We Must Know Our Faults
March 10, 2025
1170 Miniatures of the Life of Christ French (Corbie), 1170-1180
For my loins are filled with illusions: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I have roared for the groaning of my heart. Ps. 37
FROM How to Root Out Hidden Faults by Fr. James F. McElhone (1952):
“It is obvious that, unless we know our faults, we cannot detest them and consequently cannot correct them. A study of self very often reveals that self-love has clouded our view, hiding in deceit those faults which are so apparent to those about us and so open to God. No doubt our spiritual director has helped us to see ourselves as we really are; our superior more than likely has come to our assistance; sermons and conferences and spiritual readings have shed new light on the actual state of our souls. But if such knowledge is to be truly useful as a means of improvement, we should be on the alert not to fall into new faults while we are fighting the old ones.”
Prayers for Light
O God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, enlighten my mind, that I may know what I have to do or to omit in order that I may procure Thy glory, my own sanctification and the salvation of others.
O my God, from the depths of my misery I dare to raise my voice in supplication to the throne of Thine infinite mercy; may Thy heart, O my God, be open to my prayer! I beseech Thee that I may know myself, Deign to manifest Thyself to me, that I may know myself as Thou knowest me; that I may see all the sins that I have committed and the good that I have left undone, O Holy Spirit, source of light, dissipate the darkness that blinds me; enlighten my mind that I may know my faults as I shall know them when I shall appear before my Judge to give an account of myself.
O Mary, refuge of sinners, obtain for me the grace to know myself as thy Divine Son knows me. Good St. Joseph, pray for me, that I may know what I ought to do and so earnestly strive in all my actions to do what is right.
