Is it a sin to say, “Oh, my God!”?
Catechism Meditation:
The second commandment prescribes respect for the Lord’s name. Like the first commandment, it belongs to the virtue of religion and more particularly it governs our use of speech in sacred matters. Among all the words of Revelation, there is one which is unique: the revealed name of God. God confides his name to those who believe in him; he reveals himself to them in his personal mystery. The gift of a name belongs to the order of trust and intimacy. “The Lord’s name is holy.” For this reason man must not abuse it. He must keep it in mind in silent, loving adoration. He will not introduce it into his own speech except to bless, praise, and glorify it. ―Nos. 2142-2143
REFLECTION: In his blog, “Is it considered a mortal sin to say, ‘Oh my God!’?”, Msgr. Charles Pope writes: “The Second Commandment says, “You shall not invoke the name of the Lord, your God, in vain. For the Lord will not leave unpunished anyone who invokes his name in vain” (Ex 20:7). The Hebrew word here, lashshav, means to speak God’s name in a deceitful or empty way. Hence to lie under an oath invoking God as a witness — for example, I swear to tell the whole truth … so help me God — is a very grave sin. The Hebrew word also implies that using God’s name in a vain (empty) way is sinful. There are a variety of ways people use the Lord’s name in an empty or perverse way. Often when expressing shock or exasperation someone might say, “Jesus Christ!” or “Jesus!” There was a lesser form of this especially among Irish Catholics — “Jesus, Mary and Joseph!” And in our time there is the common, “Oh my God!” (OMG!). The degree of sin involved in these expressions varies. Sometimes people have developed a habit of such expressions and say them almost without deliberation. Surely it is a habit to break, but when deliberation is not sufficient, the sin is less than mortal. Habit also tends to reduce one’s freedom, and without full consent of the will, the sin may be less than mortal.”
God’s name is holy (Isaiah 26:13, Prov. 18:10, Ps. 135:13). Even at the beginning of the Lord’s prayer, we pray, “Hallowed be thy name.” No good thing exists without God. The heart of the taking of God’s name begins and ends with a lack of knowledge of who God is or a disregard for His reverence. Expressions such as “Jesus!” and “Oh my God!” are to be avoided and one should work to remove this tendency to use God’s holy name as a mere expression of surprise or exasperation. Even though it’s often expressed repeatedly, especially in movies, we should not repeat it simply because Hollywood mainstreams it as acceptable language. The simplest way to avoid disrespecting the name of God is to avoid using the words God or Jesus as curse words. If you are already in the habit of doing so, it may be a difficult habit to break. Still, it is possible to change our habits even if it takes time. It is important to use the name of God with reverence and not in a way that would be considered disrespectful or empty. Furthermore, when we invoke the name of God, our behavior should reflect our love for Him, and one way to reflect our love for Him is through respecting His name.
PRAYER. Oh my God, may Your name be glorified and made holy in all aspects of life. May Your love fill my heart and drive out my bad habits.
Timeless Wisdom Quote:
“Habits cannot be efficaciously fought unless we have a philosophy which makes our lives revolve around the God for Whom we are made, and without Whom we are miserably bound to the drab companionship of our own growing imperfections.” ― Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen