The Importance of Daily Examination of Conscience
The Church Fathers emphasize the necessity of a daily examination of conscience as a powerful tool for spiritual growth. St. Paul commands Christians to examine themselves before receiving Holy Communion, warning that unworthy reception leads to judgment (1 Corinthians 11:28–31). Early monastic figures like St. Anthony, St. Augustine, and St. Bernard practiced this discipline nightly, reflecting on their actions to grow in virtue and avoid sin.
Before confession, self-examination intensifies contrition and prepares the soul for repentance. By identifying sins committed since the last confession, penitents can approach the sacrament with humility and clarity. Regular self-reflection not only aids our preparation for the Holy Mysteries, but also strengthens awareness of God’s presence and fosters gratitude for His grace.
St. John Cassian’s Eight Vices
St. John Cassian’s teachings on the Eight Vices provide a profound framework for examining one’s conscience and growing in virtue. Each vice is paired with its opposing virtue, daughter sins, and a cure, offering a roadmap for spiritual transformation.
Gluttony
Gluttony is the excessive indulgence in food or drink, which leads to a lack of self-control and spiritual lethargy. Its daughter sins include greediness, drunkenness, overeating, obsession with delicacies, and neglect of fasting. The opposing virtue is temperance, which fosters moderation and self-restraint. To overcome gluttony, one should practice fasting intentionally, stop eating while still hungry, pair bodily discipline with prayer, and meditate on Scripture.
Fornication (Lust)
Fornication refers to unchaste thoughts or actions driven by impure desires. Its daughter sins include foul language, indecency, sensual fantasies, mockery, and spiritual blindness. The opposing virtue is chastity, which purifies the heart and body. The cure involves guarding the senses, avoiding idleness, engaging in manual labor, and replacing impure thoughts with prayer.
Avarice (Greed)
Avarice is an excessive attachment to wealth or possessions that distracts from spiritual priorities. Its daughter sins include lies, deceit, theft, perjury, and violence. Generosity is the opposing virtue, promoting detachment and charity. To counter greed, one should give alms freely, reflect on the transient nature of earthly goods, and reject hoarding.
Anger
Anger manifests as destructive rage or resentment toward others. Its daughter sins include hatred, bitterness, contention, unforgiveness, and even murder. Meekness is the opposing virtue that cultivates peaceful self-control. To overcome anger, practice patience, seek reconciliation with others, and meditate on Christ’s forgiveness.
Melancholy (Sadness)
Melancholy is excessive sorrow or despair that rejects spiritual hope and trust in God. Its daughter sins include rancor, despair, weak-mindedness, isolation, and bitterness. The opposing virtue is joy—trusting in God’s providence and goodness. To combat melancholy, recount God’s past mercies, engage in communal worship with others, and avoid idle solitude.
Depression/Listlessness (Acedia)
Acedia is spiritual apathy or neglect of duties caused by distraction or laziness. Its daughter sins include slothfulness, laziness, vagrancy (wandering aimlessly), curiosity (distraction), and instability in commitments. The opposing virtue is diligence—steadfastness in prayer and work. To cure acedia, establish a rule of prayer and embrace simple tasks while rejecting idle distractions.
Vainglory
Vainglory arises from seeking praise or recognition for oneself rather than glorifying God. Its daughter sins include hypocrisy, boasting, strife, novelty-seeking behaviors for attention, and even heresy born of prideful innovation. Humility is its opposing virtue—hidden service to others without self-promotion. To overcome vainglory: conceal good deeds from public view; confess faults to a spiritual guide; reject self-promotion.
Pride
Pride is arrogant self-exaltation that fosters contempt for others and alienates one from God’s grace. Its daughter sins include envy (resentment of others’ blessings), disobedience to authority or God’s commands; blasphemy; grumbling; and calumny (spreading falsehoods about others). Charity—the selfless love for others—is its opposing virtue. To cure pride: acknowledge dependence on God’s grace daily; practice humility through acts of service; and actively seek ways to lift others up instead of oneself.
Final Reflections from Patristic Wisdom
Daily examination of conscience not only prepares Christians for confession but also fosters spiritual growth by cultivating awareness of God’s presence and gratitude for His grace.
In Unseen Warfare, Lorenzo Scupoli advises focusing on one’s predominant sin first in spiritual warfare—this is often the passion that most tyrannically rules the heart. He writes:
“The order in which it is necessary to fight your enemies and struggle with your bad desires and passions, is the following: enter with attention into the heart and examine carefully with what thoughts, dispositions and passionate attachments it is specially occupied, and which passion is most predominant and tyrannically rules there. Then against this passion first of all take up arms and struggle to overcome it.”
St. John Chrysostom similarly teaches that condemning one’s sins openly makes them less likely to recur.
In summary, daily examination of conscience is vital tool for spiritual growth and repentance that the fathers recommend before confession or sleep at night. By focusing especially on one’s predominant sin while addressing all vices systematically through prayer and virtue cultivation, Christians advance steadily toward holiness.
Examining Ourself After Evening Prayers
Here is a suggested checklist to examine yourself against the Eight Vices:
Did I overindulge in food or drink today? Did I neglect fasting?
Did I entertain impure thoughts or words or engage in unchaste actions?
Was I excessively attached to material possessions or wealth?
Did I harbor or express anger or resentment toward anyone? Did I fail to forgive?
Did I succumb to despair or excessive sadness? Did I reject hope in God?
Was I spiritually apathetic or neglectful of my duties? Did I waste time idly?
Did I seek praise or recognition for myself rather than glorifying God?
