How to do an Examination of Conscience

Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”

I believe in Jesus Christ is only Son our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate.

Was crucified died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven.

And he seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life for lasting amen. Our Father, who art and heaven, hollowed be our name. I kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is and heaven.

Give us this dear daily bread and forgive us our trespasses.

“As we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil amen.”

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thalman, when in blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thalman, when in blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed, our Thalman, when in blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the meeting as now never shall be rolled without end, amen.

Our first mystery. Three of the most beneficial habits of achieving the happiness that comes from union with God are one, a daily brief examination of conscience, two, removing the nearer occasions or the triggers to sin and three, frequent confession. Let's start with the examination of conscience.

Its purpose is to grow in self-knowledge and self-awareness, so that we can remove whatever blocks the union with God. An examination of conscience is the practice of truthfully reviewing our thoughts, desires, words, actions and omissions in the light of God. I'm going to give you two options in this meditation,

but the first option is to begin your daily meditation with an examination of conscience.

So this could be done right before you pray the daily rosary meditation.

“All you have to do is ask the Holy Spirit for the light to see yourself truthfully.”

And then review your thoughts, words, actions and omissions, which means when you failed to do what was right, just review these things over the last 24 hours. Then write it down. Keep it in a private place to review so that you can see the patterns of your sin,

which help you to see your vices, your bad habits. Then you can go on to begin your rosary or whatever form of meditation you like. Our father, Wharton, Heaven, Hallowed be your name. Liking them, Comed, I will be done on Earth as it is, and Heaven. Give us the state our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

“You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.”

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen.

“You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.”

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us in our ensnown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed our Thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. As it was in the beginning, as now in the verse, I'll be world without end, amen. Oh, my Jesus. For give us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to have an especially those most in need of thy mercy.

Our second mystery, the second way to do an examination of conscience is during our daily meditation.

Well, how do we do that? Read or listen to the word of God contained in Scripture, tradition, or the teaching of the church, just like we're doing right now. But as soon as something strikes you, stop. Stop reading, push pause. Even if you don't finish this rosary, that's okay. Because the purpose of meditation is to allow God to change us for the better, not checking a box that we finished the rosary task, then reflect or think about what struck you. Ask what is God trying to tell me, and compare your way of thinking, speaking, acting and desiring to what God is showing you.

“What sin, fault, disorder, detachment is being revealed, and then ask, what is the root of this?”

Is it pride, vanity, envy, sloth, anger, greed, gluttony, or lust? And as you see the sin and the root, right down the repeated patterns, because most people have two or three of the deadly sins that they fall into regularly. Don't worry, it won't be all of them for you. But if you do an examination of conscience every day, you'll start to see a pattern that you typically fall into, these two or three. But then determine what good action you need to practice to turn that vise into a virtue. If the root is pride and practice humility, if it's vanity, magnanimity, if it's envy, good will, if sloth, zeal, if anger, then meekness, if greed, generosity and simplicity, if gluttony, temperance, if lust, chastity,

if resentment, forgiveness, our Father who arts in heaven, hollowed be your name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. You know, Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth and snown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen.

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

“Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen.”

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen.

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

“Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen.”

You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen. You know, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us in earth, snown at the hour of our death, amen.

Especially those most in need of thy mercy. Our third mystery, now we don't fall into sin randomly. We fall in patterns.

“There's a certain person or place or screen or conversation or resentment or activity that leads us to temptation.”

We call these things the near occasion of sin. I like to call them triggers, triggers that regularly lead us into sin. A good acronym for our triggers is BLAST. Boredom, loneliness, anger, stress, tiredness. So we have to not only identify where we sin, but then ask what usually happens right before I sin. This is why Jesus says, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off. He's telling us to remove the triggers. Because will power alone is not enough in temptation. We need a strategy to avoid the situation that leads to sin, because once the temptation is fully blown, we're going to be too weak to say no.

So ask, what is my advice and what usually happens before I fall? Then make a concrete strategy. Don't keep placing yourself in the same situation and expect a different result. Pluck out the eye, cut off the hand, remove the trigger or the situation that causes you to fall. Or father who art in heaven, hollowed beer name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. You have us to stay our daily bread, and for you have us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil amen.

You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen. You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

“You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.”

Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

“Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.”

We have to get specific. Choose one concrete thing to practice today, because one good action repeated over time becomes a virtue.

Our Father who art in heaven, hollowed be your name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

“Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.”

You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen. You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

You are Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with the Blessed Artile Mung women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen. Holy Mary Mother of God, pre-fresseners, now in the hour of our death, amen.

and you'll make the most progress in overcoming sin, which destroys happiness, so that you can grow in happiness, and you'll probably become a lot more enjoyable to live with.

“The Catechism in paragraph 1458 reminds us of the great benefits of frequent confession.”

It teaches that regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ, and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament, the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as He is merciful. And let me close with this. If the confession times in your parish just don't seem to work for your schedule, don't hesitate to make an appointment with your priest. Our Father who worked in heaven, hollow would be your name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

You forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil amen. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus, holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen.

“Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus, holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen.”

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen.

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women blessed is a fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us in earth, now in the hour of our death amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the evening as now, never shall be, world without end amen.

Oh, my Jesus. Forgive us, our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to have, and especially those most in need of that mercy. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God review, can we humbly pray, and do that old prince of the heavenly hosts. By the power of God and cast in the hell, and all the evil spirits who proud to our the world, seeking the rune of souls. In the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“What strikes you about this meditation on really learning how to do an examination of conscience?”

I mean, for one, I obviously was spending that time examining my own conscience, but I was also kind of going down a rabbit hole of a metaphor. Because I was thinking about the movie Groundhog Day. Oh, yeah.

Or I actually haven't seen Groundhog Day, but it's been done by a million other TV shows and movies

And every day, it's just the worst day possible.

“And they're so desperate to do anything to change that loop.”

And I was just thinking about how, when I look at my habitual sins, it does feel like reliving the same day. And like, you're fighting something that feels really inevitable. But the reality of it is that we're not fighting that hard to end the loop. In those movies or those shows, it's like immediately they try to make different decisions from the beginning.

So if the loop goes wrong when they go to a specific place, they won't go to that place.

“Or if it's because of a specific person, they won't even interact with the person.”

And the other thing they always do in a loophole movie is they have to desperately try to explain their predicament to people.

So that other people can try to help them get out of this loop. And they're just no matter how few tile it seems, they keep trying to get out of the loop. But we are living in the most miserable loop time loop movie because we're like a main character that recognizes the time loop. And then makes the same decisions, the point for all of those characters is that the day starts going wrong at the very beginning. So it starts, the moment they're alarm clock goes off, the moment they just start falling into a cycle that they're not making any decisions.

It's making the same decisions on repeat partially because we're not making a game plan at all. Yeah. But this is giving me really the inspiration to have almost a manic desperation to just make new decisions. Because if I'm not making any decisions at all, then it will be the same time loop again and again and again. And it starts earlier than the moment itself that that sin starts, which is a lot of what you were saying in the meditation.

“I think I just haven't done in C2. Think in these drawn out metaphors.”

You know, really, as you were laying this out really well, it struck me.

What you're saying is that we get caught in this groundhog day of sin and we never change, because we don't do three things.

We don't think, we don't make a choice and we don't put it into action. And you need a game plan and you actually need to really, it's just wanting something more, wanting it so bad that you're willing to change everything about your day rather than drive headfirst into that decision again. Yeah. Yeah, I really, I love this analogy. I love this story that you're using because it is us and I think we can all relate to it. But it does come down to the way you get out of the loop. You've got to think. You've got to make a game plan and you've got to put it into action. And we have, we have literally a superpower we can add to it by going to confession.

Because then we, you have the grace to get out of the loop.

Exactly. The people in the loop also always, they never have a reason or rhyme to it. They don't know how it works, but most importantly, they don't have a partner in it.

We have God. We have someone we can go to that understands the loop we're in. And we don't have to explain to him that we're in the loop, but we can ask him to get us out of it. Yes. I love the analogy. We've got to stop living Groundhog Day. And it's not that complex. Thanks for the conversation. Thank you.

Let's be apostles of friendship, good conversation, and the rosary. Share this with others.