Repent - Prepare for Confession

BEADS OF JOY 12-19-12
“Repent – Prepare for Confession”
©2012 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,

Let us take the time to begin to prepare ourselves for a good confession. It is through the Examination of Conscience that we take the time to look through the Ten Commandments. Then review every possible aspect of that sin in our lives. Each day we will look over another couple of commandments. I hope this is helpful. Today we will look at the first three commandments.

FIRST-COMMANDMENT
"I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before Me." (Ex 20:2,3)

• Did I doubt or deny that God exists? Do I question Him and compare Him to what others consider a God to them?
• Did I refuse to believe what God has revealed to us? Even when scripture plainly reveals these things to us?
• Did I believe in fortune telling, horoscopes, dreams, the occult, good-luck charms, tarot cards, palmistry and reincarnation? Does anything me life supersede God as my guide in my life?
• Did I deny that I was Catholic?
• Did I leave the Catholic Faith?
• Did I give time to God each day in prayer? Do I even pray?
• Did I love God with my whole heart?
• Did I despair of or presume on God's mercy?
• Did I have false gods in my life that I gave greater attention to than to Almighty God, like money, profession, drugs, TV, fame, pleasure, property, etc.? Or anything else?

SECOND-COMMANDMENT
"You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain." (Ex 20:7)

• Did I blaspheme or insult God?
• Did I take God's name carelessly or uselessly?
• Did I curse, or break an oath or vow?
• Did I get angry with God?

THIRD-COMMANDMENT
"Remember that you keep holy the Sabbath Day." (Ex 20:8)

• Did I miss Mass Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault? What is it that is keeping me away from my Lord?
• Did I come to Mass on time? Leave early? Am I seriously mentally present?
• Did I do work on Sunday that was not necessary trying to purposely avoid Mass?
• Did I set aside Sunday as a day of rest and a family day?
• Did I show reverence in the presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament?

I really hope this was helpful and insightful. The more purely we cleanse ourselves spiritual, the more we will live our lives even more pleasing to God.

“Jesus, I Trust in You.”

Your Brother in Christ Jesus
and His Most Precious Mother Mary,
Jimmy (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS