An Examination of Conscience According to the Expected trials after Death

From the Vision of Blessed Theodora

Very useful for self-examination before Confession

THE FIRST TRIAL
    Idle speech
    Speaking without thinking
    Speaking what is vile and shameless
    Speaking without need or order
    Words uttered needlessly or unreasonably
    Words expressing anything blasphemous
    Angry words
    Foul language
    Wild cries or ridiculing laughter

THE SECOND TRIAL
    Every lying word
    Failure to keep promises
    Vain use of God's name
    Insincerity in confession or toward others
    Bearing false witness
    Flattery

THE THIRD TRIAL
    Speaking evil of others
    Spreading rumors or gossip
    Judging deeds of others
    Damaging someone's reputation - slander
    Condemning one's neighbor
    Agreeing in thought when someone else condemns others

THE FOURTH TRIAL
    Gluttony
    Drunkenness
    Drug abuse
    Eating secretly from others
    Eating without need
    Eating in the morning before praying
    Eating before the Liturgy [even if not communing]
    Breaking holy fasts

THE FIFTH TRIAL
    Sloth
    Idleness
    Not working but living by the labor of others
    Taking wages but not fulfilling duties
    Not caring to praise God
    Neglecting regular attendance at church
    Carelessness about the soul's salvation
    Despondency

THE SIXTH TRIAL
    Stealing in all its forms
    Plagiarism of another's ideas or work

THE SEVENTH TRIAL
    Greed/avarice
    Love of or over-concern about money or riches
    Discontent with what God has given you

THE EIGHTH TRIAL
    Lending money for interest - usury
    Gaining payment from the exploitation of others
    Taking bribes
    Gambling

THE NINTH TRIAL
    Injustice
    Not giving fair wages to workers
    Cheating others in any way

THE TENTH TRIAL
    Envy
    Lack of love
    Hatred toward others
    Unfriendliness, rude behavior

THE ELEVENTH TRIAL
    Vanity
    Bragging
    Self-reliance rather than trusting in God
    Failure to honor parents or superiors

THE TWELFTH TRIAL
    Anger
    Severely punishing
    Cruelty
    Speaking angrily, without care for others' feelings
    Angry looks, being passive aggressive

THE THIRTEENTH TRIAL
    Holding evil thoughts in our hearts
    Returning evil for evil
    Bearing grudges
    Planning wicked designs against others

THE FOURTEENTH TRIAL
    Murder
    Robbery
    Wounding others
    Pushing, shoving or hitting another

THE FIFTEENTH TRIAL
    Magic, sorcery
    Consulting horoscopes, psychics or fortune tellers
    Poisoning, potions

THE SIXTEENTH TRIAL
    Sex before marriage
    Impure glances
    Sexual fantasizing
    Failure to confess sexual sins or justifying them

THE SEVENTEENTH TRIAL
    Adultery [infidelity in marriage]
    Rape
    Impurity in marriage

THE EIGHTEENTH TRIAL
    Sodomy
    Masturbation
    Incest
    Bestiality

THE NINETEENTH TRIAL
    Frequenting the churches of, or praying with, heretics
    Introducing or reasoning with heresies
    Turning away from the Orthodox confession of faith
    Doubting, denying, or having negative attitudes toward holy things

THE TWENTIETH TRIAL
    Lack of compassion
    Hardness of heart
    Unmercifulness

Blessed Theodora was the maid of Venerable Basil, The New (March 25), who was a great confessor for the faith. When Theodora dies, she appeared to Gregory, Basil's novice, and described to him the twenty levels of judgment [Mitarstvo] through which every soul must pass.