"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."
Psalm 50:10
The Daily Examen Self knowledge is a gift from God. Benedictines value this gift in that it allows us to discern our will from God‘s will. The Examen prayer is a Spirit filled reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction for us. It is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. It can take time to integrate this type of prayerful reflection into ones daily routine but in time you will see the great fruit it will bear in your life! The method presented here is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. St. Ignatius thought that the Examen was a gift that came directly from God, and that God wanted it to be shared as widely as possible. One of the few rules of prayer that Ignatius made for the Jesuit order was the requirement that they practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It’s a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day. Things to consider when praying the Examen prayer... ITS THE FATHER WHO DRAWS US ‘No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me.’ (John 6:44) We are aware that the Father is continually drawing each one of us to Himself in and through Christ. We experience his action in our feelings, moods, impulses and desires. God reveals Himself in our feelings as much as He does in our clear and distinct ideas. If we want to find God more intimately we must let Him draw us at the core of our being, which means becoming more aware of our feelings. Here we recognise God’s ceaseless invitation to come closer, to be more like Him, to be at one with Him. We are also conscious of the resistance to Him, which arises from sin in ourselves and in the world about us. Which of my feelings and moods are leading me to God ? Which of my feelings and moods are leading me away from Him ? FEELINGS ARE IMPORTANT We are not talking about feelings on the surface, but about movements deep in our hearts, where God has placed His Word. If we stay away from the depths where we are truly ourselves, we shall miss much that the Spirit is saying to us. At the level of our deeper and more lasting feelings we discover ourselves and our real relationship with God. We see what has to be faced, understood, decided and acted upon. There are times when each of us has to face such questions as: Is God real ? What does Jesus mean to me ? The answers we give from the heart make us more mature and give us a clearer idea of our identity and our relationship with God. Some moments of renewed conviction can be described as a deep-felt, personal experience of faith. These are times when we surrender to God. To begin with there may be fear, but peace and joy eventually tell me that God makes His home in me and I make my home in Him. I have to learn to take each present experience and to place it at a level where I am trying to live out my complete surrender to God. If my present pre-occupations fit into the deeper attitude of surrender there will be a sense of harmony, peace and joy. If I experience disturbance, anxiety or sadness I am not at home with God and I am going in the wrong direction. We have to be in touch with our feelings in order to sort them out and avoid being blown about by them. The Examen is a good way of knowing my true self and after the Eucharist it provides one of the best opportunities for a daily, intimate meeting with Christ. Adapted from an original article by Fr George Ashenbrennar SJ |
The Examen Prayer
I THANKSGIVING
‘All that I have is yours’ (John 17:10) The Examen is prayer and every prayer we make is through Jesus Christ; cut off from Him we can do nothing. The stronger my faith the greater my sense of emptiness and of God’s goodness. I am filled with God who lives within me. Gratitude for God’s "love-in-deeds" was a powerful element in the life of St Ignatius. Thanksgiving will help me to discover God’s daily gifts and gradually to recognize that all is gift. What have I got to be grateful for today ? How much do I take for granted ? What has made me ungrateful, dissatisfied, frustrated ? Am I becoming more grateful and contented ? II PRAYER FOR THE LIGHT ‘The Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you everything.’ (John 14:26) Only the Holy Spirit can help me to know myself as a son/daughter of the Father and a companion of Jesus. I need to have my eyes opened. I need light to see whether my gratitude is in proportion to the worth of so many gifts given to me. The Holy Spirit teaches me each day about Christ, about my life in Christ and about my use and acceptance of gifts. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:2). III EXAMINATION Too much attention to our own victories and failures can make us self-absorbed and confirm us in the illusion that we manage our own lives. Examination is rather a question of asking how I respond to God’s loving action in my life. How was I drawn to God today: a friend, an event, a book, the beauty of nature ? Have I learned anything about God and His ways: in ordinary occasions, spare moments ? Did I meet Him in: fears, joys, work, misunderstandings, weariness, suffering ? Did His Word come alive in: prayer, scriptures, liturgy ? Did I bring Christ to the people around me? Did they bring Christ to me ? Have I been a sign of God’s presence and love to the people I met today ? Did I go out to: the lonely, the sorrowful, the discouraged, the needy? Have I had a keener sense of being loved, of sinfulness, of desire to give back what I have received, of dependence ? Is there some part of my life still untouched by Jesus Christ and where He is calling me to a change of heart ? IV SORROW You may experience an awareness of sin in your life and this is a great gift granted in love by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. One can express sorrow for the ways in which we have failed to respond to His love at work in me. This can lead to: Wonder at constantly being brought home. Joy and gratitude because I share in the victory of Christ. Mistrust of self and trust in God. Serene acceptance of my weakness. Conviction that I am being converted from a sinner into a son/daughter of God. V HOPE FOR THE FUTURE We end the Examen by looking towards tomorrow with the desire and resolve to effect changes in action or attitude that God has called us to today. We deal with it one day at a time. In this fifth point we don't look at changing our whole lives, we simply look at what we want to change tomorrow, and ask God's help for it. Ignatius adds our need for God's grace, an important point. We are not resolving to perfect ourselves by force of our own will. We are resolving to open ourselves to grace through awareness of where we need it Finish with the Our Father or Anima Christi or a simple act of giving thanks for what God has revealed to you... The more I trust in God and allow Him to lead me, the more I experience hope in Him, who raises me up from weakness, poverty and pain to the joy of His Resurrection. Amen |