Introduction
W Why should I confess?
W
How should I confess?W When should I confess?
W To whom should I confess?
These and many other questions disturb the minds of our children and interfere with their desire to repent and return to the loving-kindness of their Heavenly Father. Not knowing the correct answers to these questions becomes a stumbling block which conceals the importance of this great sacrament (repentance and confession). Consequently, the children are deprived of the sacrament of unification with Christ—Holy Communion.
When unbelievers sense this uncertainty in our children, especially regarding the sacrament of confession, they offer advice which has the effect of diminishing their desire to repent and confess. They may also turn against their kind mother, the Orthodox Church.
My dear son and daughter, let us understand the truth. Do not be ashamed to admit your transgressions, for "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). This book is a guide to help you account for your actions and examine your intentions. In order to benefit from it, read it before every confession until you learn proper way to confess.
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The Necessity and Importance of Confession
God was the first to establish the sacrament of confession. When Adam sinned, the Lord called him, saying, "[Adam,] Where are you?" Could it be that God did not know where Adam was at the moment He called him? IMPOSSIBLE!! Of course God knew where Adam was. Adam replied, "I heard Your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Genesis 3:9-10). The Lord asked Adam again, "… Have you eaten from the tree...?". Could it also be possible that the Lord, God, who rules over all the world, did not know whether Adam ate from the tree? He already knew. The Lord purposely gave Adam a chance to confess his sin, not only that he ate from the tree, but also that he disobeyed God's commandment, for the Lord said, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). Even though Adam knew the truth, that he broke God's commandment and ate, he refused to confess and blamed Eve. He said to the Lord, "The women whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12). He disobeyed the commandment of God and refused to admit his mistake. Also in Genesis (chapter 4), we find the story of Cain and Abel. Cain rose against his brother Abel and killed him. God called Cain and asked him, "[Cain,] Where is Abel your brother?" Again, God is asking even though He knows all things, for all things are revealed before him. God asked Cain where his brother was, even though He knew beforehand what would happen. Didn't He give Cain a chance to confess and repent from the murder of his brother and from disobeying God's commandment? Yet, we find that Cain refused to confess and repent and rejected God's question, saying, "Am I my brother's keeper?" In the Old Testament we see that confession is necessary to remove guilt. Jonah said to God, "… I knew that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, One who relents from doing harm" (Jonah 4:2). The Lord calls us daily, saying, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). He also says, "… the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). So what excuse do we have? Didn't He also say, "… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool". (Isaiah 1:18). There is none greater than You, Lord, nor greater than Your love for us. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
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God's Incarnation Orders Confession
Come with me and let us follow a part of the life of the Lord Jesus, when He lived in the midst of humanity as a part of it. "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). We read of the first miracle in the Gospel of St. Matthew (chapter 8, verses 2-4): “And behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Lord, if Thou are willing, Thou can make me clean.’ Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing, be cleansed.’ And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said unto him, ‘See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’” It was known that leprosy was the disease of sin, and, in Old Testament, there was a special ritual for the healing of this disease. This is what David, the prophet spoke about in Psalm 51:7 when he said, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean..." In order to be healed from this leprosy, that person had to confess his sin to the priest. Hence, the Lord commanded the leper to "… go... show yourself to the priest." In addition, the Lord said in the Sermon on the mountain, "You [believers] are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Mat 5:13-16). "You are the salt of the earth...You are the light of the world..." Isn't this an invitation to improve one's behavior and good works? But how can a person perform good works? Only if he repents form evil works. And confession is an invitation to leave the path of evil and walk in the way of truth, so that the Lord's Name will be glorified by the mention of our good works. My beloved, what do you think about the story of the Samaritan woman? Read it as it appears in John (chapter 4), and see that it is a beautiful story which tells of a long confession between the Lord Jesus and a sinful woman. She confessed her sins before Him. She is a perfect example of God's divine planning--that we should learn to confess our sins.
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What a great story we find in Matthew (chapter 9:2-6)! Jesus said to a lame man “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins..." Consider what the Lord says: "The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins..." The Lord, through His humanity, gave humans power on earth, and this power is given to those who are called to the priesthood. "And when he had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease… And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give… Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy..." (Matthew 10:1, 7, 11). What is the purpose of this power to the disciples on earth? And what is the meaning of the saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand”? In addition, why does Jesus say, "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy..."? It means what the Lord said to his disciples in John 20:21-23: "… ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when he had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." For this reason it was necessary that the Lord should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that in his name should be preached repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations. Peter spoke on behalf of all the disciples... The Lord said to him, "… And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:18-19). And again the Lord gave this power to all the disciples and clarified the extent of the tie between the power of the priest in receiving confessions and the forgiveness that is dependent on confession when he said in Matthew 18:15-18: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between him and you alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
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My Beloved
Now, what do you think of the sacrament of confession? Don't you feel that it is a divine matter, as you saw in the stories of the sick of the palsy and the Samaritan woman? Don't you also feel that the reason for the salvation of the thief who was crucified on the right side of Jesus was because he felt guilty and repented and confessed before the Lord Jesus? Hear what he said: “… for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when Thou come into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:41-42). Therefore, the disciples received the power and used it. “And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.” (Acts 19:18) Now you have seen that confession must be done in the presence of a priest according to the power the Lord Jesus gave him. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are remitted them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (John 20:23).
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Suppose you disobeyed your father. For example, suppose that he told you not to leave the house, but you left...What did you do, and how does your father now feel about you? And how do you feel toward your father, especially since you are living with him under the same roof, and you must return to the house, knowing that you disobeyed your father's commandment? Your father's feelings will be those of anger because you disobeyed him, and you will feel unhappy -- you will feel that you have lost his love and support. In this case, you do not dare to ask him for anything. You can not ask him for your allowance or even for his love for you. In other words, you have separated yourself from your father. There is now a conflict between you and your father and you are deprived of your father and his love. The one who can not tolerate this situation or bear this division between the father and the son is the mother. The mother is in a very difficult position: Once she will ask the father to forgive his son and another item she will ask the son to make amends with his father. She will facilitate an encounter between the father and son. She will encourage her son to go to his father so that he may make peace with him. When they meet, their disagreement will end and the love between them will return. They will meet with hugs as did the prodigal son, when his father had compassion and ran to his son, kissed him, and said to his servant, “Bring forth the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:22-24). The mother rejoices because her task has been completed. The mother here is the church, and the intention of this example is as follows: God is, by nature, love: for “God is love” (I John 4:8). Sin causes us to lose this love… what happened to Adam is that he became deprived of God's love when he disobeyed his commandment. Therefore, if you defy God's commandments, you will separate yourself form Him and deprive yourself form His love. Thus, it is sin that causes us to depart form God's way, but we are not able to live far from God. The Father is God and we are the children, and the mother is the church who directs all her efforts toward strengthening our love for God, which is in Jesus Christ. She is the one that does not cease to call us to repentance. She rejoices and says, "… the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent...” (Mark 1:15). And when we repent, she reconciliates us with God in a spiritual conference -- confession. So repentance and confession is reconciliation with God.
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Listen to What the Saints Say
The Spiritual Elder says: "Repentance is able to regain the freedom of those who have enslaved their souls to the Devil."
Saint Kiriatos says: "Everyone should confess his sins while he is alive so that he can gain his soul through the advice and help of the priest."
Saint Basilious says: "It is necessary to confess our sins before those who have been granted the secrets of God."
Saint Tertelianous says: "Many have worried more about embarrassment than about salvation and avoid confession to hide their shame or put it off from one day to the next, like one who has an embarrassing disease and refuses to tell his doctor. The result is that he speeds up his own death."
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St. Agostinos said, "My Lord, grant me to know who you are and who I am." Before you meet with your confession father, you must sit with yourself and be aware that the price of your soul is the precious blood of Jesus, which He shed upon the cross for your salvation. Have you heard the saying of the Lord, "For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26). Therefore, sit with your soul and examine it, that you may know your sins, shortcomings, and faults, and when you have found these, write them down, making certain that you truly regret them. Then, lay them down before your confession father (this is to guide you toward examining yourself and confessing). You should examine your soul, not once, but daily, or as often as possible. Then, when you have collected the result of your examination, offer it to your confession father during your confession. You should meet with your confession father every week, every month, at the beginning of a new year or school year, etc. It is preferable that you meet with him daily, but you must meet with your confession father for confession at least once a month under any circumstances.
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After you examine your soul, rise, as the prodigal son did, and offer yourself to
God in fervent prayer and prayer with tears. Speak to Him truthfully and
submit to Him your weakness and your guilt. Do not cease asking God to remit
your sins and forgive you and send you help in your efforts. Say to him,
"I am weak… I have sinned... and I am no longer worthy to be called
your son. Remit my sins, for you gave yourself for my sake, and forgive me,
for you are the God of mercy and compassion." Tell him all your pains and
weaknesses… And ask Him to help you overcome your passions. You must stand
in front of God, the Judge, and promise Him that you have turned from sin and
that you are truly repent. Say this prayer with Jonah the prophet: "I
cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the
belly of Sheol I cried, and Thou
heard my voice. For Thou had cast me into the deep, in the heart of the seas
and the floods surrounded me; all Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me.
Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Thy sight; yet I will look again
toward Thy holy temple.’ The waters encompassed me, even to my soul; the
deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the
bottoms of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
yet Thou have brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God. When my soul
fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to Thee, into
Thy holy temple” (Jonah 2:2-7). Cry with David the prophet, saying,
"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according
to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Wash me
thoroughly from mine iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge
my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only,
have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight — That Thou may be found
just when Thou speak, and blameless when Thou judge. Behold, I was brought
forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, Thou desire
truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part Thou will make me to know
wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which Thou
have broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine
iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit
within me. Do not cast me away from Thy presence, and take not Thy Holy Spirit
from me." (Psalm 51). Rise and offer your soul to God, revealing your
weakness before him, asking for His help, mercy and strength. This is a
necessary step for the expression of repentance and the feeling of the pain of
sin and the significance of your need for the grace of God and His help, mercy
and strength. This is a necessary step for the expression of repentance and
the feeling of the pain of sin and the significance of your need for the grace
of God and His help, so that you may turn from your sins.
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The Third Step:
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A Conference (Confession) with the Confession Father
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Here Is Some Advice to Help You Benefit from Confession !
& When you sit before your confession father, remember that you are in the presence of God. Feel that you are in front of God's delegate, who is responsible for all His sacraments, and that God hears all of your emotions.
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Do not be ashamed to reveal all of your sins, regardless of what they are, and do not try to hide, simplify, or color even your worst sins. Rather, feel the bitterness of sin, and reveal it as it is and how you felt while committing it.
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Have confidence in your confession father and do not hesitate to be open and reveal all that is on your mind. For sin is not only an action or word; even a sinful thought can defile your heart. Therefore, the lust of the heart is equal to the action itself, and senseless anger is equal to murder. This is the law of the Holy Bible. Because of this, it is important to reveal all of your sins, whether they be in deed or in word or in thought or in any feeling, and be assured that your confession father is entrusted by God with everything that you say.
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Know in your heart that the purpose of confession is not simply to reveal your sins, but to try with great effort to analyze with the priest how you may avoid these sins in the future, grow in your spiritual life, benefit from the experience of your confession father, and remedy your weakness. This is a very important matter.
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Hence, be receptive to his advice and follow it faithfully; even if you are not fully convinced of it, follow it for the sake of obedience. Be certain that God guided him to it for your spiritual benefit and for your salvation. There is an interesting story about this: Once in confession, I advised a boy to rise early in the morning and exercise before beginning to pray. I was later surprised in a general meeting with one of the bishops when this boy asked "Should I carry out all the advice of the confession father, even if it is unrealistic? My confession father advised me to exercise in the morning, even though I was asking him for spiritual exercise. Has the priest now become a physical education instructor?" This was the end of the question. Of course, no matter what the answer was, it does not reflect the feeling of the confession father toward his son. The confessor complained that he was unable to wake up early and that even if he did, he could not get out of bed (because he was overweight). From this, I noticed that he had a lack of energy. The Holy Bible advises that physical exercise is beneficial to a certain group of people. I felt that he was among this group. It is my belief that exercise in the morning gives energy throughout the day, as it is commonly accepted. Hence, the spirit moved me to advise him to do these exercises, which suited him. But because he did not have full confidence that the advice of his confession father was for his salvation, he hesitated to carry it out… Do not be part of this group.
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Be very honest with your confession father if his advice is of no benefit to you, so that he may try next time to give you different advice. Do not hasten to change your confession father for this reason. What happened with him will happen again because of you, if you do not tell him that his advice is not helping you.
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Do not waste your confession time speaking about others and their faults in order to make yourself and your sin seem innocent. Rather, blame no one but yourself and instead of complaining to the priest about the actions of your brother at home, or your father and mother or relative, recall you own sins toward them, regardless of whether their actions may have caused you to sin, lest you be a judge of others, even in your confession.
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Do not be discouraged and say to yourself, "I have confessed often, yet there is no hope that I may change or abstain from sin." Be assured that the time will come when you will become a perfect person of God. This will come with patience; the Lord says, "In your patience possess your souls," (Luke 21:19). All that is required of you is that you make an effort; the more you try, the more grace you will receive. We receive grace by the abundance of our efforts, and as much as you try, you will receive grace.
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If you have time before confession (while waiting for your turn), do not waste it speaking to others; be prepared always with a spiritual book to read until it is your turn, so that you may be ready to confess by being aware of your sins and feeling regret for them.
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Keep a small notebook to write down the date of your confession , the advice you received from your confession father, his comments and the activities he gave you so that you do not forget them. This will also enable you to keep track of yourself by yourself and avoid being late for your next confession.
& Lastly, after you confess, be firm with yourself in your spiritual life, having strong willpower regarding the fulfillment of your spiritual obligations, hallowing the time of holy communion and the Lord's day in its entirety. Overcome all the passions that separate you from God. Use prayer and fasting and the word of God as weapons to your defense. Do not forget that you have begun, so do not look back, for “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62).
& Know that you confess in preparation for holy communion, so do not put off confession.
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An Appendix to Guide You in Examining Yourself before Confession :
First, Repentance and Confession:
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Do you have a confession father? |
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When did you begin with him? |
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Are you faithful in going to confession at least once a month? |
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What are the obstacles that keep you from confessing, and have you tried to overcome them? |
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Do you rejoice at the meeting of your confession father, and try intentionally to meet him? |
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Are you honest with him in all things? |
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Do you account for yourself before confession? |
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Do you honestly try to carry out the advice of your confession father? |
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Do you feel that you have repented or are you still unsure? |
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Do you desire the life of holiness and work toward it? |
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Secondly, Basic Worship
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Do you pray? How often? |
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Do you set aside time for prayer, or does it depend on the situation? |
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Have you tried to overcome these situations that interfere with prayer? |
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How do you pray? Do you like to pray the Agpeya? |
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Do you kneel when you pray? |
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Do you say other prayers before and after meals, before studying, before work, etc.? |
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Have you used prayer to overcome sin, fear, and problems? In other words, do you feel that prayer is strength or blessing or is it just a habit? |
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Do you have other personal prayers (for service—for sickness—for the church—for your house and family, etc.)? |
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Have you tried to pray with the family? Why? |
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Do you like to fast? Are you faithful in fasting every Wednesday and Friday? |
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Do you honor fasting and start at the beginning? |
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What are the obstacles that prevent you from fasting? Have you tried to overcome them? |
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Do you fast alone or with your family? |
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Do you fast without any food for a certain numbers of hours during the day? |
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Do you feel that you are fulfilling a purpose by fasting? |
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Have you tried to gain good qualities through fasting (fasting from words, sin, judgment of others. Do you fast for other personal reasons?) |
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Do you give God your tithe? |
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Do you feel pleasure from giving? |
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Have you tried to give from your need and personal belongings? |
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Are you stingy with your family and yourself? |
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Do you speak to others about your gifts and your promises to God? |
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The Divine Liturgy
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Do you prepare for the Divine Liturgy? |
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Do you attend it regularly? |
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Do you make time to attend church or does your attendance depend on whether or not you have time? |
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Do you attend with the intention of taking communion every time? |
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Do you take part in the service? |
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Do you focus you attention on the prayer of the Liturgy or does your mind wander? |
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Do you leave church and then go to places which separate you from God (bad friends, cinema, television) or do you sanctify the whole day? |
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Do you honor the church and feel that God is present there? |
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Do you have certain meetings in the church and do you attend them regularly and rejoice when the meeting time draws near, regardless of the circumstances? |
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Have you tried to take part in the service of God? |
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Thirdly, Your Spiritual Behavior
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Do you behave toward others in a way that is appropriate for Christians or do you behave as society would have you? |
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Do you try to act like others in society, or are you firm with yourself? |
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Are you honest in your duties? —Your studies as a student, you work as an employee, your career, your other responsibilities— |
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Are you considering the rule of the house easy or difficult to follow? Are you compliant and obedient to them or not? |
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Who are your friends? Do you feel that they bring you closer to God? |
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Do you have habits that are appropriate for God's children to have, or not?—smoking, gambling, frequenting night clubs, addictions, habits annoying to others— |
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Do you often trick people and hide your true intentions from them? |
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Do you try to show off? |
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Do you allow yourself to do things that you forbid others to do and take that which is not yours? |
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Do you like the praise of others and try to obtain it? |
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What is the subject of your conversation in any group? |
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Are your gathering all silliness, making fun of others? |
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Are your conversations about worldly or spiritual matters that give praise to the Lord Jesus? |
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Is your eye single, your thoughts and heart simple, or do you behave arrogantly? |
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Do you read the Bible regularly? How do you read it? |
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Do you try to memorize verses and write them down or do you read simply because of habit? |
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Do you read to gain understanding (or just for the sake of reading) and choose a verse to be the focus of the day? |
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Do you feel that you need to know the Holy Bible? Is it your pleasure to live by its commandments? |
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Do you feel that it is the voice of God? |
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Do you like to read spiritual books and try to buy them, giving them precedence over your personal needs? |
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Do you set aside time to read them or does this depend on the circumstances? |
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Have you tried to compile a spiritual library? |
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Sins of the Flesh
Bad habits, youthful habits, adultery, hatred for others, revenge, disobedience, fighting, disputes/arguments, arrogance, envy, smoking, alcohol addiction.
Sins of the Tongue
Judging others, lies, cursing, swearing, gossip, blasphemy, bearing false witness, unnecessary disputes, using language inappropriate to God's children.
Sins of Sight and Other Senses
Lust, defiling thoughts of evil and adultery, hatred, selfishness, worldly thoughts, vain glory, doubt, arrogance, judging others.
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Do you feel that you love your wife? |
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Do you feel sure that God brought you together, for "What God has joined together, let not man separate" (Matthew 19:6), or do you feel you deserved a better wife? |
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This same question applies to the wife: Do you love your husband and serve him obediently as our mother Sarah? |
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Are you always forgiving to the mistakes of your wife? Or do you take from them a justification to be cruel, firm, and treat her with contempt? |
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Do you respect and love your wife's family? |
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And to the wife, do you love your husband's family and rejoice at their presence? |
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Do you love your children and do you like to sit with them and spend time with them and show them your love? Is it your hope to offer them as saints to God or is your only concern to educate them? |
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Have you thought (mother or father) to discipline them for their lack of prayer and attendance of church? |
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Do you ask them daily about their spiritual conduct as much as about their schoolwork? |
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Do you argue with your wife in front of your children and offend them? Or do you try to be a good model for them? |
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Do you try always to make peace in the house and with your neighbors? |
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Do you feel that there is love in the house, or does division overcome this? |
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What is your role in this situation? |
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Do you bring unity to the house or inflame it? |
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Have you tried to honor the morning and evening prayers together with the members of your family? |
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Do you honor the Lord's day and encourage attendance at church and communion? |
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Do you gather your children around you daily and read to them the Holy Bible? |
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Do you support bad habits in front of your children (smoking, drinking, gambling)? |
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Is your marital life revealed before your children? |
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Do you take part in the chores of the house and the needs of your children and make them feel that you sacrifice for them? |
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Do you love your parents with all your heart? |
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Do you honor your parents according to God's commandments? |
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Is the extent of your obedience to your parents due to love or to fear? |
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Do you try to help with the chores of the house? |
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Do you make every effort to gain their acceptance? |
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Do you feel responsibility toward your studies and success, and toward your brothers and sisters? |
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Do you love your brothers and sisters and favor them over yourself and try to help them in all honesty? |
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Are you only concerned with your demands regardless of the circumstances of the household? |
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Do you play a role in maintaining peace in the house or the opposite? Are you pleased with this? |
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Do you feel that you are the greatest among your brothers and sisters and always favor yourself over them? |
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Do you feel jealous of your brothers and sisters and like to be first in everything and have all your wishes fulfilled? |
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My Beloved sons and daughters, this book is NOT intended to be a lecture on the Sacrament of confession; but only a genuine invitation to practice this Holy Sacrament, and to experience how wonderful life could be with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ Loves you… whatever may be your sins. For He said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not came to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32).
Open your heart to Jesus... be honest and truthful with yourself and have faith of how much God loves you...
This is the chance to dispose of your sins! Here on earth while we are still in flesh; because in the eternal life there is no repentance, confession or redemption but judgment (see John 5:24-30). The church is praying for you… and asking our Lord on your behalf to accept your repentance and confession.
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