examination of conscience
It is good, from time to time, to stop and review one’s life before God. This text can be a help to do it, using all or part of it. And it can also be useful for the examination of conscience in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
1. Regarding God and the life of faith.
– Do I have God present in my life? Do I want everything I am and do to be directed to God? Do I put in him the fundamental trust of my life, or do I put it in other things?
– Do I have moments of prayer, of trusting dialogue with God?
– Do I participate in the prayer of the Church, especially in the Eucharist on Sundays?
– Is my life a true testimony of the Gospel, so that others, seeing me, feel attracted to faith? Have I shown myself to be a Christian in my private and public life?
– Am I concerned about my Christian formation, listening to and reading the Word of God, and participating in catechism and other meetings for reflection?
– Do I financially support the needs of the Church?
2. In the relationship with others
-Am I clear that being a Christian implies not disregarding others? Do I have true love for others, or do I use them for my interests? Or perhaps I do to others what I would not want them to do to me?
– Do I know how to listen to others, discover the part of truth that they have? Do I know how to dialogue, understand, accept the opinions and opinions of others? Do I do everything I can to overcome disagreements and tense situations?
– Have I violated the life, physical integrity, or property of others? Have I caused them any harm? Have I hated someone?
– If I drive a car or other vehicle, do I do it properly? If I have encountered an accident, have I given my help when it was necessary?
– Have I stolen or unfairly and disorderly desired the goods of others or have I caused them harm? If so, have I tried to restitute and repair the damage I have caused?
– Have I cheated or cheated in business?
– If I have been injured, have I sought peace and have I been willing to forgive, or do I keep hatred and desire for revenge?
– Have I respected the husband or wife of others? Am I aware that sex is not a simple instrument of pleasure, but that it is destined for love?
– Have I kept the truth and fidelity, or have I harmed others with falsehoods, slander, reckless judgments or the violation of any secret? Do I like to gossip and criticize? Have I spread rumors that created a bad atmosphere and discouragement? Have I spread malicious innuendos, half words, or judgments that contribute to disrepute and harm others? When someone has been unfairly accused or criticized, have I disengaged from the issue instead of defending it and testifying on its behalf?
– Have I felt envy of the qualities of others? Have I tried to discredit someone out of envy?
– Do I respect the rights of others in the small things of every day, for example in the queues at stores or buses, not wanting to pass when it is not my turn? Do I try not to disturb others by, for example, putting the television or radio too loud, or not being punctual and making people wait, or talking or making noise in places where it is necessary to be quiet?
– Do I try to make life easier and more pleasant for others?
– I’m kind?
3. In family life
-In the relationship between the spouses: Do I make an effort so that the love between the two grows? Is there affection, dialogue between the two, and shared responsibility, or do I only worry about my own things and believe in the right to always impose my criteria? Do I firmly maintain marital fidelity? In the sexual relationship, do I worry about the well-being of the other, or do I think only of myself?
– In the relationship between parents and children: Do I spend time with them? Do I give them a good testimony of human and Christian life? am I talkative? Do I try to teach them to freely and responsibly choose their path? Do I teach them to share what they have, both with the other members of the family, with their peers, and with the poor?
– In the children’s relationship with their parents: Do I worry about the family’s problems, or do I ignore them? Do I seek dialogue with my parents, or rather ignore them, or am I permanently aggressive? I love my parents?
– To the elderly in the family, do I give them love and attention?
– In the relationship between all the members of the family, do I collaborate so that the family climate is as positive as possible, so that we can all feel good at home?
– In my family, do we live only worried about family interests (the best schools for our children, a good car, etc.), or are we aware that we should dedicate part of what we have to help those who have less, and that for this you have to lower your own standard of living?
4. In the use of money
– Do I live pending money? Do I constantly think about how to get more money? Do I think you have to wake up to have more money, and let go of scruples and moral concerns?
– Am I clear that property and money do not have an absolute value, that they are not only mine, but that they imply social duties?
– Do I share my assets with those who have less than me? What part of my money do I dedicate to solidarity with those in need, here and in poor countries? If I have relatives or friends who are in a bad economic situation, how can I help them?
5. In labor relations
– If I am an entrepreneur or I have managerial positions, do I worry that the wages of the workers are decent? Do I do what I can so that the effects of economic crises do not fall on those who have less? Do I do my job to the best of my ability?
– If I am a worker, do I do my job with efficiency and dedication? Am I showing solidarity with the other workers, especially with those who are in a worse situation than me, or am I ignoring collective problems? Do I try to act intelligently and honestly in claims and conflicts?
6. In social life
– Do I care about the good and prosperity of the community of which I am a part, or do I lead a self-centered life? Do I think that progress in justice, in equality, in overcoming economic and social differences, is part of the Christian message?
– Am I outraged by injustices, or do they leave me indifferent? Do I defend the oppressed? Do I help those who have a bad time? Do I collaborate for a better coexistence for all? Or do I ignore (or even despise) the weak, the immigrants, the sick, the elderly?
– Do I participate according to my possibilities in promoting a more dignified life for all? Do I know the different initiatives in this sense, such as the action of Caritas, of the fraternal help groups, of the groups at the service of the Third World, of the political and social entities?
– Do I participate in citizen activities that help a better coexistence?
– Do I pay my taxes? Do I fulfill civic duties?
– Do I try to preserve and not spoil the goods that are for public use?
– Do I care about the protection of nature and the environment? When I go to sea or mountain places, do I try to keep it clean where I have been, and avoid creating fire or degradation hazards? Do I recycle glass, paper and plastic containers to take care of the planet?
7. Regarding personal attitudes
– Do I love myself as God loves me? Do I accept myself, with my limitations and weaknesses, as God accepts me?
– Do I make an effort to correct my bad inclinations, such as the abuse of eating and drinking?
– Do I lead a disordered sex life?
– Am I lazy to do what I should?
– Do I often react with anger? Am I a friend of provoking conflicts and fights? Am I protesting? Do I always find everything wrong?
– Do I face the difficulties of life with integrity?
– Do I give up the possibilities that I have and that God has given me?
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