The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a difficult one for most of us. We need think no further than the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. Rather than admit wrongdoing, it was so much easier for them to put the blame somewhere else. We can feel too, that God loves us more when we're doing good. We can even try to make ourselves believe God doesn't know about our wrongdoing.
God loves you...
God love us! God knows what the challenges of human life are all about. We can think about the story of the Prodigal Son, the great insult and hurt the son inflicted on the father, and how the father welcomed him back, without even waiting for an apology. I've had occasion to meet many people who were hurt very badly by family members and friends. When I ask the question, "Would you ever be able to forgive them?" the answer is usually, "Yes." If we as humans can be so forgiving, how much more is God willing to forgive us!
God waits!
He waits for our return. "But I haven't been to Confession for fifty years!" The response is simply ... "Welcome back! How good it is that you are here!"
- Do I love God above everything else? Do I live as a child of God, confident in the Father's mercy?
- Am I prideful? Do I try to make the world revolve around me? Do I live out a sense of self -sufficiency, imposing my will on others, acting as if I were the cause of good in my life?
- Am I presumptuous? Do I think I can do whatever I want and that it will not matter to God?
- Do I yearn to know God's will and do I abandon myself to divine Providence moment by moment?
- Do I pray everyday? Do I go to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day?
- Do I devote myself to growing in faith?
- Am I thankful? Do I express my gratitude sincerely and outwardly, especially in works of mercy?
- Do I make excuses for my faults, blame others, rationalize, or relativize? Am I self-righteous?
- Am I forgiving? Do I harbour grudges, resentments - do I take delight in the misfortunes of others?
- Do I judge others, label others, exclude others, and condemn others?
- Is my life in any way ruled by anger, jealousy, envy, or impatience?
- Do I make gods of money, power, prestige, accomplishment, materialism, sensuality, pleasure, comfort, leisure, complacency, apathy, or anything else?
- Do I put myself first through self-centeredness, egoism, selfishness, vanity, self-aggrandizing, etc?
- Do I engage in extra-marital sex? Do I use sex recreationally?
- Am I patient? How's my driving?
- Do I dedicate myself to knowing, loving, and living the Truth as it is taught by the Catholic Church?
- Do I live in the Truth and do I tell the truth, always and without compromise?
- Do I misuse speech through cheating, gossiping, backbiting, profanity, blasphemy, complaining, being silent when I should speak, etc? Am I true to my vows, my commitments, my contracts, and my word?
- Is my mind filled with thoughts that are lustful, vicious, carnal, mean-spirited, prejudicial, venal, worldly, etc?
- Do I waste time? Am I generous with my time? Am I lazy?
- Do the priorities in my life reflect and serve the precious gift of faith God has given me?
- Do I live by faith or by emotions, by worldly philosophy, by current fads, by popular ideologies, by the pressures and deceptions of media and culture?
- Do I recognize how God is present and active in every moment of my life? Do I live by any standard other than the way of love revealed by Jesus Christ?
Act of Contrition
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong and in failing to do good,
I have sinned against you who I should love above all things
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance, to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us
In his name, my God have mercy.
Amen