The Examen or Evening Review

1. Recall you are in the presence of God. You are a creature in the midst of creation, and your Creator loves you.
2. Give thanks to God for favors received. Pause and spend a moment looking at this day's gifts. What did you receive and what did you give?
3. Ask for the Holy Spirit's help. Ask to receive the Holy Spirit so that you can look upon your actions and motives with honesty and patience. The Spirit gives a freedom to look upon yourself without condemnation and without complacency. The Spirit helps you be open to growth.
4. Now examine how you have been living this day. Recalling the events of your day, explore the context of your actions. Review the day, hour by hour, searching for the internal events of your life. Look through the hours to see your interaction with what was before you. Ask what you were involved in and who you were with, and review your hopes and hesitations. What moved you to act the way you did? What was God trying to tell you through the events and the people you encountered today?
5. Pray words of reconciliation and resolve. Having reviewed this day of your life, look upon yourself with compassion and see your need for God and try to realize God's manifestations of concern for you. Express sorrow for sin, give thanks for grace, and praise God for the times you responded in ways that allowed you to better see God's life. Most of all, thank God for how He used you as an instrument of his love, peace, and mercy.
   

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

 

Teach us, Good Lord
To serve you as you deserve.
To give and not count the cost.
To fight and not heed the wounds.
To toil and not to seek for rest.
To labor and not to ask for any reward
Except that of knowing that we do Your Will.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
(St. Ignatius of Loyola)

 

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.

From the malignant enemy, defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me.
And bid me come to Thee.
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee.
Forever and ever. Amen. (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

 

Increase, O Lord, the number of the missionaries of your gospel. Make them fervent, render fruitful and bless with you grace their zeal and labors, so that through them all people may know and be converted to you, their Creator and Redeemer.

Hasten, O most loving Savior, the joyful establishment of your kingdom upon earth. Draw all people to your most loving Heart in order that they may partake of the incomparable benefits of your redemption in the everlasting happiness of paradise. Amen.

 

 

Praying the Promises
(Based on the Twelve Promises made by Christ to St. Margaret Mary)

 

Let us pray: Sacred Heart of Jesus, behold us kneeling before You to praise You, to thank You, to repair our faults, and consecrate ourselves to Your love.  Mindful of Your divine promises, we presume to go to You with the utmost confidence:

 

Heart of Jesus, grant us all the graces necessary for this state of life. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, establish peace in our families. R. Lord, you have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, help us in our afflictions and console us in our trials. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, be our assured refuge in life, but especially at the hour of death. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, pour down Your blessings in abundance on all our undertakings. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, be for sinners an ocean of mercy. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, render tepid souls fervent. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, grant that fervent souls may advance rapidly in the path of perfection. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, bless every place where Your image is exposed and honored. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, give to those whou labour for the salvation of souls, the grace of thouching the hardest hearts. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, engrave forever in Your adorable Heart the names of those who promote this devotion. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Heart of Jesus, give to those who communicate for nine consecutive First Fridays, the grace of final repentance and the reception of the Sacraments. R. Lord, You have promised it.

 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, be the sole object of our love, the protector of our life, the support of our weakness, the remedy of our inconstancy, the repairer of all our faults, the assurance of our salvation, and our refuge at the hour of death. Amen.