I have bee praying for some time now to receive the illumination of conscience now, rather than later, in order to be more spiritually prepared for all that is coming. I have had nightmares of my sins, nothing big mind you, but my pettiness. It seems to be all about the little ways I respond to annoyances, or let temptations to sloth and luxury lead me. I would be interested if anyone else prays this way, and what the results have been. I confess my sins now at least every other week. I would go weekly, but I don't want to become scrupulous.
Yes, I think some venial sins become ingrained in us and we are tempted to see these as personality traits and flaws but in reality they prevent us from being the best possible version of ourselves. God knows every thought we have ever had and every action is present to Him. With God's grace we can tackle these one at a times but we need to keep close to our Lady so that she can shape the image of Christ, her son in us. Looking back I am so embarrassed by my flaws and sins but it is important to know that we are forgiven and we are a work in progress. We are not yet the finished article but God continues to perfect us. What is important is what we have become rather than what we were! In other words because I am converting I am closer now to heaven than I used to be!!
My question was do you pray for an illumination of conscience. The story was about my results from praying this way. Do you pray for an illumination of conscience?
The Warning is a very great grace for the world so I do not pray to experience before hand but if God decided to give me the grace of illumination I would accept it. I pray for enlightenment as to my sins so I suppose you could say every time we prepare for the sacrament of confession we are asking for an illumination of conscience. If we do this regularly we need not worry about the Warning as we will be prepared for it. Why are all the saints so grounded and refer to themselves as great sinners? I think they examine their conscience regularly. ‘My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person.’ Referring to his slavery in Ireland and his lack of faith at the time, he says: ‘It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. Even though it came about late, I recognised my failings. So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God. Also, faith has a part to play - if we confess our sins to a priest we must believe that we are forgiven, which brings peace. Trusting in Divine Mercy pleases God.
When I was a wee boy I had pals who used to get up to all sorts of trouble and they never used to feel guilty. Even if I took a biscuit from the cupboard without asking I felt bad. I saw the movie Pinocchio whose conscience Jimny Cricket sat on his shoulders. I suddenly realized that was the problem. If I wanted to enjoy life more I had to get rid of my conscience. So I asked God to take it away. Quite a smart move for a 5 year old. Anyway, God was smarter than me and left me with my conscience. Just as well he did or I would probably be writing this from prison.
I personally wouldn't pray for it as I believe we are not supposed to chase after spiritual experiences, but to discern them if they come to us unbidden. On a side note I have always wondered if the illumination of conscience will vary depending upon if the person is in a state of mortal sin or not.
I understand. I wasn't being judgmental. I have just read in the lives of the saints we are not supposed to pursue such things.
Listen. Listen. Just listen... Find a nice quite place and search your heart and confess your sins to your attentive Father in heaven and ask for forgiveness. Listen to God and He will listen to you. God Bless!
without a doubt! how could 2 souls walk away with the same experience....one in mortal sin the other in veinal....the Bible and Church teaching is very clear! no need to discern what ifs??? grab a catechism and an examin of conceince and you will find the True path...
From Heede [approved] .... Particularly noteworthy of these latter events, on one occasion, while speaking about the "Minor Judgement", Jesus said solemnly to Greta: "For those who are not in the State of Grace (when the Minor Judgment happens) it will beFRIGHTFUL."
That's not so true Mac, if a soul in mortal sin frequently confesses sins and a soul who commits the same sins and never goes to confess will be condemmed !where the first, who did wrong and confessed will be given pardon for there perseverance in confession... NO comparison between the two....none!
I understand the Church teaching that mortal sins are forgiven in confession and held against us no more (except for the temporal punishment due from them). Thus the saying that God forgets them, but in this particular experience aren't we supposed to see ALL of our sins as God sees them?
when God forgives our sins ,they are Forgiven. Many talk about an Illumination of conceince at some time.If this is true,if you confessed already no worries.This would apply to all who have killed their conceince and have not confessed for forgiveness. You may be enlightened to venial sin but not mortal....would depend on when tis illumination took place and your last good cxonfession...no worries!....you can gain a plenary indulgence every day of the week. read the Bible for 30 mins a day and after pray for the pope. PATER , AVE, Gloria...ROSARY WITH OTHHERS IN Church, same prayers fro the pope after.....many many others......have no fear, Our Lord Loves you! You seek to console him, when many could care less if hes offended!
Just to point out a detail, I believe it is a misunderstanding when some prophecies say we will see our sins as God sees them. That is impossible as we are not God. He is infinite and we are finite. At the Warning I believe we will see our sins as best as our particular intellect and understanding allows.
Sister Lucia and Martin Buber in his seminal work, 'On Good and Evil', say, respectively I believe, that in the first judgment we see God as if looking in a mirror....it is the God inside us that plays our life story and points out where we missed the mark, and our unpaid debts. For a few years I tried biweekly confession. But my priest at present doesn't seem interested. He said I am quite negative about myself and have a low self opinion. I didn't say anything but I wanted to scream, 'This is confession, and you want me to pat myself on the back for my failures?' I was really trying to delve into my past and clear up everything from the beginning, but it's all the same crap eh? So he thinks I'm just being repetitive or something.
Its no misunderstand, it is the very point of the " Warning" . We can not begin to comprehend the gravity of our sins,as he sees them, so he will prove the graces needed to allow us to do so. I have had conversations with Conchita regarding this event, and she has even said in interviews that "people would rather die,than have to go through this. ". So this is not only possible, but will be a reality ! Prepare yourself for the worst day of your life. Write me after the Warning
Just my two cents worth, but I feel if God allows us to see past sins already confessed, it will be to see his mercy, it will be to deepen our humility, but it will not be sins which cause us the type of grief that will come from the sins we have not confessed. Whatever comes from God I am willing to accept, because he gives us this opportunity of mercy to deepen our love for him, not to stick it in our face as retribution.
I have been preparing myself and I take this event from God very seriously. I was not doubting Conchita or the gravity of The Warning. I was simply saying that because God is eternal, unbounded by time, He sees the effect of our sins upon all eternity, in there fullest with every single detail and consequence known to Him. It seems unlikely to me that God would grant this highest level of knowledge to us at The Warning. It would mean that for a time, our intellect, memory, and understanding (concerning our sins) would be equal to God.
