Welcome to this time of reflection.
I'm glad that you've joined us.
In this guided meditation,
We'll explore the Ignatian examine,
A simple practice that helps us notice the presence of God in our daily lives.
Whether you've had a day filled with joy or a difficult one,
The examine invites us to pause,
Reflect,
And rediscover God's presence.
In the updated NRSV translation of Psalm 139,
Verse 23,
The Bible says,
Search me,
O God,
And know my heart.
Test me and know my thoughts.
It is in this spirit that we spend time in the examine.
Some background before we begin.
The examine was created in the 15th century by Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
The founder of the Jesuit order of priests.
He developed this practice so that people like you and me could attune ourselves to God's presence and respond to God's leading.
The practice has five steps.
Step one,
Becoming aware of God's presence and giving thanks.
Step two,
Asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Step three,
Reviewing your day and noticing feelings.
Step four,
Responding to your day through conversation with God.
Step five,
Looking toward tomorrow.
I love this quote from Father James Martin,
A Jesuit priest and a New York Times bestselling author,
Who writes,
Think of it as a movie playing in your head.
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 to be more loving.
Recall everything,
Sights,
Sounds,
Feelings,
Tastes,
Textures,
Conversations,
Or,
As Ignatius said,
Thoughts,
Words,
And deeds.
Each moment offers a window to where God has been in your day.
So let's examine where God has been in our day through the examine.
First,
Find a comfortable position,
Whether sitting up or lying down.
Then,
You will hear a series of gentle bells that will let you know when we're moving on to the next step of the practice.
Step one,
Becoming aware of God's presence and giving thanks.
Begin by taking three centering breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Allow yourself to become aware of God's presence around you and within you.
Become aware that you are held in God's love,
Just as you are right now.
Now,
Bring to mind something from today for which you are thankful.
Take another deep centering breath.
Step two,
Asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Invite God's Spirit to guide this time of reflection.
You can do that in your own way or with your own words,
Or here's a simple prayer that you can offer along with me.
Come,
Holy Spirit,
Help me to see my day through your eyes.
Bring clarity to my mind,
Openness to my heart,
And trust in your presence.
Take another deep centering breath and feel God's Spirit gently guiding you.
Step three,
Reviewing your day and noticing feelings.
We will spend a minute or so reviewing our day so far.
Whether it's only halfway through your day or just before bedtime,
Imagine walking through the moments of your day one step at a time.
What stands out?
Were there moments of joy,
Peace,
Or connection?
Were there struggles,
Frustrations,
Or times you felt distant or unsettled?
Pay attention to the feelings that arise.
There's no need to judge or fix anything.
Simply notice and trust that God is communicating to you through each of these memories and feelings.
Step four,
Responding to your day through conversation with God.
Choose one moment from your day to focus on.
Maybe something that brought you joy or something that's weighing on your heart,
A difficult choice,
Or a moment that you weren't at your best.
Did you feel God as near or as distant in that specific moment?
Talk to God,
Either out loud or silently,
About this moment and about those feelings.
If you need forgiveness for something in that moment,
Acknowledge that.
If you have a question,
Ask God and listen for the answer.
Step five,
Looking toward tomorrow.
Now,
Gently turn your thoughts toward tomorrow.
What do you hope for as you look ahead?
Are there worries you want to bring to God?
What would you like to ask of God?
Step six,
Praying the Lord's Prayer.
I'll be using the Reformed Church version,
But feel free to substitute words from whichever version is most familiar to you.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom,
The power,
And the glory are yours,
Now and forever.
Amen.
