Examen - 01
Transcript
There’s nothing like a good conversation. The memory of a good conversation brings to mind dear friends, beloved relatives, a comfy living room, a warm cup of coffee, a delicious meal, and kind words. There is a give-and-take dynamic to a good conversation: we speak and we listen; we share and we receive; we ask and are asked. We get to talk about the things that matter to us, as well as the simple things, the silly things, the challenging things that are part of our own experiences.
During this celebration of Ignatian Heritage Month, the Division of Mission Integration is inviting us all to have these conversations about our experiences through the tool of the Examen. Each of the days we will hear a different member of the division sharing a different Examen through their own styles through a particular style or in a general way. As we begin Ignatian Heritage Month, I now invite you to begin our first Examen which will simply be general. Each of these Examens will guide you through, you’ll have some moments of quiet to reflect on the questions and suggestions you are invited to.
And so, as we begin, I invite you to take a comfortable position, wherever you are. If you are in a space to close your eyes, I invite you to do so. If you are driving, I invite you to continue paying attention to the road while simply listening to the words that you are invited to. And so to begin our first Examen this month, we begin by praying for light. By praying for the courage and honesty to reflect back on what has been in this day. To look at things without judgement, simply to name them and allow them to be what they are, to invite God into the conversation, the warm conversation where we simply look at what is going on for us.
With that spirit of honesty and authenticity, I invite you now to think back on the past day. Review your day looking for what has happened. Name any key events, conversations, interactions. You will have time to think back and place meaning on all of these later. For now, simply go back to when you woke up and try to remember the events of the last day.
As you continue to think back on your day, I invite you to listen to the words of James Martin, S.J. as he describes the Examen. He writes, “Push the play button and run through your day, from start to finish, from your rising in the morning to preparing to go to bed at night. Notice what made you happy, what made you stressed, what confused you, what helped you be more loving. Recall everything: sights, sounds, feelings, tastes, textures, conversations. Thoughts, words, and deeds, as Ignatius says. Each moment offers a window to where God has been in your day.”
You can press pause if you need a little more time. If you are ready to move on, I invite you to think through the list you just made and reflect through this with gratitude, with thanksgiving, seeking the gifts that you have received, both big or small. Places where you encountered peace, love, or hope. Bring to mind the moments where you felt alive or that you are doing exactly what you are called to do, perhaps invited to consider what more you might be called to. What moments was God most present to you? Or perhaps another way of saying that, were you most aware of God’s presence in your day? Who were the people that contributed to the gift of your day? The ones where you encounter friendship, collegiality, support, connection, from any part of your life? I invite you to thank God for the people that have contributed to your past day. Finally, I invite you to leave some room here to celebrate the small things, the things that brought smiles to your face, the ways that we can recognize God in our every day, the simple things that might seem mundane. And with that, we move on to the next part of our Examen. Of course, press pause if you need more time in gratitude, savoring the gifts you have received.
But now we will move forward to recognizing our days have not been perfect. I invite you to look through your day a final time, looking for the challenges and frustrations. What are the things that have brought stress to you, confused you, made you angry? When did you find yourself responding to injustices around you, either on a large level or a small, personal level? In what ways did you find yourself acting out of alignment with your values? Perhaps in how you spoke with someone, any actions or words that you wish you had said or done or wish you hadn’t said or done? Ignatius of Loyola invites us to recognize God’s mercy as part of God’s unconditional love. So we are invited to spend a moment inviting God, asking God, to give us mercy so that we might forgive ourselves and one another, and that we might begin shifting our gaze towards restorative and means of reconciliation in our relationships and communities. Speak with God about these things.
Please pause if you need more time.
And so we move forward to the final step of our Examen, which is looking forward, a being open to what is ahead of us. We are invited to pray through, reflect through, and consider…as we think back on this day, the gifts and the challenges, given who we are in this moment, what are we seeking in the next day ahead? What are our hopes, desires, our needs? I’m reminded of the quote by Jim Manney, an author in the Ignatian world, “Nothing in our lives is so insignificant that it doesn't deserve God's attention. If it's part of our human experience, God is in it.” Whatever is on your heart and mind, whatever your desires are, it is significant enough to bring to God’s attention. Press pause if you want some more time.
And so we come to the conclusion of our Examen. I invite you to take a few deep breaths at your own pace. Close out your Examen with some kind of prayer. Perhaps with an Our Father or a Glory Be, perhaps a simple conversation with God to wrap up what you have just discussed, or intentionally just thinking again over and over, thank you. For what has been, thank you. Amen.
November 01, 2024
Examen: General
SUMMARY: Our first Examen of the month is general, inviting you to pay attention to what happened and how you were in this past day.
PRESENTER: Lauren Schwer, DMin, Director, Ignatian Spirituality; Adjunct Professor, Institute for Pastoral Studies
Transcript
There’s nothing like a good conversation. The memory of a good conversation brings to mind dear friends, beloved relatives, a comfy living room, a warm cup of coffee, a delicious meal, and kind words. There is a give-and-take dynamic to a good conversation: we speak and we listen; we share and we receive; we ask and are asked. We get to talk about the things that matter to us, as well as the simple things, the silly things, the challenging things that are part of our own experiences.
During this celebration of Ignatian Heritage Month, the Division of Mission Integration is inviting us all to have these conversations about our experiences through the tool of the Examen. Each of the days we will hear a different member of the division sharing a different Examen through their own styles through a particular style or in a general way. As we begin Ignatian Heritage Month, I now invite you to begin our first Examen which will simply be general. Each of these Examens will guide you through, you’ll have some moments of quiet to reflect on the questions and suggestions you are invited to.
And so, as we begin, I invite you to take a comfortable position, wherever you are. If you are in a space to close your eyes, I invite you to do so. If you are driving, I invite you to continue paying attention to the road while simply listening to the words that you are invited to. And so to begin our first Examen this month, we begin by praying for light. By praying for the courage and honesty to reflect back on what has been in this day. To look at things without judgement, simply to name them and allow them to be what they are, to invite God into the conversation, the warm conversation where we simply look at what is going on for us.
With that spirit of honesty and authenticity, I invite you now to think back on the past day. Review your day looking for what has happened. Name any key events, conversations, interactions. You will have time to think back and place meaning on all of these later. For now, simply go back to when you woke up and try to remember the events of the last day.
As you continue to think back on your day, I invite you to listen to the words of James Martin, S.J. as he describes the Examen. He writes, “Push the play button and run through your day, from start to finish, from your rising in the morning to preparing to go to bed at night. Notice what made you happy, what made you stressed, what confused you, what helped you be more loving. Recall everything: sights, sounds, feelings, tastes, textures, conversations. Thoughts, words, and deeds, as Ignatius says. Each moment offers a window to where God has been in your day.”
You can press pause if you need a little more time. If you are ready to move on, I invite you to think through the list you just made and reflect through this with gratitude, with thanksgiving, seeking the gifts that you have received, both big or small. Places where you encountered peace, love, or hope. Bring to mind the moments where you felt alive or that you are doing exactly what you are called to do, perhaps invited to consider what more you might be called to. What moments was God most present to you? Or perhaps another way of saying that, were you most aware of God’s presence in your day? Who were the people that contributed to the gift of your day? The ones where you encounter friendship, collegiality, support, connection, from any part of your life? I invite you to thank God for the people that have contributed to your past day. Finally, I invite you to leave some room here to celebrate the small things, the things that brought smiles to your face, the ways that we can recognize God in our every day, the simple things that might seem mundane. And with that, we move on to the next part of our Examen. Of course, press pause if you need more time in gratitude, savoring the gifts you have received.
But now we will move forward to recognizing our days have not been perfect. I invite you to look through your day a final time, looking for the challenges and frustrations. What are the things that have brought stress to you, confused you, made you angry? When did you find yourself responding to injustices around you, either on a large level or a small, personal level? In what ways did you find yourself acting out of alignment with your values? Perhaps in how you spoke with someone, any actions or words that you wish you had said or done or wish you hadn’t said or done? Ignatius of Loyola invites us to recognize God’s mercy as part of God’s unconditional love. So we are invited to spend a moment inviting God, asking God, to give us mercy so that we might forgive ourselves and one another, and that we might begin shifting our gaze towards restorative and means of reconciliation in our relationships and communities. Speak with God about these things.
Please pause if you need more time.
And so we move forward to the final step of our Examen, which is looking forward, a being open to what is ahead of us. We are invited to pray through, reflect through, and consider…as we think back on this day, the gifts and the challenges, given who we are in this moment, what are we seeking in the next day ahead? What are our hopes, desires, our needs? I’m reminded of the quote by Jim Manney, an author in the Ignatian world, “Nothing in our lives is so insignificant that it doesn't deserve God's attention. If it's part of our human experience, God is in it.” Whatever is on your heart and mind, whatever your desires are, it is significant enough to bring to God’s attention. Press pause if you want some more time.
And so we come to the conclusion of our Examen. I invite you to take a few deep breaths at your own pace. Close out your Examen with some kind of prayer. Perhaps with an Our Father or a Glory Be, perhaps a simple conversation with God to wrap up what you have just discussed, or intentionally just thinking again over and over, thank you. For what has been, thank you. Amen.