Over at Grim's, Dad29 linked in the comments to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' recommendations for regular examinations of conscience. I have tried both the first one and the last one, and liked them. Well, liked is not the correct verb, but you know what I mean.
Those of us who regularly examine conscience might think such formal structures unnecessary, but there is one of those diabolical half-gainer twists that mislead us. We think we are being thorough. More likely we are being partial in what we examine, but really, really hard on ourselves in the ones we recognise. It feels like a serious repentance in preparation for communion.
Yet it was years ago that I saw, to my horror, that I was using my own intensity to deceive myself. God may have a particular action, or even a particular sin that He is targeting for our attention, but we are too busy wailing and gnashing our teeth about something else to notice. It is a false virtue.
Someone else's list alerts us to things we have not recently examined or confessed. Ouchies.
1 comment:
The Boston Archdiocese has one that includes looking at how you drive. I am not a big speed demon nor particularly prone to road rage, but I had never even considered looking at it through that lens. It set me on my heels a bit over what I do and don’t consider when I look at how I act.
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