What do I mean by Satanic guilt? In simple terms it is a type of disordered guilt that is a disordered contrition. It corrupts the message of Christ and leaves faithful Catholics in a state of desolation. Oftentimes feeling that they cannot possibly meet the standard expected by Christ. The reason I am calling it Satanic guilt is because it is a corruption of the gospels pushing the faithful away from Christ and into despair. Nothing of this nature can be of God who is all good.
A little disclaimer. This article is meant to propose a repositioning of the mindset of those suffering from Satanic guilt. Of course, I cannot heal mental and spiritual scars by simply typing out an article. If you are suffering in a state of scrupulosity or in a state of desolation it may be worthwhile to have a discussion with your local parish priest or a trusted Catholic brother/sister.
Satanic guilt tends to take two forms. The first says “I have sinned so badly Jesus will never forgive me.” This form is a perversion from Satan. If you’re battling this form read the story of the prodigal son. (Luke 15:11-32) Christ always calls us to repentance and will always forgive us of our sins if we approach him in repentance with contrition. The bible tells us “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.” (1 John 1:9) Notice how it doesn’t say if we are good enough or he will forgive us of most sins. No!!! He forgives us our sins…all of them. So, the way to tackle this kind is to simply go into the confessional and with a repentant heart confess your sins.
The second kind is scrupulosity. This is a sort of OCD. Where you have so much sin that it sends you into despair. The cure for this is a bit different. Every person who suffers from this (at least that I have spoken to) have one common thought. “I don’t want to go to Hell.” Well, what if we flipped the script? What if we said “I want to go to Heaven”. Now, I know it would seem as if these are equivalent phrases but there is a difference.
When we say “I don’t want to go to Hell” we can analyze every little action we take and turn almost anything into a sin. However, when we say “I want to go to Heaven” we seek to answer the question which should be the center of every Catholic’s life. How can I be closer to Christ? My practical recommendation. Do everything you need to do to be able to focus. Drink coffee, eat breakfast, ect. Take an hour or a half hour or even fifteen minutes. The time doesn’t matter. It’s the fruit that matters. Pick up a good Catholic devotional. I highly suggest Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis. Read a section of it and spend the rest of the time just meditate. Meditate on what you just read and ask what you can do to be closer to Christ.
Think about it this way. If you get a cavity you go to the dentist and have to get a filling or a root canal. Not a fun time. How much easier would it be to have just brushed your teeth? How much easier would confession be if instead of constantly thinking about your sin you thought about how you could be more like Christ?