How to Prepare for Confession

Have you ever felt like you are simply going through the motions when it comes to the sacrament of confession? Most Catholics know the necessary steps in order to make a good confession, but how are we preparing our hearts for this sacrament? Dr. Edward Sri dives into how we can approach this sacrament with reverence and prepare to receive the full abundance of the Lord’s mercy. 

Snippet from the Show

Confession isn’t transactional; it’s a relationship.


Shownotes

Practices to Help Prepare for Confession 
  1. Reflect on God’s Mercy 
    Stand back and take quiet time to pray before approaching this sacrament; not merely transactional
  2. Make an Examination of Conscience
    Thorough examination of conscience, guides, 10 Commandments, The Confiteor, think about your relationships, ask God to show you the sins you are not aware of
  3. Pray for the Gift of True Sorrow
    Tell the Lord we are sorry 
  4. Pray for the Grace to Amend our Lives 
    Ask the Lord to help us avoid sin in the future 
  5. Perform your Penance 
    An act of love to acknowledge that we have done wrong but want to make amends 
  6. Thank the Lord for His Mercy 
Psalm 86:15

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and truth.

Psalm 51:3

Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1496 

The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are: – reconciliation with God by which the penitent recovers grace; – reconciliation with the Church; – remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins; – remission, at least in part, of temporal punishments resulting from sin; – peace and serenity of conscience, and spiritual consolation; – an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 1494 

The confessor proposes the performance of certain acts of “satisfaction” or “penance” to be performed by the penitent in order to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits befitting a disciple of Christ.

Pocket Guide to Prayer by Edward and Beth Sri

Pocket Guide to Prayer is a beautiful, inspiring book written by Edward and Beth Sri, with contributor Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, that gives anyone confidence in knowing God and building a relationship with him. As an “on-ramp” into understanding the various tools for prayer that the Church offers us, this pocket guide will help Catholics build a fulfilled and deeply satisfying prayer life. 
This short but complete guide helps Catholics enter into prayer with more consistency and devotion. It empowers anyone on their faith journey to prioritize daily conversation with God.
Filled with insight on many facets of prayer, Edward and Beth with Fr. Mark-Mary show Catholics how to:

  • Get started with prayer
  • Understand vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplation
  • Learn how to respond to distractions, dryness, and other common struggles experienced in prayer without being discouraged
  • Shape their lives around a habit of prayer
  • Build a life of prayer in the family and the home
  • Understand popular devotions
  • And more!

Through practical tips and personal stories, Pocket Guide to Prayer empowers Catholics to approach the Lord in their daily life through prayer each and every day. Learn more here!

Upcoming Events List

  • Nov 16: Women of Christ 16th Annual Conference – Brookfield, WI
  • Feb 8: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne – Anthem AZ
  • Feb 19: FORGE – Des Moines IA
  • Feb 22: Marriage Enrichment – Celina OH
  • Mar 26-27: Holy Family Parish Mission – Wayzata MN
  • April 4-5: Parish of the Resurrection – Nashua NH
  • Apr 9-10: St. Ann’s Parish Mission – Sherman TX

Resources

  • Visit Dr. Sri’s website at www.edwardsri.com and to book online events with Dr. Sri email events.edwardsri@gmail.com
  • Find more of Dr. Sri’s episodes at www.ascensionpress.com/allthingscatholic 
  • Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to www.ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings

Dr. Edward Sri is a theologian, well-known Catholic speaker, and author of several best-selling books. His work with Ascension includes study programs such as A Biblical Walk Through the Mass, No Greater Love: A Biblical Walk Through Christ’s Passion and Mary: A Biblical Walk with the Blessed Mother. Several of Dr. Sri’s programs were filmed on-site in the Holy Land, and feature immersive video explorations of the sacred sites where Jesus, Mary, and the Apostles lived and died.

Dr. Sri is the host of the acclaimed Ascension podcast All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri.  Together with Curtis Martin, Dr. Sri is a founding leader of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), of which he serves as senior vice president of Apostolic Outreach.

Dr. Sri lives with his wife Beth and their children in Colorado.

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