St. Ignatius of Loyola

Fifteen minutes that turn an ordinary day into prayer.

The Examen is the one prayer St. Ignatius told his Jesuits never to omit, even when everything else had to go. It is not an examination of conscience hunting for sins — it is a review of the day looking for God, who was present in it whether you noticed or not.

The Five Steps

1. Ask for light. Beg the Holy Spirit to let you see the day as God sees it, not as your mood reports it.
2. Give thanks. Walk back through the hours and name the gifts — a meal, a kindness, work done, a moment of relief. Gratitude comes before scrutiny.
3. Review the day. Move through it hour by hour. Where did you feel consolation — peace, courage, love? Where desolation — anxiety, resentment, flatness? God speaks in both.
4. Face what went wrong. Where did you turn away? Name it plainly, ask pardon, and do not linger in self-reproach.
5. Look to tomorrow. Ask for the specific grace you will need, and end with the Our Father.

A Prayer to Begin

Lord, give me light to see this day as You saw it.
Show me where You were present and I did not notice,
where You called and I did not answer,
and where You carried me and I thought I walked alone.
Teach me to be grateful for what was given,
sorry for what was refused,
and ready for tomorrow. Amen.

About This Prayer

Ignatius placed the Examen at the centre of the spiritual life because it trains a habit: finding God in all things. Most people pray it at the end of the day, though some prefer midday, and many do both. Fifteen minutes is the classic length, but five minutes prayed daily is worth more than an hour prayed occasionally.