without exception every human being commits any given sin? Or even though you might
know of their sin, how can you be sure they have not repented of it in their heart? Pay no
heed to the sins of others. Oftentimes we imagine the motives and intentions and sinful
inclinations of others, for no man knows the heart of another.
itself can be an evidence of pride. Particularly regarding carnal sins, do not go into
detailed descriptions of sin. If your spiritual father feels that you need to confess any
particular sin in fuller detail, he will ask you about it, and then you should not hesitate to
describe it fully and to answer all his questions.
you recognize your sins. If you wish you can write out a list, or keep a list day by day. In
order to check your sins, it is wise to check them against some list. One can use the Ten
Commandments, the Beatitudes, or the list of sins in the prayer of daily confession of sins
read before going to sleep each day, or that in the prayer at the end of the Canon to the
Guardian Angel in the Prayer Book. Such checking against a list is very beneficial,
otherwise one tends to remember only the most serious sins, or the most noticeable or
most extraordinarily, and to forget, perhaps deliberately, the underlying ones, the ones
that have become habitual, and the things that we have forgotten even to remember as
sins because they have become so much a part of our life. Sins of neglect, omission, and
laziness often fall into this category, as do the ones that are seemingly respectable: pride,
vanity, etc.
forgiveness you will receive. It is important that you yourself should fully realize how
wrong each sin you have committed isÁ-¦and the more you understand the wrongfulness
of any sin, the easier it will be for you to make an effort of will to avoid committing it in
the future. However, you may mention if there is any special circumstance, such as some
particular temptation or outside pressure, that it would be useful for your spiritual father
to know, so that he can advise you how to deal with it.
committed.
reply, Á-°I canÁ-?t remember.Á-? This is, of course, much less likely to happen if you go to
confession regularly. It is good at the end of your confession to admit that there may be
other sins which you have forgotten or have not realized that you have committedÁ-¦such
a sin might be by a careless word or action which has upset someone and perhaps caused
them to sin.
committed, nor good deeds that you have done. If you are asked whether you have
committed some sin and have not, simply say Á-°No.Á-? Do not say, Á-°I have committed no