How many times have you walked into the confessional line thinking only about “I didn’t go to Mass on Sunday” or “I stole 500 pesos”? You arrive, say that, and leave… but you feel like you left half your soul dirty.

Father Ángel Espinosa de los Monteros, with his characteristic clarity and affection, offers us a simple, practical, and profound guide to making  a good confession . This is not a lengthy lecture, but rather a three-minute piece of advice that can change your spiritual life forever.

1. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance before confessing

First, even while you’re in the car or waiting in line: “My God, help me to truly see my conscience.”

Don’t settle for the obvious sins. Treat confession like cleaning your room: yes, you pick up the spilled coffee and broken glass… but you also remove the cobwebs, organize the closet, and make the bed. Do a thorough cleaning!

2. Two easy schemes for examining your conscience

Outline 1: The 10 Commandments  Start with the first three, which talk about your relationship with God:

• Do I love him with all my heart, or is he second best?
• Have I neglected prayer?
• Am I getting distracted or am I talking during Mass?
• Do I sanctify Sunday or treat it like any other day?
• Do I use God’s name in vain (silly oaths, “I swear to God”, angry expressions…)?

The priest is clear: using God’s name for foolish things is unforgivable… unless you sincerely repent. Your words must be yes, yes, or no, no.

Next come the seven commandments that regulate how to treat others:

• Honor your father and mother (call them, show them you care, do thoughtful things for them). The Bible promises a beautiful blessing: “You will be happy and have a long life” (even if it’s for eternity!).
• You shall not steal, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not lie, you shall not covet.

Regarding desire: Seeing someone attractive and admiring the beauty of God’s creation is not a sin. But saying “I’m dying to be with her” is a sin in the heart, as Jesus teaches.

Diagram 2: The five fingers of your hand.  An even more practical and accessible way:

• How is my relationship with  God ?
• With my  husband or wife ?
• With my  children ?
• With  others  (family, friends, employees, in-laws…)?
• What am I doing  for others ?

This is where the important issue of  omissions comes in . It’s not only what I do wrong that’s sinful, but also what I fail to do: Have I allowed someone around me to die of loneliness, sadness, or lack of love? Jesus didn’t just ask if I fed the hungry; he could also have asked: Did you offer advice, a hug, a word of encouragement, a little push when they needed it?

3. The commitment that changes everything

” From today onward, never again a mortal sin. ” Grave matter + full awareness + full consent = never again.

We will always have venial sins, but we can be in a  state of continuous purification . Living in grace should be our daily goal.

Dear friends, let us do all the good we can.

The next time you go to confession, don’t go with a short, routine list. Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, examine your heart honestly, and leave with a truly clean and peaceful soul.

Are you up for trying these two schemes at your next confession?