"God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy." -Pope Francis
Do I put God first? Do I take time for daily prayer and live my faith openly?
Am I respectful in how I speak of the Church and the Pope?
Do I come to Mass every Sunday (or Saturday Vigil) and on Holy Days of Obligation? Do I keep it as a day of rest, setting aside time to pray?
Am I respectful in my treatment of my parents and family? Have I been faithful and loving to my spouse or partner?
Have I hurt anyone physically, verbally, or emotionally? Did I gossip, lie, or speak uncharitably about anyone? Do I use God’s name or other holy things (like Mary or the saints) as swears?
Do I honour the dignity of the body by respecting the dignity of others and my own self? Have I viewed pornography? Online or in my speech, have I degraded others, or deliberately offended them? Do I take pleasure in upsetting others?
Have I forgiven those who have hurt me? Am I still clinging to old grudges? Have I apologized and made amends for my own wrongdoings?
Have I stolen, or deliberately wasted the time and resources of others? Do I lie or omit details to protect myself from consequences?
It takes great courage to face our sins, and it takes even more to speak them aloud. But God’s mercy is endless! There is no sin so great that he would stop loving us. Bringing our worst shames to light and still being loved unconditionally in return is a healing experience.
If you are anxious about whether something is or is not a sin, ask the priest for guidance. He is there to help you through this process. Priests have been set by God as shepherds of the Church, and just like a shepherd cares for a wounded sheep, part of a priest’s role is to help us with our spiritual wounds. And remember: Priests sin too! They aren’t perfect, and you won’t scandalize them. If anything, seeing you come to confession brings them great joy.