O Almighty and most merciful God, who hast made me out of nothing,
and redeeemed me by the Precious Blood of Thine Only Son; who hast
with so much patience borne with me to this day, notwithstanding all my
sins and ingratitude; ever calling after me to return to Thee from the ways
of vanity and iniquity, in which I have been quite wearied out in the
pursuit of empty toys and mere shadows; seeking in vain to satisfy my
thirst in unclean waters, and my hunger with husks of swine: behold, O
most gracious Lord, I now sincerely desire to leave all these my evil
ways, to forsake the region of death where I have so long lost myself, and
to return to Thee, the Fountain of Life. I desire, like the prodigal son, to
enter seriously into myself, and with the like resolution to arise without
delay, and to go home to my Father – though I am most unworthy to be
called His child – in hopes of meeting with the like reception from His
most tender mercy. But, O my God, though I can go astray from Thee of
myself, yet I cannot make one step towards returning to Thee, unless Thy
divine grace move and assist me. This grace, therefore, I most humbly
implore, prostrate in spirit before the throne of Thy mercy; I beg it for the
sake of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who died upon the Cross for my sins; I
know that Thou desirest not the death of a sinner, but that he may be
converted and live; I know Thy mercies are above all Thy works; and I
most confidently hope that as in Thy mercy Thou hast spared me so long,
and hast now given me this desire of returning to Thee, so Thou wilt
finish the work which Thou hast begun, and bring me to a perfect
reconciliation with Thee.
I desire now to comply with Thy holy institution of the Sacrament of
Penance; I desire to confess my sins with all sincerity to Thee and to Thy
minister; and therefore I desire to know myself, and to call myself to an
account by a diligent examination of my conscience. But, O my God, how
miserably shall I deceive myself if Thou assist me not in this great work
by Thy heavenly light. O then remove every veil that hides any of my sins
from me, that I may see them all in their true colors, and may sincerely
detest them. O let me no longer be imposed upon by the Enemy of souls,
or by my own self-love, so as to mistake vice for virtue, to hide myself
from myself, or in any way to make excuses in sins.
But, O my good God, what will it avail me to know my sins, if Thou dost
not also give me a hearty sorrow and repentance for them? Without this
my sins will be all upon me still, and I shall be still Thine enemy and a
child of hell. Thou dost require that contrite heart, without which there
can be no reconciliation with Thee; and this heart none but Thyself can
give. O then, dear Lord, grant it unto me at this time. Give me a lively
faith, and a steadfast hope, in the Passion of my Redeemer; teach me to
fear Thee and to love Thee. Give me, for Thy mercy’s sake, a hearty
sorrow for having offended so good a God. Teach me to detest my evil
ways; to abhor all my past ingratitude; to hate myself now with a perfect
hatred for my many treasons against Thee. O give me a full and a firm
resolution to lead henceforward a new life; and unite me unto Thee with
an eternal band of love which nothing in life or death may ever break.
Grant me also the grace to make an entire and sincere confession of all
my sins, and to accept the confusion of it as a penance justly due to my
transgressions. Let not the Enemy prevail upon me to pass over anything
through fear or shame; rather let me die than consent to so great an evil.
Let no self-love deceive me, as I fear it has done too often. O grant that
this confession may be good; and for the sake of Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who died for me and for all sinners, assist me in every part of my
preparation for it; that I may perform it with the same care and diligence
as I should be glad to do at the hour of my death; that so, being perfectly
reconciled to Thee, I may never offend Thee more. Amen.
