Examen - 12
Transcript
Hi there! I am leading you through this examen amidst the hustle and bustle of the Damen student center on a busy Tuesday afternoon. It is wonderful to see God’s presence in the energy of our students. So no matter whether you are in the quiet of a calm room or the movement of the city, I invite you to begin to center yourself. Look at the world around you, see God’s amazing work in action. See the people, the walls, plants, photos. Enjoy all of this abundance as a reassurance of God’s love in our world. I love to take my examen time and see the world fresh, to imagine the gift of love that created the people, the animals, the world around me. Take a moment to be in awe of the complexity of everything around you.
As you take in the world around you, ask God, as in a conversation, to help open your heart. Seek an openness that is vulnerable and honest.
With an open heart, Let’s begin to think about the last day. With whom did you speak with? Both intentionally at home……..at work…….those you helped at the grocery store or on the train, the person you pass in the morning when you take your dog out……a neighbor. Consider the places you as a person have found yourself……..a crowded L car, an elevator ride, a walk about campus, the classroom, a meeting with a professor, colleague, co-worker. Perhaps a common part of your day is sharing a meal with others, who were those people, what did you talk about? We move about the world in so many varied ways, consider all of it: zooms, texts, Whatsapp, Groupme, a walk, your own home, even a call on the phone.
Think about those people, places, and experiences in the last day. I like to play it as a movie where I’m watching myself go through my whole day.
…
In your reflection, name those gifts and graces from those experience. If you are alone, say them out loud, if you are on the train, whisper or mouth them:
Love, Joy, Noticed, Seen, Support. Thank God < insert name > was home or at work today. Take a second now, name them….
As you are naming these gifts and graces, where did you feel God was most present? Offer thanks. In my own prayer life, I have shifted lately and my thanks often sounds like “Jesus, thank you for this day.” Or, “Jesus, thank you for those doctors and their skills.” What are you thankful for?
…
As you near the end of your gratitude, it is time for new considerations. Thinking on your day, where did you have tension points? I often ask myself, where was I impatient, where was I frustrated or angry? I often hear myself say things like “Uh, I really was not my best self today.” Or, “Wow, I really was a jerk when I did….”
Think on these things for a little bit. Do you need to forgive someone? Maybe that someone if yourself? In my tradition, I often ask God to forgive me for my faults, can you ask God to forgive you?
This next part of the examen is both my favorite and often the most challenging:
Hope.
Looking ahead in a spirit of hope, say a prayer for those recolletions that keep coming back into your mind. Lately, I have been grateful for specific people and encounters and my prayer is quite simple, “Jesus, thank you so much for putting so and so in my life, they are a gift to me.” Or sometimes I ask, “Jesus, help me to be x y or z today so I can be an example of your love on earth.”
After this moment of hope, I like to conclude with a prayer. Perhaps you have a favorite? Pray that prayer. I have two:
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice, and be glad.
Or
Thank you God for this glorious day.
Amen.
November 18, 2024
Examen: General
SUMMARY: General Daily Examen centered on gratitude and hope.
PRESENTER: Steven Betancourt, MM (he/him), Director, Campus Ministry
Transcript
Hi there! I am leading you through this examen amidst the hustle and bustle of the Damen student center on a busy Tuesday afternoon. It is wonderful to see God’s presence in the energy of our students. So no matter whether you are in the quiet of a calm room or the movement of the city, I invite you to begin to center yourself. Look at the world around you, see God’s amazing work in action. See the people, the walls, plants, photos. Enjoy all of this abundance as a reassurance of God’s love in our world. I love to take my examen time and see the world fresh, to imagine the gift of love that created the people, the animals, the world around me. Take a moment to be in awe of the complexity of everything around you.
As you take in the world around you, ask God, as in a conversation, to help open your heart. Seek an openness that is vulnerable and honest.
With an open heart, Let’s begin to think about the last day. With whom did you speak with? Both intentionally at home……..at work…….those you helped at the grocery store or on the train, the person you pass in the morning when you take your dog out……a neighbor. Consider the places you as a person have found yourself……..a crowded L car, an elevator ride, a walk about campus, the classroom, a meeting with a professor, colleague, co-worker. Perhaps a common part of your day is sharing a meal with others, who were those people, what did you talk about? We move about the world in so many varied ways, consider all of it: zooms, texts, Whatsapp, Groupme, a walk, your own home, even a call on the phone.
Think about those people, places, and experiences in the last day. I like to play it as a movie where I’m watching myself go through my whole day.
…
In your reflection, name those gifts and graces from those experience. If you are alone, say them out loud, if you are on the train, whisper or mouth them:
Love, Joy, Noticed, Seen, Support. Thank God < insert name > was home or at work today. Take a second now, name them….
As you are naming these gifts and graces, where did you feel God was most present? Offer thanks. In my own prayer life, I have shifted lately and my thanks often sounds like “Jesus, thank you for this day.” Or, “Jesus, thank you for those doctors and their skills.” What are you thankful for?
…
As you near the end of your gratitude, it is time for new considerations. Thinking on your day, where did you have tension points? I often ask myself, where was I impatient, where was I frustrated or angry? I often hear myself say things like “Uh, I really was not my best self today.” Or, “Wow, I really was a jerk when I did….”
Think on these things for a little bit. Do you need to forgive someone? Maybe that someone if yourself? In my tradition, I often ask God to forgive me for my faults, can you ask God to forgive you?
This next part of the examen is both my favorite and often the most challenging:
Hope.
Looking ahead in a spirit of hope, say a prayer for those recolletions that keep coming back into your mind. Lately, I have been grateful for specific people and encounters and my prayer is quite simple, “Jesus, thank you so much for putting so and so in my life, they are a gift to me.” Or sometimes I ask, “Jesus, help me to be x y or z today so I can be an example of your love on earth.”
After this moment of hope, I like to conclude with a prayer. Perhaps you have a favorite? Pray that prayer. I have two:
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice, and be glad.
Or
Thank you God for this glorious day.
Amen.