Friday in the First Week of Lent

We walk through a clear, step‑by‑step guide to make a good confession during Lent, from preparation to penance, with short prayers that frame the whole practice. We keep it practical: what to do, what to avoid, and how frequent confession builds peace and resolve.

• opening prayers for Lent and focus
• why preparation for confession matters
• how to examine conscience with the Holy Spirit
• how to state sins in kind and number
• keeping it brief, clear, and honest
• mortal vs venial sins and order of naming
• listening to penance and acting promptly
• praying the act of contrition deliberately
• pitfalls to avoid in the confessional
• difference between sin, temptation, and emotion
• confession vs counseling and when to ask questions
• gratitude after absolution and frequent confession

If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this Lent, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com
The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store
More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org

Transcript

Why Prepare For Confession

How To Confess Well

What Not To Do In Confession

Closing Prayers And Devotions

Lenten Resources And Invitation

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Friday, in the first week of Lent. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the holy sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen. As a continuation to yesterday's post on confession as a preparation for Mass, here is a guide that can help to confess your sins better. What to do? You should examine your conscience, asking the help of the Holy Spirit to know your sins. You should begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Bless me, Father. It has been how long since my last confession? I am married, single, etc., and these are my sins. You should name your sins in kind, that is what type of sin, and number, that is, about how many times a sin was committed. When finished, say, I am sorry for these and any other sins I may have forgotten. You should be brief and direct when naming sins. All mortal sins must be confessed. It helps to list the most difficult one first. You should pay attention to your penance and be prepared to do it as soon as possible. You should have your act of contrition memorized and pray it deliberately. You should wait for the absolution. You should pray your penance immediately if possible and give thanks to God for the sacrament. Going to confession about once a month is a good plan. What not to do? You should not rush into the confessional without examining your conscience. We must prepare for every time we receive a sacrament, otherwise, we disrespect the sacrament. You should not arrive at the very end of the time of confessions. Come early instead. You should not forget to tell the priest how long it has been since you last confessed. This is important for the priest to know. You should not be too general, such as, I have sinned so much with no detail, or beat around the bush. Be direct and deliberate instead. You should not be too detailed, giving stories for every sin, such as, then on Tuesday morning after breakfast, etc. You should not confess other people's sins, such as my spouse keeps doing this and that, or laud your own virtues, such as I've been good in this or that. The sacrament of confession is only to confess your sins. You should not be deceptive. This can invalidate the sacrament. You should not rush, ramble, or mumble. You should not confess temptations and emotions. A temptation is not a sin, and emotions are part of human personality. Reactions to these can be sinful, but not temptations and emotions themselves. You should not seek counseling in the sacrament. Brief questions are okay, but longer ones should take place outside of the sacrament. You should not ignore your penance or put it off until you don't do it. The longer one waits, the less likely the penance will be done. You should not forget or not know the act of contrition. This is an essential prayer for every Catholic, even at the end of every day. Not to memorize this is not to be prepared for this sacrament. You should not rush through or mumble your act of contrition. You should not rush out of the church after the sacrament without thanking God. You should not wait very long periods between confessions. Frequent confession makes confession easier, and the grace of the sacrament helps us to avoid sin. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. If you found this time of prayer and reflection fruitful and would like more opportunities to grow in your faith this Lent, consider joining the Cristeros and purchasing our Lenten Reflection booklet, now available on Amazon.com. The Cristeros app is available on the Apple app and Google Play Store. More information on the Cristeros can be found at theCristeros.org.