How do I cope with consent of the will and OCD?

[CM3]

I believe I have OCD that involves unwanted thoughts. In the past when the thoughts involved people I was able to ignore them and they began to happen only rarely. Now I am having trouble with blasphemous thoughts and worrying that I am going to have a thought agreeing with someone who commits a grave sin. It is my understanding that both of these types of thoughts are examples of grave sin. I am greatly having trouble with knowing how to apply the act of the will when it comes to these types of thoughts. Since they usually come when I begin to worry about having them, I am confused if I am guilty of bringing them on. Is feeling the thoughts coming on or thinking about the thought after it happens considered reflecting? I know that the more I worry about having these thoughts the more they come. I would like to be able to ignore these thoughts so they begin to go away, but I am unsure if I am doing wrong if I ignore them. I would really appreciate your advice, it would help me so much. Thank you.

[Fr. Vincent Serpa]

Hi,

Involuntary thoughts are never sins. Don't be surprised that you feel confused about whether you have sinned or not. This is what OCD does. Ignoring such thoughts could never be a sin. Know that the Lord has given you a share in His agony in the garden--which was really the agony in His mind. He suffered the passion in His mind before He suffered it in His body. Your OCD is the way He has chosen to be with you here on your journey.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.