Friday, April 22, 2016

The Examen (St. Ignatius Loyola)

Daily Examination of Consciousness or “The Examen”
(This is a simplified version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced and required Jesuits to practice twice daily at noon and at the end of the day):

1. Become aware of God’s presence. Be still and know that God is present. Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you in reviewing your day, to direct your attention where it will be most useful.

2. Review the day with gratitude. Give thanks to God for all the gifts received and given.

3. Pay attention to your emotions. When we reflect on the times we did or did not act with God’s grace, we can be more sensitive to developing better habits.

4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. Express sorrow for the times you failed to follow God’s will and ask him to be with you the next time you encounter a similar situation. Give thanks to God for the grace that enabled you to follow his will freely.

5. Look toward tomorrow. Ask God to help you look toward tomorrow with hope and trust in Him. Resolve to cooperate with God’s loving guidance.

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