Miguel Ángel Fuentes – The Particular Examination of Conscience and the Dominant Defect

It is impossible for people who do not know themselves
to reach perfection, if only because they will forge
illusions about their state (falling either into a depressing
discouragement or a presumptuous optimism). Clear and
well thought out knowledge of one’s self encourages a
person to tend for perfection and helps such a one to
work on solid ground. This knowledge must be complete,
embracing not only our natural qualities and defects, but
also our supernatural gifts and defects on the spiritual
level. Character formation is not an easy thing; it’s the
rough work of one’s whole life. The only ones who have
a well-developed character are those who have earned
it through a dedicated fight with themselves. This rough
work of developing one’s character can be reduced to
three fundamental points: self-knowledge in order to
know what must be corrected or re-directed, a plan of
life that binds our inconsistent will, and the use of certain
exterior helps in order to support our efforts.