Examination of Conscience – Looking at Relationships

“Those who love Christ and desire to follow Him with all their hearts, naturally examine their conscience daily, with regard to how true they have been in their love of Christ.”
– Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, D.D., J.C.D.

My relationship with God:

Did I love God above all things today? Did I seek to love Him in all that I did? Did I put myself at His service? Was I aware of His presence? Did I turn to Him? Did I tell Him that I love Him? Was He the center of my life today?
Did I neglect or omit my spiritual practices today? Did worldly anxieties, or fears, keep me from following God’s will? Did I lack trust in God’s love for me today?
Was I critical of the Church’s pastors, in thought or word?
Did I complain and murmur when I experienced difficulties today, instead of patiently accepting every event and “happening” as coming from God?
Was I open to God’s inspiration today?

My relationship with my neighbor:
Did I fail in “being Christ” to my family members or my neighbor? Did I love others for God’s sake? Did I practice self-forgetfulness, or did I practice self-pity and self-absorption?
Was I obstinate, hardhearted, hateful, jealous, injurious, backbiting, violent or unjust in words or actions? Was I lacking in charity, forgiveness, or honesty?
Did I gossip and cause injury to another’s reputation or goods?
Was I impure or unchaste in any thought, word, or action?
Did I steal from, or cheat, someone?
Did I behave in a manner that reflects badly upon or could give scandal to the Church? Was I excessive in my zeal, or uncharitable in my witness of the Faith?
Was I disobedient to the directives of those in authority over me?
Have I been cooperative and generous with my time, energy, and talents in the work of the Church, especially in the apostolate of catechesis?

My relationship with myself:
Did I fail to make an honest effort to grow in one of the moral virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance or the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity?
Did I fall into discouragement? Did I fail to go forward in serenity and trust in God?
Did I fail to practice some form of mortification?
Did I fail to try to overcome one of my chief faults? Was I prideful, envious, vain, greedy, angry, intemperate, gluttonous, slothful, impatient, or immodest? Did I fail to cultivate the virtue of humility? (Humility is the foundation of all the virtues. The virtue of humility teaches us to consider ourselves inferior to everyone, at all times.)

Originally published in the Tilma, Summer 2003