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A Way to open our eyes to God’s presence: The Examen
As I get older, time certainly seems to go by faster. I suspect I’m not the only one who feels that way. It is so easy for days to slide one into the other and go by without much notice; many routines become so rote that we may not even remember if we had done them by the day’s end.
This means that we can lose track of God’s presence in our daily lives, too. There is a way to change that rather mindless condition. The Daily Examen is a simple form of prayer that can help us keep from missing God’s presence and messengers in our lives. You and I can thank Saint Ignatius of Loyola for giving us this gift; the Examen can be found in his Spiritual Exercises (another great Jesuit gift!).
This prayer can be done at the end of the day. It takes about 15-20 minutes—15 to 20 graced minutes!
There are five simple steps that Ignatius suggests:
Yes—simple steps, but not necessarily easy!
God is present in the details of our lives as well as the major joys, sorrows, sufferings, and losses. The Examen helps us tune in more finely to that presence as well as deepen our commitment to loving God and neighbor.
Let us pray for each other! May you have a blessed day.