From "Spiritual Exercises or Annual Retreat for the Renewal of the Spirit" by Martin von Cochem:
Venial sins are not trifles
"I have committed so many venial sins in my life that no number or digit can calculate them. Before you, the omniscient God, I confess my great guilt, and with all my heart I accuse myself of all my many sins.
"Ah, how many hundreds of thousands of vain thoughts have I had all my life, and oh, how many hundreds of thousands of vain words have I spoken. Ah, how many hundred thousand times have I been distracted in my prayers, and oh, how innumerable times have I been weary of doing good. Ah, how many prayers have I neglected in my life, and ah, how many opportunities for good have I deliberately missed.
"Ah, how many good suggestions I have rejected, and ah, I consented to many evil suggestions. Ah, how often, alas, have I sought vain honour of men in my good works instead of doing them solely for your sake, my God, my greatest Good, and ah, how often have I sought to please others in my actions and omissions. Ah, how often have I looked around nosily, and oh, how often have I looked at inappropriate things. Ah, how often have I spoken of vain things, and ah, how often have I listened to vain speeches.
"Ah, how many morsels have I eaten out of sheer sensuality, and oh, how many drops have I drunk out of sheer sensuality. Ah, how often have I lied, whether in earnest or in jest, and oh, how often have I deceived others, whether in earnest or in jest. Oh, how often I laughed and chatted in church, and oh, how often I disturbed others in their prayers in this way. Ah, how often have I been angry and annoyed, and oh, how often have I caused anger. Ah, how often have I been impatient, and oh, how often have I made others impatient.
"Ah, how often have I laughed at others, and ah, how often have I offended others. Ah, how often have I despised others in trifling things, and oh, how often have I judged others in trifling things. Ah, how often have I quarreled with others, and oh, how often have I caused others to quarrel.
"Ah, how often have I hated others, and ah, how often have I slandered others in trifling things, and ah, how often have I listened to such evil rumours. Ah, how often have I found vain pleasure in my clothes, and ah, how often have I tried to get attention by my attire and looks.
"Ah, how often have I had evil thoughts of all kinds, and ah, how often have I spoken indecent words in jest. Ah, how much time have I wasted without profit, and ah, how many hours wasted in idleness without doing good. Ah, how many hours have I wasted on vain things, and ah, how many hours have I wasted in unnecessary service of my body and vanity.
"I have committed these and similar many hundreds of thousands of venial sins, and if I were to add them all together, the sum would be incalculable.
"This whole unbearable burden lies on my heart, and burdens my conscience beyond all measure. Through all these sins I have brought you, my infinite God, infinite reproach and indignity. I have thereby disfigured the excellent image of your divinity with ugly stains, and filled the monstrance of my soul with dirt.
"I recognise and confess before heaven and earth that I have sinned beyond all measure and have offended you, the most high God, in an infinite way. I regret these very many sins of mine with all my soul, with all my heart, with all my strength and hereby make up my mind to do better, and with your grace to sin no more, because you, my God and my dearest, are so good."
No comments:
Post a Comment