The Narrow road – A Journey

St. Mary’s Basilica – Bangalore, distributed a booklet named, CHAPEL OF RECONCILIATION. I use it every time, I find a need to examine myself and it also prepares me well for confession.

“I will get up and go to my Father…” (Luke 15:18)

Jesus and Forgiveness
The first day of the week, Jesus showed himself to the Apostles: “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations.” (Luke 24:26-27) “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:22-23)

The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father:

A man had two sons. The younger one said to his father: “Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.” He left for a distant country… where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery … and now he began to feel the pinch … then he came to his senses and said “I will leave this place and go to my Father and say : Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” While he was still a long way off, his Father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. The Father said, “Quick, bring out the best robe … This son of mine was dead and has come back to life ….” (Luke 15)

Sacrament of Penance
The Sacrament of Penance consists of three actions together, made by the penitent, and by the absolution of Priest. The penitent’s acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest and penance or commitment to a new life.

Contrition is “Sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.”

Therefore, after performing the examination of your conscience, stimulate in your heart a sincere sorrow, straight looking at Jesus crucified, transfixed by our sins. The truth of your conversion and reconciliation with God and the Church depends upon your heart’s contrition along with confession and absolution.

Preparatory Prayer
I ask you, Father, to send your Holy Spirit once more into my heart. Make me aware of my sins and give the courage to allow your son to heal me, to forgive me, and to restore me to your friendship and the fellowship of the Church. I ask for all these things through Jesus your Son, who is my Lord and Saviour. Amen

An Examination of Conscience
Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to love the Lord our God with whole heart and mind. So I ask him to shed his light upon my heart and enable me to see myself as he sees me.
In that light I ask myself:

• Do I live for self, or for God?
• Do I try to do his will or my own?
• Do I pray regularly?
• Do I go to Mass? When I go to Mass, is it to worship God or through the fear of losing my soul?
• Are there false gods in my heart, idols of money, ambition, sex?
• Have I sworn falsely, or used the name of God or Christ in vain?

Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves: in the light of the example he has set us, I ask myself:

• Do I want to know my neighbour, or am I content with a small circle of acquaintances and ignore the rest?
• Does my love and concern begin and end with my own family and are others excluded?
• Do I contribute to the family as a husband, wife, son or daughter?
• Have I faithfully kept my marriage vows to my wife/husband?
• Does my life reflect the mission I have received in confirmation?
• What kind of example of Christian principles and living do my friends, my business associates see in me?
• Do I see my work as a service to others, or merely as a means of making money?
• Do I pay a living wage to my employees?
• Do I work honestly for the wages I earn?
• Have I been faithful to my contracts?
• Do I do my duty as a citizen: voting in election, making my voice heard on social and moral questions, like abortion and euthanasia, racial discrimination, housing?
• Am I concerned about the poor, the homeless and the lonely?
• Do I visit the sick, those in prison?
• Have I deliberately been the cause of loss or damage to my neighbour?
• Have I injured my neighbour’s good name by hint or gossip?
• Have I stolen from others?
• Have I quarreled and become permanently estranged through my unwillingness to forgive?
• If I have caused loss to others, have I made restitution?
• Have I treated my neighbour as merely a means to gain my own ends, or as an object of sexual gratification?

Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us that we must strive to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. In that light of that teaching I ask myself:

• Have I always followed the dictates of my own conscience?
• When in doubt, have I tried to develop a right conscience by prayer, by consulting a priest?
• Have I sinned against my own body by impurity, fornication and over-indulgence in food or drink?
• Have I indulged in reading, conversation or shows that offend human decency?
• Do I indulge in thoughts of pride and self-love?
• Have I lied or acted against my conscience through fear or human respect?
• Have I endured illness, trials, disappointment with patience, or have I indulged in self-pity?
• Have I failed to do what I knew to be my duty through laziness or indifference?

Act of Contrition – Here

Thanksgiving Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, your loving forgiveness knows no limits. You took our human nature to give us an example of humility and to make us faithful in every trial. May we never lose the gifts you have given us, but if we fall into sin lift is up by your gift of repentance, for you live and reign for ever and ever. Amen

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