commandments of God, the precepts of the Church, the seven capital sins,
and the particular duties of our state in life, to find out the sins we
have committed.

194. Q. What should we do before beginning the examination of
conscience?
A. Before beginning the examination of conscience we should pray to God
to give us light to know our sins and grace to detest them.



LESSON EIGHTEENTH
ON CONTRITION


195. Q. What is contrition, or sorrow for sin?
A. Contrition, or sorrow for sin, is a hatred of sin and a true grief of
the soul for having offended God, with a firm purpose of sinning no
more.

196. Q. What kind of sorrow should we have for our sins?
A. The sorrow we should have for our sins should be interior,
supernatural, universal, and sovereign.

197. Q. What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be interior?
A. When I say that our sorrow should be interior, I mean that it should
come from the heart, and not merely from the lips.

198. Q. What do you mean by saying that our sorrow should be
supernatural?