Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

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Maria
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Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

Post by Maria »

  • NOTE: In this thread are posted various prayers and examinations for Holy Confession, so it is much like a library, where silence is more appropriate. Therefore, if you wish to discuss these confessional prayers and self-examinations, please start a separate thread. Thank you.

    I have posted these prayers here after discussing this matter with my spiritual father who feels these would be of benefit to all.

St. Basil the Great says, "Weep over your sin: it is a spiritual ailment; it is death to your immortal soul; it deserves ceaseless, unending weeping and crying; let all tears flow from it, and sighing come forth without ceasing from the depths of your heart."

This preparation for Holy Confession below is taken from the Athos Paper of 1907, translated from the Russian.
[To make it easier to follow, I have added numbers due to its length, but in places where a confession could be overheard, such as in a hospital, nursing home, prison, or over a cell phone, providing the number only might give some privacy. However, due to its general nature, it is not likely to be self-incriminatory and result in a criminal conviction.]

Athos Paper of 1907

  1. In profound humility I weep for all my sins, voluntary and involuntary, conscious and unconscious, covert and overt, great and little, committed by word and deed, in thought and intention, day and night, at every hour and minute of my life.

  2. I weep over my pride and my ambition, my self-love and my boastfulness;

  3. I weep over fits of anger, irritation, excessive shouting, swearing, quarreling, and cursing;

  4. I weep for having criticized, censured, gossiped, slandered, and defamed, for my wrath, enmity, hatred, envy, jealousy, vengeance, and rancor;

  5. I weep over my indulgences in lust, impure thoughts, and evil inclinations; covetousness, gluttony, drunkenness, and sloth;

  6. I weep for having talked idly, used foul language, blasphemed, derided, joked, ridiculed, mocked, enjoyed empty gaiety, singing, dancing, and every pleasure to excess;

  7. I weep over my self-indulgence, cupidity, love of money and miserliness, unmercifulness, and cruelty;

  8. I weep over my laziness, indolence, negligence, love of comfort, weakness, idleness, absent-mindedness, irresponsibility, inattention, love of sleep, for hours spent in idle pursuits, and for my lack of concentration in prayer and in Church, for not observing fasts and not doing charitable works.

  9. I weep over my lack of faith, my doubting, my perplexity, my coldness, my indifference, my weakness and unfeelingness in what concerns the Holy Orthodox Faith, and over all my foul, cunning, and reviling thoughts;

  10. I weep over my exaggerated sorrow and grief, depression and despair, and over sins committed willingly.

  11. I weep, but what tears can I find for a worthy and fitting way to weep for all the actions of my ill-fated life; for my immeasurable and profound worthlessness? How can I reveal and expose in all its nakedness each one of my sins, great and small, voluntary and involuntary, conscious and unconscious, overt and covert, every hour and minute of sin? When and where shall I begin my penitential lament that will bear fitting fruit?

  12. Perhaps soon I may have to face the last hour of my life; my soul will be painfully sundered from my sinful and vile body; I shall have to stand before terrible demons and radiant angels, who will reveal and torment me with my sins; and I, in fear and trembling, will be unprepared and unable to give them an answer; the sight and sound of wailing demons, their violent and bold desire to drag me into the bottomless pit of Hell will fill my soul with confusion and terror. And then the angels of God will lead my poor soul to stand before God's fearful seat of judgment. How will I answer the Immortal King, or how will I dare, sinner that I am, to look upon My Judge?

  13. Woe is me! I have no good answer to make, for I have spent all my life in indolence and sin, all my hours and minutes in vain thoughts, desires and yearnings!

  14. And how many times have I taken the Name of God in vain!

  15. How often, lightly and freely, at times even boldly, insolently and shamelessly have I slandered others in anger; offended, irritated, and mocked them!

  16. How often have I been proud and vainglorious and boasted of good qualities that I do not possess and of deeds that I have not done!

  17. How many times have I lied, deceived, been cunning or flattered, or been insincere and deceptive; how often have I been angry, intolerant and mean!

  18. How many times have I ridiculed the sins of my brother, caused him grief overtly and covertly, mocked or gloated over his misdeeds, his faults or his misfortunes; how many times have I been hostile to him, in anger, hatred or envy!

  19. How often have I laughed stupidly, mocked and derided, spoke without weighing my words, ignorantly and senselessly, and uttered a numberless quantity of cutting poisonous, insolent, frivolous, vulgar, coarse, brazen words!

  20. How often, affected by beauty, have I fed my mind, my imagination and my heart with voluptuous sensations, and unnaturally satisfied the lusts of the flesh in fantasy! How often has my tongue uttered shameful, vulgar and blasphemous things about the desires of the flesh!

  21. How often have I yearned for power and been gluttonous, satiating myself on delicacies, on tasty, varied and diverse foods and wines; because of intemperance and lack of self-control how often have I been filled past the point of satiety, lacked sobriety and been drunken, intemperate in food and drink, and broken the Holy Fasts!

  22. How often, through selfishness, pride or false modesty, have I refused help and attention to those in need, been uncharitable, miserly, unsympathetic, mercenary and grasped at attention!

  23. How often have I entered the House of God without fear and trembling, stood there in prayer, frivolous and absent-minded, and left it in the same spirit and disposition! And in prayer at home, I have been just as cold and indifferent, praying little, lazily, and indolently, inattentively and impiously, and even completely omitting the appointed prayers!

  24. And in general, how slothful I have been, weakened by indolence and inaction; how many hours of each day have I spent in sleep, how often have I enjoyed voluptuous thoughts in bed and defiled my flesh!

  25. How many hours have I spent in empty and futile pastimes and pleasures, in frivolous talk and speech, jokes and laughter, games and fun, and how much time have I wasted conclusively in chatter, and gossip, in criticizing others and reproaching them; how many hours have I spent in time-wasting and emptiness!

  26. What shall I answer to the Lord God for every hour and every minute of lost time? In truth, I have wasted my entire life in laziness.

  27. How many times have I lost heart and despaired of my salvation and of God's mercy or through stupid habit, insensitivity, ignorance, insolence, shamelessness, and hardness sinned deliberately, willingly, in my right mind, in full awareness, in all goodwill, in both thought and intention, and in deed, and in this fashion trampled the Blood of God's covenant and crucified anew within myself the Son of God and cursed Him!

  28. O how terrible the punishment that I have drawn upon myself!

  29. How is it that my eyes are not streaming with constant tears? ... If only my tears flowed from the cradle to the grave, at every hour and every minute of my tortured life! Who will now cool my head with water and fill the well of my tears and help me weep over my soul that I have cast into perdition?

  30. My God, my God! Why hast Thou forsaken me? Be it unto me according to Thy will, O Lord! If Thou wouldst grant me light, be Thou blessed; if Thou would grant me darkness, be Thou equally blessed. If Thou wouldst destroy me together with my lawlessness, glory to Thy righteous judgment; and if Thou would not destroy me together with my lawlessness, glory to Thy boundless mercy!

Reference: These Truths We Hold: The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings, A Monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery, St, Tikhon Seminary Press, South Caanan, PA, 1986, p. 308-311

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Re: Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

Post by Maria »

  • Note: I have also added numbers to make this lengthy confession easier to follow and to provide confidentiality in an otherwise compromising situation where there is no privacy. Again, due to its very general format, there is little likelihood of a criminal conviction based on this confession.

A Preparation for Confession by St. John of Kronstadt

  • I, a sinful soul, confess to our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, all of my evil acts which I have done, said or thought from baptism even unto this present day.

  1. I have not kept the vows of my baptism, but have made myself unwanted before the face of God.

  2. a. I have sinned before the Lord by lack of faith and by doubts concerning the Orthodox Faith and the Holy Church;

  3. b. by ungratefulness for all of God's great and unceasing gifts, His long-suffering, and His providence for me, a sinner;

  4. c. by lack of love for the Lord, as well as fear, through not fulfilling the Holy Commandments of God and the canons and rules of the Church.

  5. a. I have not preserved a love for God and for my neighbor,

  6. b. nor have I made enough efforts, because of laziness and lack of care, to learn the Commandments of God and the precepts of the Holy Fathers.

  7. a. I have sinned: by not praying in the morning and in the evening and in the course of the day;

  8. b. by not attending the services or by coming to Church only half-heartedly, lazily and carelessly;

  9. c. by conversing during the services,

  10. d. by not paying attention, letting my mind wander and

  11. e. by departure from the Church before the dismissal and blessing.

  12. I have sinned by judging members of the clergy.

  13. I have sinned by not respecting the Feasts, breaking the Fasts, and by immoderation in food and drink.

  14. I have sinned by self-importance, disobedience, willfulness, self-righteousness, and the seeking of approval and praise.

  15. I have sinned by unbelief, lack of faith, doubts, despair, despondency, abusive thoughts, blasphemy and swearing.

  16. I have sinned by pride, a high opinion of my self, narcissism, vanity, conceit, envy, love of praise, love of honors, and by putting on airs.

  17. a. I have sinned: by judging, malicious gossip, anger, remembering of offenses done to me, hatred and returning evil for evil;

  18. b. by slander, reproaches, lies, slyness, deception and hypocrisy;

  19. c. by prejudices, arguments, stubbornness, and an unwillingness to give way to my neighbor; and

  20. d. by gloating, spitefulness, taunting, insults and mocking; by gossip, by speaking too much and by empty speech.

  21. a. I have sinned by unnecessary and excessive laughter;

  22. b. by reviling and dwelling upon my previous sins; and

  23. c. by arrogant behavior, insolence and lack of respect.

  24. a. I have sinned by not keeping my physical and spiritual passions in check;

  25. b. by my enjoyment of impure thoughts, licentiousness and unchastity in thoughts, words and deeds.

  26. a. I have sinned by lack of endurance towards my illnesses and sorrows;

  27. b. by a devotion to the comforts of life and by being too attached to my parents, children, relatives and friends.

  28. a. I have sinned by hardening my heart;

  29. b. by having a weak will and by not forcing myself to do good.

  30. I have sinned by miserliness, a love of money, the acquisition of unnecessary things and immoderate attachment to things.

  31. I have sinned by self-justification, a disregard for the admonitions of my conscience and failing to confess my sins through negligence or false pride.

  32. I have sinned many times by my Confession: belittling, justifying and keeping silent about sins.

  33. I have sinned against the Most-holy and Life-creating Mysteries of the Body and Blood of our Lord by coming to Holy Communion without humility or the fear of God.

[Note: this concluding prayer is an excellent way to end our confessions as it lets the priest know that we are sorry and have confessed to the best of our ability.]

  • I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, knowingly and unknowingly, willingly and unwillingly, thoughtfully and thoughtlessly, and it is impossible to enumerate all of my sins because of their multitude. But I truly repent of these and all others not mentioned by me because of my forgetfulness and I ask that they be forgiven through the abundance of the Mercy of God.

Copied and modified. See http://www.orthodox.net/

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Re: Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

Post by Maria »

  • NOTE: If this self-examination and guide for confession is used in a hospital, nursing home, or prison for confession where there is no privacy, the use of the letter for the commandment and the numbering system provided below might be best as long as the priest also has a copy of this guide.

Self Examination in Preparation for Holy Confession

A. First Commandment

  1. Do I believe in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit?
  2. Have I failed to trust in God and in His mercy?
  3. Have I complained against God in adversity?
  4. Have I been thankful for God’s blessings?
  5. Have I doubted the Christian faith and the teachings of the Church?
  6. Have I tried to serve God and keep His Commandments?
  7. Have I given way to superstition?
  8. Have I frequented the religious meetings of heretics and schismatics?
  9. Have I neglected my duties to God through fear of ridicule or persecution?
  10. Have I failed to pray to God faithfully?
  11. Have I put myself before God?

B. Second Commandment

  1. Have I made an idol of any person or thing?
  2. Have I given to anyone or anything the worship that is due to God alone?
  3. Have I set before myself the holy life of Jesus and tried to imitate Him?
  4. Have I read the Holy Scriptures regularly?
  5. Have I been irreverent during Church Services, let my attention wander, or been insincere?
  6. Have I neglected to receive Holy Communion regularly or without due preparation?

C. Third Commandment

  1. Have I profaned the holy name of God in any way?
  2. Have I cursed anyone or anything, or sworn a false oath?
  3. Have I failed to give proper reverence to holy persons and things?
  4. Have I had due respect for the clergy of the Church or have I hindered them in performing God’s work?
  5. Have I broken any solemn vow or promise?
  6. Have I entered into any unlawful contract or made an unlawful promise?

D. Fourth Commandment

  1. Have I stayed away from Church on Sundays or prevented others from going?
  2. Have I done unnecessary work on Sundays?
  3. Have I spent the day in unwholesome fashion or profaned it by improper conduct? 3b. Have I caused anyone else to profane the Lord’s Day?
  4. If I could not go to Church because of illness or other grave cause, have I prayed at home?
  5. Have I kept the Fasts and Festivals prescribed by the Church?

E. Fifth Commandment

  1. Have I respected my parents and been obedient to them?
  2. Have I been guilty of deception, or caused them pain by my words or actions?
  3. Have I neglected them or failed to help them?
  4. Have I done my duty towards my family?
  5. Have I been wanting in love or fairness towards my husband (or wife), or harmed him (or her) in any way?
  6. Have I set my children a good example and tried to bring them up properly?
  7. Have I corrected their faults with patience and not with anger?
  8. Have I over-indulged or spoiled them?
  9. Have I neglected my god-children and failed in my obligations towards them?
  10. Have I worked for my employer honestly and diligently?
  11. Have I treated fairly all those who have worked for me?
  12. Have I honored God as my Heavenly Father by treating others as my brothers, and have I honored the Church as my spiritual Mother by honoring and practicing my religion in accordance with her teachings?

F. Sixth Commandment

  1. Have I caused the injury or death of any one, or wished that I were dead?
  2. Have I done anything to shorten my own life or that of someone else by injuring health, or through evil and intemperate living?
  3. Have I given way to anger, or harmed others with words or actions?
  4. Have I defamed others who needed help, or failed to stand up for those unjustly treated?
  5. Have I been cruel to anyone?
  6. Have I mistreated animals or destroyed any life unnecessary?
  7. Have I failed to forgive anyone or harbored evil thoughts against them?

G. Seventh Commandment

  1. Have I given way to impure thoughts, words, or deeds?
  2. Have I committed any unworthy actions alone or with others?
  3. Have I degraded myself in any way, or forgotten human dignity?
  4. Have I read immoral books or magazines, or delighted in obscenity of any kind?
  5. Have I associated with bad companions or frequented unsavory places?
  6. Have I eaten or drunk or smoked too much?
  7. Have I been lazy, idle, or wasted my time?
  8. Have I led others to commit sinful acts?
  9. Have I been unfaithful to any trust confided in me?

H. Eighth Commandment

  1. Have I stolen anything or wished to do so?
  2. Have I kept anything that did not belong to me?
  3. Have I tried honestly to find owners of lost articles I have found?
  4. Have I cheated anyone?
  5. Have I paid my debts?
  6. Have I lived within my income, and not lived wastefully and extravagantly?
  7. Have I given to charitable causes in proportion to my means?
  8. Have I been honest and upright?

I. Ninth Commandment

  1. Have I told lies, or added to, or subtracted from the truth?
  2. Have I made careless statements or spoken evil of anyone?
  3. Have I told any secrets entrusted to me, or betrayed anyone?
  4. Have I gossiped about anyone or harmed their reputation?
  5. Have I concealed the truth, assisted in carrying out a lie, or pretended to commit sin of which I was not guilty?
  6. Have I tried to see the good in others rather than their shortcomings?

J. Tenth Commandment

  1. Have I envied anything good that has come to others?
  2. Have I been jealous of another’s good fortune?
  3. Have I wished for anything that was another’s?
  4. Have I damaged or destroyed the property of others?
  5. Have I wished for things God has not given me, or been discontented with my lot?
  6. Have I been stingy?
  7. Have I held back anything due another?
  8. Have I hoped for the downfall of anyone so that I might gain by it?
  9. Have I failed to be gracious and generous to anyone?
  10. Have I expected God to give me that which I would refuse one of my fellow men?

Modified from: A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of N.A., Englewood, New Jersey, 1956

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Re: Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

Post by Maria »

  • Prayer Before Confession

    O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

    I confess to Thee, all the hidden and open sins of my heart and mind,

    which I have committed unto this present day; wherefore I beg of Thee,

    the righteous and compassionate Judge, remission of sins and

    the grace to sin no more.

Reference: A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians, AOCA, 2000, p. 43

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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Re: Prayers in Preparation for Holy Confession

Post by Maria »

  • Note: This guide is already numbered, so it can be used in situations where there is no privacy by using the letter and numbers given below.

A Guide to Confession

Genuine Repentance & Confession heals and makes the immortal soul holy. This is the correct way to prepare for Holy Communion.

So that we can better examine the depths of our conscience, it would be ideal to first read several books on the Sacrament of Confession. Also, discuss any uncertainties that you may have with your wise Spiritual Father-Confessor. The greatest science or knowledge is to get to know ourselves. Also we must not deny ourselves the greatest thing that every human soul thirsts for: a peaceful conscience and eternity with God.

This joy is only granted by the God-Man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He himself instituted the single path to salvation for the repentant sinner within his Church, the holy Sacrament of Repentance and Confession. This is why, friend, you must overcome any obstacle whatsoever that blocks the road to Holy Confession. Here awaits you with genuine Christian love the good Confessor, the representative of Christ, who as a fellow human being can understand and have compassion on his brethren who are also sinful.

Cast far away, brethren, any thought of embarrassment or fright. Why be seared or frightened when your soul frets and pains from the deadly consequences of multi-faceted sin. If sickness tortured your body, would you avoid the hospital or doctor because of embarrassment? But at the same time, do not be led astray by certain people who wish to have read on them a "blessing only," without having previously confessed. Whenever this happens from ignorance or neglect, it is a terrible sin and an insult to God. With faith, then, and honesty, proceed to Holy Confession.

Be certain also that the infinite love of the crucified and resurrected Lord will welcome you and transform you, removing the weight that burdens you! He himself said, "Come to Me all ye that are heavy laden and I will grant you rest."

A. You and God

  1. Do you believe in God, the Holy Trinity, and in the divinity of Christ? Do you respect the Holy Virgin Mary, the Saints, and the Angels? Do you believe in the Church and its Mysteries (Sacraments)? Do you believe that Heaven and Hell exist?
  2. Do you trust yourself always, and especially during the difficult times of your life, to the care and Providence of God? Or do you despair and show a lack of faith?
  3. Perhaps in the problems, afflictions, sicknesses, and trials of your life you moan and complain against God and lose your faith and confidence?
  4. Do you believe in mediums, fortune-telling, tarot card reading, or coffee-cup reading? Do you tell other people to believe in such things and go to such people?
  5. Do you believe in superstition?
  6. Do you believe that all things are predetermined?
  7. Do you pray morning and evening and before and after each meal? Are you embarrass-ed to make the sign of the cross in the presence of others, for example, in a restaurant or outside a holy church when you are passing by? Do you not make your cross properly?
  8. Do you read the Holy Bible as well as other Orthodox spiritual books daily?
  9. Do you go to church on Sundays and on the major Feast Days?
  10. Do you follow the Divine Liturgy carefully and reverently from the start until the end, or do you go late and leave before the end? Do you let your mind wander in church?
  11. Do you go to church dressed in a proper and dignified way? Are you careful not to laugh, or talk even if it is a Wedding or Baptismal service?
  12. Do you perhaps prevent or restrict your spouse or children from going to church? Or do you tell your acquaintances not to go to church?
  13. Do you commune regularly or only once a year, and then without Holy Confession?
  14. Do you give oaths without need or, if so, lie as well? Did you perhaps not fulfill your oath, vow, or promise? The Bible forbids oaths completely, saying that our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no" (St Matthew 5:7).
  15. Do you blaspheme the Name of God, the Virgin Mary, and our Saints by speaking irreverently of them?
  16. Do you fast (unless you have a serious health problem) on Wednesdays and Fridays and during the appointed periods of the year? [4]
  17. Do you throw religious books or periodicals in unclean places?

B. You and Others

  1. Do you have hatred and ill-feelings towards someone who did you wrong or insulted you in their anger?
  2. Are you suspicious and do you without reason suspect that everyone supposedly talks about you, that they don't want you, and that they don't love or like you?
  3. Are you jealous and upset over the progress, fortune, possessions and beauty of others?
  4. Are you unmoved by the misfortune and needs of your fellow men?
  5. In your transactions with your business partners, co-workers, and clients, are you honest and forthright?
  6. Have you criticized or slandered your fellow man, wrongly accusing them?
  7. Are you sarcastic and patronizing towards believers, or towards those who fast and endeavor to live a Christian life, or towards those who have physical/mental problems and/or disabilities?
  8. If you heard some information or criticism against someone, did you pass it on to others and harm (even unwillingly) their reputation and respect?
  9. Did you criticize the conduct, actions, faults, and mistakes of another person when they were not present, even if what you said was the truth? Have you ever criticized the clergy? Do you gossip about and criticize the personal lives of others? Did you listen to someone blaspheming God or a holy person, and not protest?
  10. Do you curse those who have harmed you, or curse yourself in difficult moments of your life, or curse the day and hour in which you were born?
  11. Do you send others "to the devil" or give them rude hand gestures?
  12. Do you respect your parents? Do you look after them? Do you put up with their elderly weaknesses? Do you help them with their bodily and spiritual needs? Are you mindful of their spiritual needs by making sure they go to church and partake worthily of Holy Communion? Have you abandoned them?
  13. Have you misguided your parents to leave to you in their will more of their estate than is proper, thus causing injustice to your brothers and sisters?
  14. In your anger did you hit anyone with your hands or injure them with your words?
  15. Do you perform your job or occupation properly and with a good conscience? Or are you unfair to others?
  16. Do you steal? Perhaps you have encouraged or helped another person to steal? Have you agreed to cover up a theft? Have you bought or accepted goods known to be stolen?
  17. Are you ungrateful towards God and generally towards your helpers and beneficiaries? Do you grumble and murmur against them?
  18. Do you keep company with bad and sinful people or associates? With your words or example, have you ever pushed anyone to sin?
  19. Have you ever committed forgery? Have you ever embezzled or defrauded the public? Have you borrowed money and other possessions without returning or repaying them?
  20. Have you ever committed murder, in any way? Wishing for or plotting the death of another?
  21. Do you entangle yourself in the lives of others or in their work or their families and become the cause of strife, quarrels and disturbances?
  22. Do you have mercy and compassion on the poor, on orphans, on the elderly, on families with many children struggling to make ends meet?
  23. Have you lied or added or subtracted from the truth? Do you flatter others in order to get your own way? Are you deceitful—pretending to be whom you are not?
  24. Did you craftily ask for a dowry when you declared your intentions to marry?
  25. Have you ever sent an anonymous or cruel letter to anyone?

C. Yourself

  1. Are you a slave to materialism and worldly goods?
  2. Are you greedy or a lover of money?
  3. Are you stingy? Do you joyfully pledge and donate to the needs of the parish?
  4. Are you wasteful? Do you live by the Gospel command that whatever you have leftover and above your needs belongs to the poor? Do you have too much love towards pets and waste money on them while people are dying of starvation?
  5. Are you conceited and arrogant? Do you talk back to your elders and superiors?
  6. Do you like to show off with your clothing, wealth, fortunes, and the academic achievements of your children or of yourself?
  7. Do you seek attention and glory from people? Do you wear perfume, make-up, and change the appearance that your Creator gave to you?
  8. Do you accept compliments and praise from others gladly and like to be told that no one else exists who is as good as you?
  9. Do you get upset when others privately reveal your faults, and do you become angry when superiors examine you and when they make comments about you?
  10. Are you perhaps stubborn, high-minded, egotistical, proud, or cowardly? Be careful with these sins, as the diagnosis and solution to them are difficult.
  11. Do you gamble or play cards, even without money, with relatives and people at home to "kill time" as the saying goes?
  12. Have sexual sins polluted your body, mind, or soul? For example, have you engaged in fornication (sexual intercourse before marriage), adultery, or masturbation, prostitution, homosexuality, lesbianism, etc.?
  13. Do you watch dirty shows on television or at the movies?
  14. Do you read pornographic, immoral books and magazines?
  15. Have you ever considered committing suicide?
  16. Are you a slave to your stomach (i.e. gluttony)?
  17. Are you lazy, careless and negligent? Do you not help out when you can?
  18. Do you say improper, dirty, and immoral words or use swear words for the sake of humor or to insult or humiliate others?
  19. Do you have a spirit of self-denial?
  20. Do you expel from your mind bad or sly thoughts that come to pollute your heart?
  21. Are you careful so that your eyes don't gaze or stare at provocative pictures or people? Do you go to the movies and theatres?
  22. Are you careful what you ears hear? Do you like to hear sinful music and conversations?
  23. Do you dress immorally? If you are a woman, do you wear men's clothing, (e.g. pants) or short skirts, open shirts; transparent shirts, and scandalize others with your appearance? In addition, do you dress in this way when appearing at holy places? If you are a man, do you dress provocatively?
  24. Have you appeared naked in public or semi-naked in a swimsuit or bikini publicly?
  25. Do you dance in a provocative and sinful manner? Do you listen to sinful immoral songs? Do you frequent parties, nightclubs, and bars? Do you celebrate sinful, worldly festivals such as mardigras, homosexual and lesbian festivals, Halloween etc.?
  26. Are you a drunkard? Do you abuse "recreational" or pharmaceutical drugs?
  27. Do you smoke? Smoking destroys your God-given valuable health and is also wasteful of money, and therefore is a sin.
  28. Do you talk excessively about meaningless things?

D. For Couples

  1. Do you remain faithful to each other? It is tragic when one of you is unfaithful to the other.
  2. Did one of you embarrass or criticize the other publicly or privately?
  3. Do you not endure the apparent weakness of the other? Do you show harshness?
  4. Do you or your partner permit the other to follow the latest fashion and trend and anything which is opposed to the law of God? Do you perhaps drag the other along to parties on the condition that you will in this way provide the other the means to follow fashion and a worldly life?
  5. Do you take into consideration the struggle the other has outside and inside the home, so that you both help each other bodily and spiritually in the struggle?
  6. As a partner, have you had excessive sexual demands and degraded your relationship? Do you abstain from sexual relations on Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays, Feast Days, (including the night before) and on the days of the Holy Fasts of the Church?
  7. Do you prevent your partner from going to church, spiritual gatherings and talks?
  8. Do you bring up your children "in the instruction and counsel of Christ"? Do you only concern yourself with their intellectual growth and not with the nature of their character?
  9. Do you direct your children to go to church regularly, to go to confession, to frequently partake of Holy Communion (properly prepared), and to go to Sunday school? Do you teach holy virtues by word and example? Have you taught them to pray in the morning, evening and before and after at each meal? Have you taught them to pray with respect and reverence?
  10. Are you careful of the things they read? Do you buy books and periodical of religious and cultural subjects for them to read and learn? Do you closely monitor your child's use of the computer, iphone, and social media, and carefully set time limits?
  11. Do you watch with whom they keep company and who their friends are?
  12. Do you lead them to sinful shows and entertainment or allow them to watch television unsupervised?
  13. Do you teach them humility and meekness and are you careful that they dress in a dignified way?
  14. Do you curse them when they upset you? Do you "send them to hell" or "to the devil"?
  15. Have you had abortions or do you prevent yourself from having children (i.e. contraception)?
  16. Have you been unjust to your children in the division of your estate?
  17. Do you as a parent believe that the responsibility of raising and educating your children rests only with your partner? You have an obligation to educate them and to read to them so that you can relieve you partner.
  18. Do you scorn your children by giving them insulting hand gestures and reprimand them with improper language?
  19. Does each of you love and respect the parents of the other?
  20. Do the grandparents of your children and other relatives get too involved in the family and cause disagreements and disputes?
  21. Do you interfere in your married children's families?
  22. Is your partner a blasphemer? Have patience; try hard to eliminate cursed blasphemy!
  23. Have you ever considered divorcing your partner?
  24. Do you allow your children to become fanatical about sports and even miss church in order to play (e.g. Sunday morning games)?
  25. Are you fair and just with your family, considering and respecting their views and wishes, or do you behave like a dictator?

He who is accustomed to give account of his life at confession here will not fear to give an answer at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. The mild tribunal of penitence was instituted, so that we, being cleansed and amended through penitence here, may give an answer without shame at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. This is the first motive for sincere confession. The longer we remain without confessing, the worse it is for us, the more entangled we become in the bonds of sin, and therefore the more difficult it is to give an account. The second motive is tranquility: the more sincere has been our confession, the more tranquil will the soul be afterwards. Sins are secret serpents, gnawing at the heart of a man and all his being; they do not let him rest, they continually suck his heart; sins are prickly thorns, constantly goring the soul; sins are spiritual darkness. Those who repent must bring forth the fruits of repentance.

Consciousness, memory, imagination, feeling, and will are helps to penitence. As we sin with all the powers of our soul, so penitence must be from our whole soul. Penitence in words only, without the intention of amendment and without the feeling of contrition, may be called hypocritical. Should the consciousness of sins be obscured, it must be cleared up; should the feeling be smothered and dulled, it must be roused; should the will become blunt and too weak for amendment, it must be forced; "the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." (St. Matt. 11:12) Confession must be sincere, deep, and full.

Reference: http://orthodoxinfo.com/

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

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