IT’S Lent, a season of repentance, a longing to go to Confession to prepare for Easter. So, during this penitential season, a Facebook friend sent me a message to ask me what would it take to have a good Confession. I responded back by suggesting to him to make a good examination of conscience.
I believe that many of us do not examine our conscience well when we prepare to go to Confession. This is evident when we keep confessing the same sins over and over again. This is why having a booklet of prayers that includes an examination of conscience would be beneficial to make us aware of all the sins that we may we may have committed.
Lately, Pope Francis, according to this week’s issue of The Tidings of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, put together an examination of conscience, which would help Catholics “confess well.” It includes the following questions:
• Do I attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation?
• Do I begin and end the day with prayer?
• Am I embarrassed to show that I am a Christian?
• Am I part worldly and part believer?
• Do I only turn to God when I’m in need?
• Do I rebel against God’s plan?
• Am I honest and fair with everyone?
• Am I envious, hot-tempered, biased?
• Do I dream of revenge, hold grudges?
• In my marital and family relations, do I uphold morality as taught in the Gospels?
• Do I honor and respect my parents?
• Have I refused newly conceived life? Have I snuffed out the gift of life? Have I helped do so?
• Do I respect the environment, or do I fuel the “throwaway culture?”
• Do I overdo it with eating, drinking, smoking and amusements?
• Am I overly concerned about my body, my possessions?
• How do I use my time? Am I lazy?
• Do I want to be served?
• Am I meek, humble and a builder of peace?
I think that these are excellent questions that Pope Francis prepared to help us receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Some of them do not imply the usual sins that we confess to a priest, but they are sins that we may have committed. Hence, I suggest that we use this list to examine our conscience well.
I propose that we also ask ourselves the following questions in examining of our conscience:
• Do I support corrupt government officials?
• Do I participate in vote buying?
• Do I allow myself to be influenced by the unjust and un-Christian principles of friends, colleagues, and associates when it comes to business and politics?
• Do I entertain gossips and fabricate stories to destroy a person’s good reputation?
• Do I have malicious thoughts about other people?
• Have I asked for apology and forgiveness from someone that I hurt?
• Do I put my faith into practice? Is my faith all about wanting “religion” than spirituality? In other words, is my practice of faith all about praying different kinds of novenas, going to church, doing fundraising, and not being kind, loving, forgiving, merciful, and respectful to others?
• Do my works of mercy include advocating for social justice and not just giving money to charities?
• Do I refuse to listen to other people’s opinions? Am I open to dialogue?
• Do I worry too much than trust God in all my troubles?
• Do I appreciate my God-given gifts or talents? In other words, do I look down or am I always hard on myself?
• Am I a true friend? Or am I just a friend to someone only when I can get something from him or her?
• Do I forget to reach out to people who have helped me to keep my work or to achieve in my profession?
Let these questions help us clear our conscience as we receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation during this period of Lent! Let’s always sleep in peace knowing that we have not hurt anyone and offended God! Let’s all have a peaceful and prayerful Lent! Let’s make a good confession!
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From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
