Examination of Conscience Before Confession
There are those who have not been to Confession in a long time because they do not think they have committed any sins. In this and future bulletins, we will look at some violations of the Ten Commandments that ought to be con-fessed. This summary is based on a Marian Press pamphlet entitled “How to Make a Good Confession.”
1. I am the Lord, your God; you shall not have other gods before Me.
Do I love with all my heart the Lord who loves me and cares for me? Do I seek His presence, pray daily, and trust in Him, or have I failed to place Him first in my life, or even betrayed Him through superstitious or occult practices?
2. You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.
Do I revere God’s name and use it prayerfully and with respect? Or do I use it carelessly or blasphemously, either through profanity or through cursing others? Do I receive Jesus worthily in Holy Communion, or have I received Him in a state of mortal sin?
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
Do I worship God by taking part in Mass on Sundays and holy days, or am I indifferent to this solemn obligation? Do I put other things in place of Sunday worship, such as work, leisure time, sports, and other secular activities?
4. Honor your father and your mother.
Have I shown love, respect, and obedience to the par-ents who gave me life? Do I care for them when they are old or in need? Do I forgive them for their faults? Do I vote for candidates who are persons of morality and integrity?
5. You shall not kill. Have I loved my neighbor, or have I physically harmed or hastened the death of another through violence, murder, abortion, the RU-486 pill, euthanasia, drugs, hatred, racism, or physical and mental abuse? Have I practiced ways of life that are harmful to my family and myself — spiritually and physically? Do I eat or drink immoderately? Am I guilty of scandal, that is, of lead-ing others into sin by my words or actions? Have I had my-self sterilized or encouraged others to be sterilized or to have their children surgically mutilated or chemically castrated to alter their gender?
6 and 9. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s wife (or husband), Have I been pure and holy in my thoughts, words, and actions, or have I been unfaithful to my spouse or lusted after another person? Have I been sexually active outside of marriage, or with a person of the same sex?
Have I practiced any form of contraception in my marriage? Have I used fertility treatments condemned by the Church? Have I engaged in masturbation or watching pornography? Am I modest in the way I dress, act, and talk with others? Have I practiced chastity, that is, used God’s gift of sex only in the way He intended it to be used?