Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Examination of Conscience

Rembrandt's The Return of the Prodigal Son

Every time I trick myself into thinking I have nothing to confess, I look at a list like the one below and slink away in shame. I took this from the parish bulletin of St. Rose of Lima in Eddystone, PA.

Have at it.

BAD EXAMPLE * BLASPHEMY * CHEATING AT WORK * CHEATING AT SCHOOL * CURSING * DESTROYING ANOTHER’S PROPERTY *DRUNKENNESS * DEALING DRUGS * TAKING DRUGS * ENVY * GOING TO FORTUNE TELLERS * EXCESSIVE GAMBLING * GOSSIPING * GREED * GRUDGES * INAPPROPRIATE ANGER* LYING* LYING IN CONFESSION * MISSING MASS * LYING UNDER OATH * MATERIALISTIC * MEANNESS * MURDER * NAGGING * NOT FORGIVING OTHERS* NOT PRAYING * PHYSICALLY VIOLENT * PRIDE * RESENTMENT* SELFISHNESS * ABORTION * ADULTERY * ADVISING SOMEONE TO HAVE AN ABORTION* PORNOGRAPHY * RECEIVING COMMUNION WITHOUT HAVING CONFESSED SERIOUS SIN * STEALING * STUBBORNNESS * SWEARING * USING OUIJA BOARD *  ANY SEXUAL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE * PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL OR VERBAL ABUSE * TAKING REVENGE *


Wonder if the honey-do's count as nagging?  How else is a married woman to manage getting her husband to do anything around the house?

14 comments:

  1. Going to fortune tellers???? LOL, why is that a sin? Now I am really going to hell. :-P And yes honey-do nagging is definitely a mortal sin in my book. ;)

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  2. I tell my honey that it stops being nagging when he hasn't finished a "to do" after 10 years! That would be the house he built for us- never quite finished, almost, but never quite done. So far, never a penance given. Our priest has been here! LOL

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  3. See Manny? There is a good reason why God brought you to my blog. I gave you a hard enough time about silence after Mass, so I will let one of our other brothers or sisters explain to you why fortune tellers are a no-no, just like ouija boards, etc.

    Kathy, that is funny. You must have a lot of patience :)

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  4. Oh, yes Manny, I can see why you'd think nagging is a mortal sin LOL ;p

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  5. Ok, I can definitely see the "taking the Lord's name in vain" as swearing, and therefore a sin. But what about the other expletives? Those are sins? And if you didn't know it was a sin to begin with, is it? Oy...

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  6. I nag people at work all day long - that is my job.

    And is it up to me to answer Manny's question? My best answer is "the forbidden fruit." We are not supposed to know everything that is going to happen, we are supposed to trust God.

    That's my take on it...

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  7. Julie, I suppose it depends on which expletives. As I said, after reading this list, I felt like a slimey worm lol

    Mary Christine, thanks for taking that on. I'm not sure if "nagging" at work counts. I'd love to meet the priest who came up with this list.

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  8. Mary-C, that's if you believe that fortune tellers can really read the future. My take would be that it's putting one's faith in some sort of idol. But who knows? No one can possibly be sinless according to the list. All I can do is ask Christ for His mercy.

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  9. Manny: I hope this answers your question re why going to fortune tellers is a sin:

    FROM CCC

    Divination and magic

    2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility.

    2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future.48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.

    2138 Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic.

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  10. Oh, and there is a huge reproduction of that wonderful painting in the hallway to the confessional at my "old" church.

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  11. I believe it is contact with spirits of darkness that is forbidden. I can find the scripture when I get home later, have to run right now...but in my words--it opens doors in us that ought not to be open.

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  12. here is just one-
    Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
    —Galatians 5:19-21

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  13. Thank you Maria. I guess Mary-C was correct. But who believes in fortune tellers anyway? Some of this is hooey. God made me in flesh and blood subject to sins. To beat myself silly that I can't measure up would be to deny my humanity. I know i am not a siant. In the end I love God and I love my neighbor and I ask for Christ's mercy.

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  14. Kelly: That about covers it, right? LOL.
    Manny: Most days I cant do all three, Manny. You're ahead of me!

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