Thought for the Day – 28 February – The Examination of Conscience

Thought for the Day – 28 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Examination of Conscience

“Pope St Pius X holds great authority for a Christian.
In his Exhortatio ad Clerum, he strongly recommends the Examination of Conscience, especially at the close of the day.
This Examination, he says, is necessary for Priests but it is no less necessary for the laity.
He recalls the apt words of St Augustine:
“Judge your own conscience.
Demand an account from it.
Dig deep and rend it apart.
Discover all the evil thoughts and intentions of the day … and punish yourself for them!” (Expos in Ps 4 n 8).
He also quotes the equally relevant works of St Bermard:
“Be a searching inquirer into your own integrity of life; examine your conduct everyday.
See how much you have advanced, or, how much you have fallen back …
Learn to know yourself. …
Place all your faults before your eyes.
Stand before yourself, as if it were before someone else and you will find reason to weep over yourself!” (Meditat Cap 5 de quotidiano sui ipsius examine).

The Saintly Pontiff concludes his inspiring address as follows: “Experience has proven that anyone who makes a strict examination of his thoughts, words and actions, is more firmly resolved to hate and avoid what is evil and wholeheartedly to love what is good” (Acta Pii X, IV p257).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/02/28/thought-for-the-day-28-february-the-examination-of-conscience/