Examination of Conscience
1. Introduction: It is close to seven months since I became the Pastor of St. Agnes and Our Lady of the Snows Parishes. My primary role is to deepen my relationship with God and encourage to do same. What last is a good relationship, build first with God and with others. Prior to the celebration of Christmas and the beginning of the New Year, I organized the Penitential Service which benefited many people. Those who turned up approximately were - St. Agnes, 19; St. Anne 29; St. Thomas 23 and Sts. Francis/Paul, 06. I am convinced that those who never turned up never created time to do examination of their consciences. Pastor’s Corner today is meant to assist you to do a good examination of your conscience so as to reconcile with God and with one another. This is the moment to repent for the Kingdom of God is close at hand. (Mk.1:15.) When the Son of Man comes will he really find faith in me? What have I done to damage the faith of my community members/of my family members/of my visitors?
2. Baptismal origin: In my living the faith, how do I not concretize it with charitable words and deeds? Is my life sometimes a burden to me and to others?
3. Is faith in me one among many things or is it my core value? Do I help my brothers/sisters/wife/husband/children grow in the faith? How much have I dragged them down?
4. Do I use the various community/parish means offered to me to enhance my faith growth? Am I grateful to my community/parish for what it does to me?
5. How humble am I? Am I proud? Do I humiliate/look down on others, especially those in authority? Do I mock others when they are humiliated? Do I care to correct my sisters/brothers/children/friends?
6. What is my attitude when others are placed ahead of me? How have I treated others when I have been placed ahead of them? Do I seek first positions? Do I rush when it concerns my priorities and then drag my feet when it concerns others or the community? Do I sometimes regret the choice of my life?
7. Do I participate in the celebration of Mass? How do I participate in Mass? How do I live my life after the Mass? Am I ready to serve my sisters/brothers and the community? What do I think and say about bishops and priests?
8. Do I pray? Do I seek to make others know how to pray? Do I make any effort to forgive others in the same measure that I am asking God to forgive me right now?
9. Do I keep to my marital promises? What are those things that I do which militate against the vow of chastity? When I am alone do I abuse my vow of chastity? What do I make my eyes see in the opposite sex? What do I use my phone for?
10. Do I pile up things that I do not need? Do I complain unnecessarily about my needs?
11. Am I a happy person? Do I make much effort to make others happy or do I take delight in making them sad? Do I shout at others unnecessarily?
12. How much of my crisis have I made to spill over to others, to the family, community and outside the community?
13. Where is my faith right now? How big is my faith right now?
14. When the Son of Man comes will he really find faith on earth, in me, my family, my parish/my community through me?
Prayer
Lord, Lord, open unto me.
Open unto me – light for my darkness.
Open unto me – courage for my fear.
Open unto me – hope for my despair.
Open unto me – peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me – joy for my sorrow.
Open unto me – strength for my weakness.
Open unto me – wisdom for my confusion.
Open unto me – forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me – tenderness for my toughness.
Open unto me – love for my hates.
Open unto me – thyself for myself.
In the next edition, we will continue to look at another version of the Examination of Conscience. Our service and worship of God is part of our very existence and not an option.
Happy Sunday to you all!