Daily Examen Prayer

What is the daily Examen?

The Examen is a prayerful review associated with the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It helps you notice God’s gifts and your responses within an ordinary day. It includes gratitude and attention to experience, as well as recognition of sin and a desire to change. Loyola Press offers a helpful introduction from the Jesuit tradition.

In his October 5, 2022 audience, Pope Francis encouraged a calm review of the day as a way to grow in self-knowledge. This guide provides original prompts for that kind of prayer. It is not a transcript of his remarks or a quotation from the Spiritual Exercises.

Five movements for an ordinary evening

Begin by settling down and asking for the Holy Spirit’s help. Recall one particular gift with gratitude. Walk back through your day, paying attention to the way you responded to people and events. Acknowledge a wrong choice and ask for mercy. Finish by entrusting tomorrow to God.

You can move through these five sections without recording anything. If a single moment deserves attention, stay with it briefly. The questions are invitations to prayer rather than a sequence you must complete perfectly.

• Become still: ask for light and attention.
• Give thanks: remember a particular gift.
• Review: notice where your choices led.
• Ask for mercy: acknowledge a wrong and a possible repair.
• Look ahead: choose one response for tomorrow.

An example of using the guide

Perhaps someone interrupted your work and you answered harshly. You might recall the pressure you were under, recognize that the person still deserved respect, and ask for help to respond differently. A practical next step could be a brief apology the following morning.

You may also remember receiving kindness, finding a moment of rest, or doing something generous. Include that in prayer. Gratitude gives the day its fuller shape and helps you recognize opportunities to love that you might otherwise pass over.

Feelings can be noticed without being judged

A difficult emotion can tell you something about your experience without proving that you sinned. The Catechism treats emotions themselves differently from the choices of reason and will (CCC 1767). Notice anger, fear, joy, or sadness, then consider what you actually did with the experience.

Avoid trying to assign a spiritual meaning to every passing thought. When a concern remains unclear, you can bring it to a trusted priest or spiritual director. One quiet review is enough for this practice; it need not become repeated checking of the same day.

Daily prayer and sacramental confession

The daily Examen supports a continuing life of prayer. Preparation for confession has a more specific task: recalling sins to bring to the sacrament. The two practices can support one another, but finishing an Examen does not give sacramental absolution.

Close with a familiar prayer or a few words of trust. If you remembered something for confession, keep only the reminder you need. Then let the reflection end and turn toward rest or the next duty of your day.