Our traffic light is now red, as we began our personal work to identify those things that cause us to sin and, as such, move away from God. This work is done through an Examination of Conscience.
Our conscience is the gentle voice inside of us that encourages us to do good and avoid evil. It is one way that God speaks to us. When we follow our conscience, we feel relief; ignoring our conscience leads us to a place of restlessness and disillusionment.
God gave us the Ten Commandments so that we could grow in virtue, lead holy lives, and become a better version of ourselves each and every day. Jesus gave us the Greatest Commandment of Love, reminding us that when we choose to love God first, then to love our neighbor as ourselves, we are living in a way that is pleasing to our Creator.
While listening to a beautiful song called "An Act of Contrition", we sat quietly with our white boards, meditating on the words and preparing ourselves for our own Examination of Conscience.
In that regard, we used the following worksheet to work alone, but at a collective pace, to identify our probable sins and areas for improvement.
Examination of Conscience Tool
☐I did not pray everyday.
☐I did not go to Church on Sunday.
☐I was not prayerful and intentional in Church.
☐I was disrespectful towards God and used His name in a bad way.
☐I did not listen to my parents (teachers, or anyone else in charge).
☐I did not follow my parents’ or the school’s rules (or I was slow in doing so).
☐I did not tell the truth.
☐I cheated or took something (without permission) that was not mine.
☐I used disrespectful language.
☐I purposefully hurt someone.
☐I looked at books, movies, websites, or TV that was not good for me.
☐I was rude.
☐I teased or bullied someone.
☐I did not take care of my things or clean up after myself.
☐I was selfish and did not share.
☐I ignored someone in need of help.
☐I did not respect my body by eating well, getting good sleep, & exercising.
☐I fought with my brother or sister, instead of problem-solving.
☐I complained, whined, or begged to get my way.
☐I had mean and unkind thoughts about someone.
☐I would not forgive someone who was sorry.
☐I did not apologize when I did something wrong.
☐I did not do my homework or chores.
☐I was wasteful.
☐I was jealous and did not live with a grateful heart.
Write down other things, if any, you want to bring to Jesus in confession:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The first is called contrition and it is perfect when it is rooted in love (not fear).
The second is called repentance, involving a change of mind and heart, a turning away from sin, and a deliberate movement back to God.
While our venial (or small) sins are forgiven when we fervently pray the Prayer Before Communion during every Divine Liturgy, the best way to deal with sin is to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Penance, wherein we tell our sins to a priest, as we restore our relationship with God. Hearing the forgiving voice of the priest, who is taking the place of Jesus, is liberating. It can also be instructive in that the priest is like a spiritual coach and a doctor for our sick soul. The benefits that come from a good confession are many, but of great significance is the overwhelming joy that fills our soul when we hear the words, "Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace."
Hopefully, your child will feel the inclination to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation often throughout their lives. In so doing, they stand a better shot at keeping on the road to living a life that is rich in what truly matters -virtue and grace. It will also help them determine who God is calling them to be, and give them the ultimate sense of purpose for which we all long.
New Words:
Examination, Repentance
At Home Reinforcement:
Talk to your child about their habits in the following areas:
- Keeping a positive attitude.
- Using self-talk that is encouraging.
- Living with a grateful heart.
- Looking for opportunities to be helpful to others.
- Praying for others.
- Doing their personal best.
- Taking personal responsibility for their actions, and not looking to blame.
- Giving complements to others.
- Taking notice of what needs to be done and doing it (instead of waiting to be told.)
- Showing patience.
- Using good manners.
- Sharing.
- Sticking up for and doing what is right, no matter how hard it is to do.
Use a Likert Scale of 1 to 5 to help them assess their proficiency - with 1 being "This needs work!", and 5 being "I am good at that!" Then select one or two habits to intentionally develop. Remember to monitor and reward their improvement. Look for progress not perfection and you will be amazed at the growth you will have engineered.
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