Examination of Conscience

[JimR-OCDS]

Daily, I do an examination of conscience. I follow the advice a monk gave the student in the book, “The Way of the Pilgrim.”

He said essentially, Jesus gave us two commandements.

Love the Lord God with your entire being and love your neighbor as yourself.

Examine yourself against these two commandments, and you’ll have an understanding of where you have failed.

This is particularly helpful before Confession.

Anyway, just sharing thoughts on a Saturday afternoon.

In Christ
Jim

 

[InLight247]

Daily, I do an examination of conscience. I follow the advice a monk gave the student in the book, “The Way of the Pilgrim.”

In Christ
Jim

Would you advise in more details about “The Way of the Pilgrim”?
Could you share some points in addition to the regular exam of conscience guide? Thanks.

 

[thistle]

There is another really good book called “Pardon and Peace: A Sinner’s Guide To Confession”. It was written by Father Francis Randolph and published by Ignatius Press. It got a good review from Father Benedict Groeschel.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Would you advise in more details about “The Way of the Pilgrim”?
Could you share some points in addition to the regular exam of conscience guide? Thanks.

“The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way”

There are different translations but I like the one by Fr Walter J. Ciszek. FYI, Father Ciszek, spent 25 years on the Soviet prison system, including 20 years in the Siberian Gulag. He is more known for his book, “With God In Russia,” where he descibes his experience, physically and spiritually, while in the Soviet Prison system, back under Joseph Stalin. I great read!

Anyway, The Way of the Pilgrim, comes from Eastern Orthodoxy. It’s the story of a Russian peasant, who having a physical handicap, is lead to walk through 19 century Russia, looking for an answer for the verse from Scripture, “Pray Unceasingly.” He travels to various monasteries, seeking out the wisdom of spiritual masters in his attempt to understand how this is possible. In the process he is taught the “Jesus Prayer,” i.e. “Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” He is told to say this on his Rosary, 5000 times a day. At first he doesn’t understand, but does as he is instructed. Eventually what he discovers is that he is drawn into deep contemplation, to the point that now every walking step, he is reflecting on Jesus and the prayer beats in his heart, unceasingly.

He is also given other instruction on spiritual matters, “examination of conscience” is one. The other, how to make a good confession, how to love undconditionally, etc.

He is taught to read Scripture as prayer, but also, he’s taught about the Philokalia, which he manages to get a copy of.

The Philokalia is sort of an Imitation of Christ, only 3 volumes long. For Eastern Orthodox Christians, this comes 2nd to the Bible, in their order of reading priorities.

I have the Philokalia myself, and the first two volumes are good, but the 3rd tends to take some shots at the Roman Catholic Church.

In all, there’s much to learn from these writings.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Would you advise in more details about “The Way of the Pilgrim”?
Could you share some points in addition to the regular exam of conscience guide? Thanks.

On examination of conscience.

The two commandments Jesus gave us,

Love the Lord with Your, entire being, and love your neighbor as yourself, contains everything in the 10 Commnandments.

For to love God, means being obedient and giving over to him all
that we have.

To Love your neighbor means to place them in a place of importance as high as you place yourself.

“God can not be grasped, except through love,” as the author of the Cloud of Unknowing says.

 

[InLight247]

Jim, thanks so much for sharing.

I first learned Jesus Prayer by reading the book “A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain, Discussion with a Hermit on Jesus Prayer.”

The book emphasizes to have sorrow in our hearts when pray.
I always feel a little puzzled about this. True, sometimes when I pray Jesus Prayer, I feel the sorrow, sorrow for my own sins. On the other hand, the joy of the Lord is my strength, I often do have joy in my heart when I pray. However, in this book I mentioned above, it always has lot of sorrow and tears when the hermits pray.

About the examination of conscience, my spiritual director told me no more than once a month for confession, so I start to do confession every time I meet with him. I am making all the efforts to work on virtues and striving for holiness. Sometimes I really feel I don’t sin much. Then I think maybe that is a sin of being proud. Yet, I don’t want to get into scruples either. That’s why I am very interestd in writings about examination of conscience.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[DBT]

Sometimes I really feel I don’t sin much. Then I think maybe that is a sin of being proud. Yet, I don’t want to get into scruples either. That’s why I am very interestd in writings about examination of conscience.

I know what you mean.

Does anybody know a good examination of conscience available on the internet? I’m looking for something that doesn’t come across like some sort of check list.

I do something similiar to what Jim describes each night as part of night prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours - a quick recap of the days events in light of Love of God and Love of Neighbor. Often, though, the focus ends up more on weaknesses and imperfections rather than actual sins. I’m still looking for a good guideline for use prior to confession . . .

Thanks!

Dave

 

[InLight247]

I know what you mean.

Does anybody know a good examination of conscience available on the internet? I’m looking for something that doesn’t come across like some sort of check list.

I do something similiar to what Jim describes each night as part of night prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours - a quick recap of the days events in light of Love of God and Love of Neighbor. Often, though, the focus ends up more on weaknesses and imperfections rather than actual sins. I’m still looking for a good guideline for use prior to confession . . .

Thanks!

Dave

I want to share with you what I’ve learned from this Sunday’s Gospel and homily.

A young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The young man
has kept all the commandments since his youth. Jesus asked the young man to sell what he own, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. The young man couldn’t do that.

Our priest challenged us to step from responsibility to Christianity.

We may have fulfilled all the commandments, haven’t done anything we are not supposed to do, haven’t sinned much at all. What about stepping above? Start to do more, not just try not to sin, but do more work of love. Start to step from responsibility to Christianity. In other words, not shoot for the minimum, but for the maximum.

Our priest’s homily stroke a chord in me, set a fire in my heart. I am not saying that we are not doing work of love, we do. But there is always room to grow. Since we are talking about examination of conscience, I reflected on today’s homily and write it down to encourage myself and each other.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I want to share with you what I’ve learned from this Sunday’s Gospel and homily.

A young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The young man
has kept all the commandments since his youth. Jesus asked the young man to sell what he own, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. The young man couldn’t do that.

Our priest challenged us to step from responsibility to Christianity.

We may have fulfilled all the commandments, haven’t done anything we are not supposed to do, haven’t sinned much at all. What about stepping above? Start to do more, not just try not to sin, but do more work of love. Start to step from responsibility to Christianity. In other words, not shoot for the minimum, but for the maximum.

Our priest’s homily stroke a chord in me, set a fire in my heart. I am not saying that we are not doing work of love, we do. But there is always room to grow. Since we are talking about examination of conscience, I reflected on today’s homily and write it down to encourage myself and each other.

The issue in this particular gospel is that the rich man, although he followed the letter of the law, he didn’t follow the spirit of the law, which is to love the Lord God with his entire being. Instead, he loved money and would not depart with it to have enternal life with God.

Hence, an examination against the two commandements Jesus gave us fit’s right in here. Love God with your entire being. Anything that you place ahead of God, will keep you from the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

[InLight247]

The issue in this particular gospel is that the rich man, although he followed the letter of the law, he didn’t follow the spirit of the law, which is to love the Lord God with his entire being. Instead, he loved money and would not depart with it to have enternal life with God.

Hence, an examination against the two commandements Jesus gave us fit’s right in here. Love God with your entire being. Anything that you place ahead of God, will keep you from the Kingdom of Heaven.

Good explanation. Only when we put God first in our life, love Him above anyone and anything, we may love others as ourselves. Love of God is indeed the driving force for love of men. And love of men reflects our love for God.

In the penitential rite of the Mass we confess for “what we have done and what we have failed to do”. My priest’s point is to challenge us not to be satisfied with fulfilling the commandments, but do all we can to love others. It is the same as you interpreted, with different elaboration.

My concern of a thorough way of examing conscience leads to a better conclusion by discussing it here on the forum along with my own reflection. Like St. Teresa said “to love much” is the most important thing. Therefore, it’s good to check what I have failed to do when examing my conscience.

 

[InLight247]

FYI:
Watching the program on EWTN “Lord Have Mercy”, I think this book of Scott Hahn “Lord Have Mercy” will be a good one to read about confession and examination of conscience. It is a book not just providing a check list but with detail discussions. I am going to get one.