The word ‘mortal’ means ‘death’. Mortal sins are deadly sins.
In this video, Cardinal Arinze explains the effects of Mortal sin.
(View segment from 0 to 3:49)
Tell me anything that you learned about mortal sin.
What happens to you if you die in a state of mortal sin (persistently unrepentant)?”]
You will receive punishment in hell eternally, forever and ever. It is that serious!
In 1917 at Fatima Portugal, the Mother of God appeared to 3 children and showed them a vision of hell. She didn’t think that Francisco, age 9; Jacinta, age 7; and Lucia, age 10, were too young to learn about the reality of eternal death.
Can you see that a person is in a state of mortal sin?
Mortal sin is not visible to our natural eyes.
However, the impacts of mortal sin may be visible to us and others.
For instance, a person in mortal sin may become physically or emotionally sick.
Also, such a person is likely to show the bad state of his soul by repeating serious sins such as lying, cheating, stealing, committing adultery, killing or cursing God.