On Monday night I'm giving an evening reflection at a nearby parish (St. Margaret's in Narberth). Where is God in our everyday lives? Here and now? Karl Rahner, S.J. writes in Encounters with Silence, "if there is any path at all on which I can approach You, it must lead through the middle of my very ordinary daily life." How can we seek out God in the midst of our ordinary days, in the laundry, the kids, on the drive to work or the aisle in the grocery store? How do we respond when we find Christ sitting next to us on the bus, or encounter God at dawn in the kitchen?St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians tells us we are clothed in Christ, who was God in the everyday — so our call to be quotidian mystics, saints of the daily, is a call to seek Christ, God walking among us, seen and unseen, recognized and anonymous....
Where am I going? The examen — a practice of gratitude and attentiveness — and finding moments of stillness....I'm going to try to podcast it in sections post facto.
As I prepare for JVCs, I need to learn more about the examen (golden opportunity for self judgment?). I looked at this--http://ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/ and wondered if you might be able to say a bit more about it at some time or place.
ReplyDeleteI would like to celebrate Easter better this year, and am keeping my eye out along the Lenten way for potential disciplines/ practices in the hopes of adopting an appropriate one for Easter. (Why is it that we have Lenten disciplines to cultivate a time of growth and renewal and at Easter everything often goes out the window? We need Lent, but should it overshadow the great rejoicing when the culminating season arrives? And by "we", I really mean "me".) Of course Spiritual Director will probably have something(s) to say about it all as well.
P.S. My comment on self judgment referred to my reactions to the idea of an examen, quite aware that it is probably not something at all like that.
ReplyDeletemay it go well tonight
ReplyDelete...that's a good question about what happens when we hit Easter!
ReplyDeleteAnd the examen is more about reflecting with God than about self-judgement. I have a good hand-out!?!
@Stratoz -- all was well! Thanks...
ReplyDeleteHi flacie,
ReplyDeleteNot to take over Michelle's comments, but I'm one of the people behind the scenes at http://ignatianspirituality.com/. Michelle is right that the examen is about reflecting with God. It's not the same as an examination of conscience.
Have you tried the Lunchtime Examen at our site? That gives some information about what the examen is, but it also leads you through the experience of praying the examen. It might be helpful to you.
All best as you prepare for JVC!
Thanks, Denise! I'll add my two cents worth - the resources at http://ignatianspirituality.com/ on the Examen are terrific -- this handout is particularly good.
ReplyDeleteJESUS IS COMING BACK SOON!! WE ARE IN THE LAST DAYS! DRAW NEAR TO HIM & REPENT OF YOUR SINS!
ReplyDeleteWWW.SPIRITLESSONS.COM
Hello Denise,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I just finished praying through the first lunchtime examen.
I appreciated the aim of seeing God, who is present in the world, in the events of our day to day lives. I will tuck that thought kernel away with me.
Michelle: I read the handout. I thought tying individual events into thoughts/life patterns is usually a good practice.
Peace,
Katherine