Examination of Conscience

There are many ways to examine your conscience. Many people use the 10 Commandments, a classic guide of good to do and in moral behavior to avoid. Others use the beatitudes, a positive framework for seeking blessedness. The method below starts with some sayings of Jesus.

Jesus says, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. (Luke 10:27)

• When have I not set my heart on God? When have I loved the things of this world or my own preferences more than God?
• Have I listened to the word of God? Am I faithful to prayer? Do I learn the teachings of the church and strive to keep them? Have I hesitated to defend my beliefs in the presence of others? Do I fear to let others know I am a Christian?
• Do I pray daily? Do I lift my mind and heart to God or merely recite words? Do I ask God to help in time of temptation?
• Do I keep God’s name holy? Do I respect God and others, by my choice of words, avoiding those that give offense? 
• Do I participate at mass on Sundays and holy days?
• Do I worship the false gods of money, superstition, selfishness or illicit drugs? Do I choose violence as a solution to problems?

Jesus says, Love one another as I love you (John 15:12)

• Have I shown genuine love to my neighbors? Do I take advantage of them? Do I do unto them what I would not want done onto myself? Have I given scandal? 
• Have I been patient and loving to my family? Have I obeyed and cared for my parents? Have I said a good example for my children? Am I faithful to my spouse in my heart and in my relations with others?
• Do I share my possessions with the needy? Have I helped victims of oppression, miss fortune, or poverty? Do I look down on the poor, the sick, the elderly, strangers, and people of other races?
• Do I participate in the apostolic works of the Church? Do I give to charities? Am I active in my parish? Have I contributed to the unity of the Church, the spread of the Gospel, and peace and justice?
• Do I support the community where I live? Do I promote justice, morality, harmony, and love among citizens? Have I paid my taxes? Do I take seriously my civic responsibility to vote my conscience? Have I carefully considered the mind of the church as I developed my views on public issues and communicated this to my elected officials?
• At work, am I just, hardworking, and honest, serving society out of love for others? Do I pay a fair wage to my employees? Have I been faithful to promises and contracts?
• At school, do I participate in class in a way that shows respect for others? Do I help others learn? Do I complete my assignments on time?
• Do I respect and heed those in authority over me?
• Do I use my authority for my own advantage or for the good of others?
• Have I been truthful and fair? Have I injured others by deceit, calumny, detraction, rash judgment, or violation of a secret?
• Have I committed violence against others? Have I damaged someone’s person, reputation, honor, or possessions? Have I involved them in loss? Have I advised an abortion or procured one? Do I harbor hate for anyone? Am I estranged from others through quarrels, enmity, insults, or anger? Have I not testified to someone’s innocence?
• Have I stolen someone’s property? Have I desired it unjustly? Have I restored what I caused someone to lose?
• Have I been ready to make peace and forgive those who have injured me? Do I desire revenge against someone who has harmed my family or community?

Jesus says, Be perfect, just as your heavenly father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)

• Does the hope of eternal life guide the decisions in my life? Have I grown in the Spirit through prayer and self denial? Have I try to control my bad inclinations and passions, like envy, or excessive love of food or drink? Have I been proud and boastful? Have I impose my will on others?
• Have I used my time, health, and strength for the sake of the Gospel? Do I squander them on lesser goods? Have I been lazy and too much given to leisure?
• Have I patiently accepted the sorrow and disappointments of life? Have I fasted and abstained when the church asked me to?
• Do I practice chastity out of respect for my body and the bodies of others? Have I given into sensuality? Have I indulged in reading, conversation, websites, and entertainment contrary to Christian and human decency? Have I lead others to sin by my failure to maintain these standards? Have I been faithful to my married life? Have I been faithful to my state of life as a single person?
• Have I gone against my conscience out of fear or hypocrisy?
• Have I always tried to act in the true freedom of the children of God, according to the law of the Spirit?