Key Of Heaven/Confession
Devotions for Confession.
PRAYER BEFORE CONFESSION
O ALMIGHTY and most merciful God! who hast made me out of nothing, and redeemed me by the Precious Blood of Thy only Son; who hast borne with me to this day with so much patience, notwithstanding my sins and ingratitude, behold me, O Lord! prostrate at Thy feet to implore Thy forgiveness. I desire most sincerely to leave all my evil ways, to forsake this region of death where I have so long lost myself, and to return to Thee, the fountain of life. I desire, like the prodigal child, to enter seriously into myself, and with the like resolutions, to rise without delay, and go home to my Father, though I am infinitely unworthy to be called His child, in hopes of meeting with the like reception from His most tender mercy. I know Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but that he may be converted and live. I know Thy mercies are above all Thy works; and I most confidently hope, that as in Thy mercy Thou hast spared me so long, and hast now given me this desire of returning to Thee, so Thou wilt finish the work Thou hast begun, and bring me to a perfect reconciliation with Thee.
I desire now to comply with Thy holy Institution of the Sacrament of Penance. I desire to confess my sins with all sincerity to Thee and to Thy minister, and therefore I desire to know myself and to call myself to an account by a diligent examination of my conscience.
But, O my good God! what will it avail me to know my sins, if Thou dost not also give me a hearty sorrow and repentance for them. Without this, my sins will be all against me still, and I shall be still Thy enemy and a child of hell. Thou insistest upon a change of heart, without which there can be no reconciliation with Thee; and this change of heart none but Thou canst give. Oh! give it me then, dear Lord! at this time. Give me a lively faith and a firm hope in the passion of my Redeemer. Teach me to fear Thee and to love Thee. Give me, for Thy mercy's sake, a hearty sorrow for having offended so good a God.
O blessed Virgin, mother of my Redeemer, mirror of innocence and sanctity, and refuge of penitent sinners! intercede for me through the passion of Thy Son, that I may obtain the grace to make a good confession. O all you blessed angels and saints of God! pray for me, a most miserable sinner, that I may now effectually turn from my evil ways, that my heart may henceforward be for ever united with yours in eternal love, and never more go astray from the sovereign good. Amen.
A SHORT TABLE OF SINS:
To help the memory when we prepare for Confession.
AGAINST THE COMMANDMENTS.
1. Have you doubted in matters of faith?
Murmured against God at your own adversity, or at the prosperity of others?
Despaired of His mercy?
Believed in fortune-tellers or consulted them?
Gone to places of worship belonging to other denominations?
Not recommended yourself daily to God?
2. Taken the name of God in vain?
Spoken irreverently of holy things, or profaned any thing relating to religion?
Sworn falsely, rashly or in slight and trivial matters?
Cursed yourself, or others, or any creature?
Angered others so far as to make them swear or blaspheme God?
3. Have you kept holy the Lord's day, and all other days commanded to be kept holy?
Bought or sold things, not of necessity, for that day?
Done or commanded some servile work not of necessity?
Missed Mass or been wilfully distracted in time of Mass?
Talked, gazed, or laughed in the church?
Profaned the day by dancing, drinking, gambling, &c?
4. Have you honored your parents, superiors, masters, according to your just duty?
Deceived them; disobeyed them?
Failed in due reverence to aged persons?
5. Procured, desired, or hastened the death of any one?
Borne hatred; oppressed any; desired revenge; not forgiven; refused to speak to others; given provoking language; threatened or struck others not under your charge; made others fall out?
6 and 9. Have you been guilty of lascivious dressing or painting; lewd company; have you read immodest books? been guilty of unchaste songs, discourses, words, looks, or actions by yourself or others? Wilfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?
7. Stealth; deceit in gaming, reckoning, buying or selling, in wares, prices, weights or measures; bought of such as could not sell; wilfully damaged another man's goods, or negligently spoiled them; run into debt carelessly, beyond your power of payment?
8. Borne false witness, called injurious names; utterred another's sins; flattered yourself or others; opened others' letters; judged rashly; falsely suspected?
10. Coveted unjustly any thing that belongs to another?
Precepts of the Church.—
Have you gone to confession, at least once a year? received the holy communion during the Easter-time?
Have you not violated the fasts of the Church, or eaten flesh-meat on prohibited days?
The Seven Capital Sins. — Pride, Covetousness, Luxury, Anger, Gluttony, Envy, Sloth.
AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS BEFORE CONFESSION.
MY Lord and my all! I am confounded at the multitude and enormity of my offences against so good a God. I dare not presume even to lift up my eyes to heaven, much less to come near Thy altar, after so many treasons against Thee. Alas! what shall I now do, O Lord! what shall I say? With the humble publican, I will strike my breast, and cry unto Thee: O God! be merciful to me, a sinner.
My sins exceed in number the hairs of my head, and the sands of the sea. But Thy mercies are still greater in number than my sins. O ocean of mercy! have compassion on me, a poor miserable sinner, and make me, now at least, a true penitent.
Have mercy on me, O God! according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out all my iniquities. Wash me yet more from my iniquities, and cleanse me from my sins; because I know my iniquities and my sins are always before me.
Lord! thou hast said, there is joy in heaven upon one sinner's doing penance, more than upon ninety-nine just: Oh! give me now grace to be a true penitent, indeed, that hereby heaven may rejoice at my conversion.
Thou camest, O my dear Redeemer! not to call the just, but sinners, to repentance. Look down upon me, a poor miserable sinner, and draw me now powerfully to Thee by Thy grace.
I know Thou wiliest not the death of a sinner but that he be converted and live. Oh! let me no longer remain dead in my sins! Oh! let me now at least begin to live to Thee!
I am resolved, by Thy grace, never more to turn to my sins. Oh! rather let me die than offend Thee wilfully any more. I am resolved to avoid all evil company, and dangerous occasions; and to take proper measures for a thorough amendment of my life for the future. All this I resolve; but Thou knowest my frailty, O my God! and if Thou assist me not with Thy grace, all my resolution will prove ineffectual, and I shall be forever miserable. Oh! look to me, O Lord! that I may never betray Thee any more.
METHOD OF CONFESSING.
After having carefully examined your conscience, excited yourself to a hearty sorrow for your sins, and made a firm purpose of amendment, go and make your confession to the minister of God, who, in virtue of the power and commission which he has received to that effect, is either "to forgive or retain, to loose or bind," according to the preparation of your heart, the nature of your transgressions, their number, their enormity, &c. In going to confession, humble yourself by considering the majesty of God, and your own many infirmities and great unworthiness. Let your confession be plain, entire, and prudent; neither obscuring your faults nor concealing any thing wilfully, nor saying what would be prejudicial to a third person.
Being on your knees, in the attitude of a suppliant, say first: Bless me, Father, because I have sinned; " I confess to Almighty God," &c, p. 11, as far as " through my fault."
Then proceed thus: Since my last confession (mention the time), I accuse myself of &c, &c.
Having finished the declaration of your sim, add: For these and all other sins that have escaped my memory, I am heartily sorry, humbly ask pardon of God, and penance and absolution of you, my ghostly father; "through my fault," &c.
After this, listen attentively to the instructions and advice of your confessor, answer his questions, and humbly accept the penance which he will enjoin. Whilst he absolves you, bow down your head, and with profound humility, say
AN ACT OF CONTRITION.
O MY God! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.
PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION.
O GOD of mercy, having now through Thy gracious goodness disburdened my conscience of the guilt wherewith it was oppressed, and, in the humblest manner I was able, discovered all the sins I could recollect to Thy minister, my ghostly father, I most humbly beseech Thee to accept this confession, and forgive me all my trespasses as well those I have forgotten as those I have remembered. Grant me grace, O Lord, to live more carefully hereafter, and to abstain from my former vices, which I utterly detest, firmly purposing never to be guilty of them any more. But especially, O most merciful and bountiful Saviour, enable me to withstand those temptations with which I am most infested, and to avoid all occasions of offending Thee for the future. If the just man fall seven times in the day, how much more reason have I to be jealous of myself, O Lord, and to fear that I shall not be steadfast in my resolutions, having, through my own frailty and vicious customs, increased the natural blindness and weakness in which I was born! Yet, O Lord, I firmly purpose, through Thy merciful assistance, never to consent to any mortal sin, from which I humbly beseech Thee to preserve me whilst I live; and, as to my venial sins and imperfections, I resolve to strive against them, and hope, through Thy goodness, at length to amend them.
For satisfaction (besides your performance of the penance which is enjoined), you must labor tO conquer all inclinations to the sins you have confessed. If you have injured any, you must make restitution as far as you are able; if, by your example or otherwise, you have given scandal or occasion for sin, you must, by contrary virtues, endeavor to repair the spiritual damage of your neighbor.