Examination of Conscience

Examination of Conscience

1st Commandment: I am the Lord your God, you shall have no strange gods before me.

Is God the center of my life? Have I displaced God with my career, work, concern for wealth and pleasure? Does the worship and honor of God take shape in my weekly religious practice? Do I pray often? Do I turn to God for forgiveness often? Have I resorted to relying on superstition, the occult, or astrology in place of asking for God's assistance.

2nd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Do I casually take God's name in vain? Do I have a habit of swearing in just or in anger? Do I use God's name to damn other people? Do I nurse hared of God in my heart? Do I harbor anger toward God for the difficult things in my life or in the world? Do I reverence God in my heart?

3rd Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.

Do I make every effort to prepare myself for the Sunday liturgy? Do I make every effort to attend the Sunday liturgy? Do I allow social or sporting events to displace or limit my attendance at the Sunday liturgy? Do I limit unnecessary servile work on Sunday? Is sunday a true day of spiritual rest and refreshment?

4th commandment: Honor your Father and Mother

Do I give proper reverence to my mom and dad for the gift of life? Do I thank them? Do I spend time with them? Do I strive to forgive the shortcomings of my parents? Do I hold anger or grudges against them in my heart? Do I try to respond to them with love and charity? Do I attend to them in their sufferings and weaknesses? Am I patient with their infirmity as they age?

5th Commandment: You shall not kill

Do I strive to overcome the prejudices that I may have against individuals or groups? Do I resist acting on my prejudices so as not to harm persons with my words or deeds? Do I act with cruelty toward others? Do I risk my life or the lives of others by using illegal drugs? Do I risk my life or lives of others by driving recklessly or intoxicated? Do I strive in words and deeds to promote the value of life from conception to natural death? Have I ever helped someone terminate a pregnancy or end his/her own life? Do I strive to do everything I can to uphold the value of each person? Do I harbor satisfaction in my heart at the death of those people whom I consider evil? Do I mourn the loss of all human life, no matter the cause of death?

6th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery

9th Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's spouse.

Do I protect my covenant relationship and uphold its sacredness? Do I strive daily to support my spouse? Do I turn to other persons for emotional support to make my spouse envious? Do I denigrate my spouse by comparing them to others? Do I speak harshly about my spouse behind their back to gain the affections of others? Do I uphold the sacredness of my covenant commitment by never seeking the sexual attention of those to whom I may be attracted? Do I uphold my covenant by never engaging in any sexual activity with someone other than my spouse? Do I use pornography or masturbation to arouse my sexual appetites? Do I denigrate the spiritual integrity of persons by focusing on their physical beauty or appearance? Do I protect my covenant relationship by not purposely fantasizing about sexual relations with someone other than my spouse? Do I hold sacred the gift of sexuality for marriage? Do I strive to cultivate purity of heart as a sign of God's own single-hearted-ness? Do I reverence sexual intercourse first and foremost as the gift most akin to God's creative energies, a gift of love to create a human life destined for an eternity with God? Do I casually inhibit God's presence in this divine gift with drugs or medical procedures when there is no legitimate reasons?

7th Commandment: You shall not steal

10th Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

Do I cheat on papers and exams to steal a better grade? Do I take things that do not belong to me? Do I keep things I have borrowed? Am I honest in my investments, taxes, and all my financial dealings? Do I use legal loopholes in tax laws, or business practices to harvest financial rewards, that ultimately hurt the less fortunate? Am I honest and truthful in my business dealings, even if it means I may lose profits or customers? Do I vandalize or harm property or goods that do not belong to me? Do I envy those who have more than I do? Do I let concern for wealth and comfort take center place in my life? Do I live lavishly because I have the resources to do so? Do I spend money on luxury goods I do not need? Do I live with envy of those who have more than I do? Do I respect the limited resources of the earth as a divine inheritance to benefit all people? Do I give a percentage of my earned income to the poor? Do I strive to live so as to minimize waste and protect the environment? Do I examine my investment patterns to discern if companies I own, or in which I have stock, are treating their employees justly and are protecting the environment in their practices? Do I ever put the drive for profits ahead of the welfare of persons or environment?

8th Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor

Do I uphold the honor other people's reputations? Do I avoid spreading gossip and avoid seeking gossip from others? Do I share information about people with third parties, even if its true, when that information threatens the person's reputation? Do I avoid spreading the lies or rumors about other people? Do I challenge people who gossip and spread damaging information about others? Do I avoid and denounce TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers, that employ the tactics of personality destruction and malicious gossip to sell news, and generate profits? Do I tell others what they ought to do, instead of getting my own house in order?

I believe that Jesus awaits with me with His grace, mercy and forgiving love.