A DAILY examination of conscience will help us to develop our conscience. A skill that will be fundamental for advancing along our road to righteousness.
The examination is normally recommended to be a short exercise at night before going to sleep to review our day and prepare for the next.
The daily examination of conscience is a fundamental part of the Christian life. It helps to develop our awareness of how well we are progressing along our path of conversion. Think of it as a type of continuous improvement exercise to assess and correct us toward our end-goal of fully taking on Christ’s nature.
Because of its importance, it must be one of the first habits we must form as Christ’s followers. So start today!
Following is a list of the steps as recommended in the site BeginningCatholic.com. An excellent resource for anyone looking to understand the basics of the Catholic faith better.
Daily Examination of Conscience Steps:
- Place yourself in the presence of God, and ask for his help in examining your day.
- Examine your day using the “three words”:
- “Thank You”: Thank the Lord for the blessings of the day.
- “I’m sorry”: Acknowledge your faults specifically and directly.
- “Please help me more”: Ask the Lord for help tomorrow. Make specific resolutions.
- Make an Act of Contrition.
- End with an Our Father and a Hail Mary.
It is recommended to take only one minute per each “word” or section. For a total of 2 to 3 minutes for the examination of conscience. This is to allow one to remain focused even when tired.
