and for most of us, it takes a lifetime.

Truly achieving the state of perfect contrition requires the purest of intention and the most abandonment to the divine will of God. Anyone with a weakness for pride, for example, will have a most difficult time achieving perfect contrition.

Even so, regardless of your personal foibles or vulnerabilities, you are most highly advised and would be most wise, to make it your constant intention to strive to achieve perfect contrition.

Anyone who does achieve perfect contrition, if it is real, will not use that as an excuse to avoid going to Confession! Nor will a priest believe you if you confess to him that you have finally achieved perfect contrition, because if you say that, the saying of it per se is a dead giveaway that it is not true. If you really were perfectly contrite, you would also be perfectly humble, and therefore you would never say, "I have achieved perfect humility."

I hope I don't have to explain that.

Quote from: TKGS

Faith is not based on emotions, nor is the practice of the faith based on emotions. Faith is based on the intellect, i.e., reason. When you read old catechisms or writings about the faith, keep this in mind. When the author uses a word or phrase that seems to require some sort of "feeling", know that you are interpreting his words according to the modern popular culture and that you should consider his words to have an intellectual basis rather than a basis in your gut feelings.

This is very important. In our modern age, "emotions" have taken on a new meaning. Under the proper order of things, our emotions are subject to our intellect. But we moderns are IMMERSED in a Modernist culture that proclaims that how you FEEL about anything is definitive, but more than that, it erroneously proclaims that reality itself is inherently fixed in what spontaneously erupts from your imagination and capriciously vague sense of FEELINGS. Therefore, your own reality can change from moment to moment as do your feelings about anything and everything. That is, your own subjective reality is the whole of everything real to you (this is an error BTW).

If you would like to know A LOT more on this topic, I highly recommend Frank Sheed's book, Theology and Sanity (Ignatius Press, 1946, 1978, 441pp + 10pp of Index + 20pp of titles, Contents and 2 Prefaces = '471pp'), because it takes these very profoundly difficult themes and principles and doctrines, and it brings them into the realm of everyday conversational language (English) for everyone to understand it well.

Readers who may shudder at the mention of IP should take solace in knowing that they haven't corrupted the text by more than a few instances of "inculsive language" to the effect that, for example, "We live, indeed, in a vast context of things that are, events that have happened, a goal to which all is moving. That we should mentally see this context is part of mental health. Just as knowing that all things are upheld by God is a first step in knowing what we are, so a clear view of the shape of reality is a first step toward knowing where we are. To know where we are and what we are--that would seem to be the very minimum required by our dignity as man," became, "...To know where we are and what we are--that would seem to be the very minimum required by our dignity as human beings," and, "... it is not even enough that we should see the same things as other men plus the things the Church teaches," became, "And it is not even enough that we should see the same things as other people plus the things the Church teaches" (p. 27 in the new edition). Therefore, the minor vocabulary adjustments, while conspicuous, do not greatly change the meaning of the text, notwithstanding the historical context of the fact of the changes.

That is to say, we all know the pernicious agenda that has pushed for inclusive language to the effect that all of society and sanity is undermined, which is a topic not unrelated to this thread. It's more closely related to the EC ccclxvi thread, however.

I should probably post some excerpts of this fine tome around here somewhere.

.

I still think that emotions can be valid when related to the sacraments. There are times when I feel almost a peaceful clean feeling after going to confession. I also feel God's love in my heart after receiving the Eucharist. I always thought these feelings to be valid and resulting from practicing the Faith. I could be wrong though.

Anthony Benedict · « **Reply #12 on:** July 24, 2014, 08:18:26 PM »

An authentic Saint bears perfect contrition and a sorrow beyond description for his own, and all, sins inasmuch as these are the very instruments by which Our Lord was afflicted in His Passion, most notably in the Garden.

Simultaneously, this same authentic Saint realizes, since cleansed and an active participant in the battle for souls - directly with the Saints in Heaven - a certain joy, again beyond description, and knows it to be only a foretaste of Heaven itself.

I've only read of such great things, especially in St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila and the remarkable work of Fr. Adolph Tanqueray, "The Spiritual Life," from the 1920s.

But in reading them, I've at least seen that there is literally no limit to which a soul may aspire, even in this life, which may not be added to, increased and multiplied many time over by grace - though prayer and contemplation.

As Thomas Aquinas answered his sister when asked how one becomes a Saint: "Will it."

Nadir · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2014, 03:01:03 AM »

Quote from: InfiniteFaith

I still think that emotions can be valid when related to the sacraments. There are times when I feel almost a peaceful clean feeling after going to confession. I also feel God's love in my heart after receiving the Eucharist. I always thought these feelings to be valid and resulting from practicing the Faith. I could be wrong though.

These feelings are good. They would certainly be a sign of your being at peace in those moments of communion with your Lord. After all, we are made for union with Him and it is natural to feel peace if we are in union with Him.

So it is not that feelings are not valid. The point that I would like to make here is that they are not essential, but a gift that God may chose to give us or not to give us.

In your OP you do not mention any positive feelings, especially those mentioned in this later post. You seem to be using feelings as if they are the arbiter of your condition, which they not (necessarily).

In you OP you use the word feelings thus.

Quote

feel sorrow for our sins in order to be forgiven. What if we do not feel this emotion?

I do not always feel the emotion of being sorry.... after committing a mortal sin. i can't say that I always feel that feeling of being sorry.

I don't feel/think that I am living a Holy life ...I don't see God like I used to. I also sensed His love for me, .... I feel like I am blind,

I am not feeling sorrowful for my mortal sin always?

We have to separate our feelings from our faith. Or at least recognise that feelings can confuse us, but Faith will see us through these feelings.

InfiniteFaith · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2014, 04:14:22 AM »

Quote from: Nadir

Quote from: InfiniteFaith

I still think that emotions can be valid when related to the sacraments. There are times when I feel almost a peaceful clean feeling after going to confession. I also feel God's love in my heart after receiving the Eucharist. I always thought these feelings to be valid and resulting from practicing the Faith. I could be wrong though.

These feelings are good. They would certainly be a sign of your being at peace in those moments of communion with your Lord. After all, we are made for union with Him and it is natural to feel peace if we are in union with Him.

So it is not that feelings are not valid. The point that I would like to make here is that they are not essential, but a gift that God may chose to give us or not to give us.

In your OP you do not mention any positive feelings, especially those mentioned in this later post. You seem to be using feelings as if they are the arbiter of your condition, which they not (necessarily).

In you OP you use the word feelings thus.

Quote
feel sorrow for our sins in order to be forgiven. What if we do not feel this emotion?

I do not always feel the emotion of being sorry.... after committing a mortal sin. i can't say that I always feel that feeling of being sorry.

I don't feel/think that I am living a Holy life ...I don't see God like I used to. I also sensed His love for me, .... I feel like I am blind,

I am not feeling sorrowful for my mortal sin always?

We have to separate our feelings from our faith. Or at least recognise th

at feelings can confuse us, but Faith will see us through these feelings.

Thanks. This is a good post. I think maybe part of the problem is that I am dealing with depression. Maybe I would experience some of the other stuff more if I wasn't being clouded by depression, stress, and anger.