I always get a little embarassed at confession when i have to say I commited gluttony or had lustful thoughts or something like that. Because it sounds so formal in today’s society.
It might help to express yourself a little more clearly when you confess, in order to give the priest a sense of how to guide you, as well as to p(name removed by moderator)oint your motivation and frequency.
Example: I indulge in excessive eating and snacking due solely to an attachment for the pleasures of food … all day, every day, [or every week, etc.] He may then advise you to restrain from eating outside of meal time, take your food without embellishments of salt, quit eating when you are full, and mortify your thoughts which trigger the trip to the refrigerator.
Example: I have lustful thoughts because I fail to avoid porn on the internet [or watch X-rated movies, read Playboy, etc.] every day, or once a week. It may be simply the devil inciting our flesh through the avenue of thought, or due to casually observing someone dressed immodestly. These kinds of specifics will help Father guide you.
I had a bad habit of profanity which used to embarrass the heck out of me to confess, because I clarified it like this:
“I use profanity whenever I am provoked … several times a day, week, month, etc.” After confessing a few minor things, the priest asked me, which one would you like most to work on? I told him this one, and he gave me a direction that helped me to gradually overcome it.
It seems oldfashioned now to utter “shucks!!” when I get annoyed, but at least I don’t have to confess that one. It gets nipped in my thoughts before it comes out in my words.
The problem was due to living with a person who used profanity constantly, and we pick up what our environment exposes us to.
We get a lot of help with the grace of the sacrament to overcome our sins, so I encourage you to speak of these smaller sins regularly. You will find that they will lessen in frequency and hopefully, eventually be conquered.
