DAILY EXAMEN
GATHER
Alone or with others, intentionally settle in to a quiet place. Perhaps light a candle and take a few deep breaths to begin.
ENTER GOD’S PRESENCE
Tender God, your light shines on us all and guides our feet in the paths of peace. We give you thanks for your presence with us on this journey. Amen
REFLECT ON MY DAY
Think back over your day, watching it like a movie and asking God to call to mind moments and events that God wants you to see. They may not be the moments you thought were most important!
Let your imagination replay the moments for which you are thankful:
- When did I feel like Jesus was next to me? Did I feel God’s love in something someone said or did? When did I feel content, like I could relax and rest? What does my body feel like when I am thankful?
Now, with tenderness, replay any difficult moment:
- Is there a part of this week I wish I could erase? Did I get angry this ? Did I feel lost or lonely? What does my body feel like when I remember these parts of my day?
OFFER MY DAY TO GOD
Quiet your heart and mind with a few deep breaths. Ask God to speak to you about your day. Tell Jesus that you want to see where he was in all of the things you are remembering. Listen, and watch, for God as you quietly remember.
Closing prayer from Isaiah 43:
Our faithful God, answer us when we call out to you.
Give us rest from our trouble.
Have mercy on us, and hear our prayer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAILY PRACTICE
Praying With Your Eyes
Visio Divina (“Divine Seeing”) is an ancient practice of communing with God through images. In a culture saturated with visual information, “Visio Divina invites us to see at a more contemplative pace. It invites us to see all there is to see, exploring the entirety of the image. It invites us to see deeply, beyond first and second impressions, below initial ideas, judgments, or understandings. It invites us to be seen, addressed, surprised, and transformed by God who is never limited or tied to any image, but speaks through them.” - Tim Mooney, Praying with Art - Visio Divina on Patheos.com
How To Practice Visio Divina: (practice adapted from upperroom.org)
- Pick out an image from a website, photograph, painting, or icon (some suggestions are listed below).
- Look at the image and let your eyes stay with the very first thing that you see. Keep your attention on that one part of the image that first catches your eye. Try to keep your eyes from wandering to other parts of the picture. Breathe deeply and let yourself gaze at that part of the image for a minute or so.
- Now, let your eyes gaze at the whole image. Take your time and look at every part of the image. See it all. Reflect on the image for a minute or so.
- Consider the following questions:
- What emotions does this image evoke in you?
- What does the image stir up in you, bring forth in you?
- Does this image lead you into an attitude of prayer? If so, let these prayers take form in you. Write them down if you desire.
- Finally, offer your prayers to God in a final time of silence.
Suggested Art Resources
If possible, consider visiting a museum. The DeYoung and Legion of Honor are offering free admission for everyone on April 2nd, and free for all San Francisco residents on April 6th. At the DeYoung, check out Anti-Mass, by Cornelia Parker, on permanent display in gallery 16. Alternatively, here are some online suggestions:
https://www.themodernsaints.com/sacred-heart-of-jesus
https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/savior-23678
https://thevcs.org/parable-sower/there-went-out-sower-sow