The Daily Examen of St. Ignatius of Loyola

As I have mentioned before my older sons attend a Jesuit high school. Every afternoon, they practice the Examen. The school rings a bell and they pause in the middle of their class or free period for a few minutes of silence. They reflect on the day so far and try to become aware of God’s presence and discern the God’s direction for their lives at that moment.

This is a nice practice for anyone, not just Catholic high school students. So try to take a few minutes in the afternoon to think about how your day is going and be aware of God. It is especially helpful when you are frustrated or lacking direction.

This is a simple version of the daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.