Have you given way to any evil temper - pride, passion, vanity, envy, hatred, &c. ? Have you spoken evil of any one, or unnecessarily of other persons' faults ? Have you striven against your besetting sins? Have you carefully avoided all dangerous occasions of sin ?
Are you endeavouring to make advances in the spiritual life, in holiness, love of God, and superiority to the world, and not only abstaining from actual sin ?
Are you using the necessary means of a holy life, prayer, meditation, and the reading of the word of God and devout books?
(Whenever you find that you have been guilty of any sin, note it, with its aggravating circumstances, in order to make full confession of it when you next go to confession.)
Having carefully examined yourself, and called to mind your faults, recollect the chief sins of your past life also, and make an act of contrition for all.
5. An Act of Contrition.
O Father of mercies! who desirest not the death of sinners; look upon me, a miserable sinner, according to the multitude of thy mercies. I acknowledge and confess, and am heartily sorry for all the sins of my past life, and of this day in particular. I cast myself at thy feet, and beseech thee to cover all my sins with that infinite love with which thou hast loved us from all eternity. I grieve from the bottom of my heart that I have been so ungrateful to thee for thy benefits, and have so often offended thee, my God and my chief good. Spare me, I beseech thee, by the death and love of Jesus Christ thy Son; and mercifully forgive me whatsoever sins I have this day, or heretofore, committed against thee, my neighbour, or myself.
(Here you may say the 50th Psalm, or any other act of penance.)
6. A Resolution of Amendment.
O Almighty God! I firmly resolve, here in thy presence, and before the whole company of heaven, to live more exactly in conformity to thy will, and to the rule
