REFLECTIONS TO AWAKEN SORROW
[Now come 3 pages about Latin, I cannot translate them now, I photographed them in the Spanish section: INSTRUCCIÓN RELIGIOSA, and I’ll copy something that comes much later: “Reflections to awaken sorrow” before Confession, because we must feel sorrow for each of our sins and have the purpose of amendment not to fall again before going to the confessional.]
REFLECTIONS TO AWAKEN SORROW
To awaken sorrow for sins, I will consider and say:
‘I have sinned, my God, and have offended You, who are infinitely good and worthy of being loved above all things: Lord, I am deeply sorry for having offended You.
I have sinned, and I have deserved the eternal fire of hell.
If as punishment for my sins I had to suffer right now by putting my hand in the fire for an hour, how horrible! How long that hour would seem to me!
Because of my sins I have deserved to be in hell forever.
With justice, I must be horrified and filled with a holy fear.
I have sinned and have lost Heaven.
What a great loss!
If I had a healthy fortune and thieves stole it from me, how much I would feel that loss! How I would do, on my part, everything possible to recover the lost fortune! What are all the goods of the earth worth, compared to the goods of Heaven? Even more, I should feel the loss of Heaven, and with more reason I should do everything possible to regain it. I have sinned, my God, before your divine presence; I am no longer a son, but a rebel; a despicable and abominable being; ungrateful for the countless blessings You have granted me, for I have used to offend You what You gave me to serve You. I repent, my God, with all my heart. My sins, my God, have been the cause of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Innocent Jesus suffered so much for the sins of others; how much more should I suffer for my own sins! For venial sins I have deserved punishments in this world and in purgatory, and I have lost graces of heavenly glory. Never sin again, My God! Never sin again'.
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Say the Act of Contrition, not just with words, but mainly with the heart.
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[The practical way to go to confession has already been posted, and the prayers for before and after confession are on the blog, in the “Prayers” section]