Robert wrote:I dont know about you... but when I try to remember what sins I have done (to confess) I cant remember anything! I am SURE I did something during my week.. but nothing comes to mind!
does anyone have any tips to get rid of this?
My very strong advice is to make a daily examination of your conscience. This is most usually done in the evening as part of night prayers. And you can either do it by reviewing he day hour by hour or action by action or look at each commandment of God and of the Church in turn. There are quite a few on the net but PM me if you'd like one I use. Then WRITE IT DOWN! No-one can guarantee to remember everything from one week to the next and although all you sins that you cannot remember are definitely fogiven I think we have to be more careful to get the benefit the Sacrament of Confession can give us.
I find it useful to meditate on Jesus' passion and on the pains of Hell; then to kneel bare kneed on stone or wood and pray that the Holy Spirit may enlighten me: "whereby I may discover all my imperfections, see all my failings, and duly call to mind all my sins: for I know that nothing is hidden from Thy sight."
Then on my knees I eaxmine my conscience but I will freely write things down knowing that I will review this when I prepare for confession at the end of the week, or whenever.
Afterwards I pray for the grace of total contrition and I think of my sins as I say the confiteor and other payers of contrition and perform acts of physical penance.
If for any reason I leave this daily practice undone I so frequently forget what I have done and the effect of Confession is much less.
Hope this helps. For me it is critical not to leave this for just weekly before confession, though maybe others have different ideas?
Mark
Buy Cilices
by Robert on Fri Jun 27, 2008 8:02 pm