I have had numerous discussions recently about organization and making time for prayer and reflection. People have been interested in how I keep the Jesuit Daily Examen on my calendar, so I am sharing it here along with suggested times. The Examen is one of the most effective (and easiest) ways I know to have scheduled reflection and prayer throughout the day. Save it as an ongoing and daily occurrence on your calendar and try following it faithfully (3-5 minutes for each one)…it will make a real difference in your life!
Daily Examen for Busy Business People
1. Thanksgiving 6:45 am
Begin by relaxing into God’s presence in an attitude of thankfulness. Find one thing to be thankful for-even if you are having a tough time. Allow gratitude to take hold of you.
2. Pray for Insight 10:15 am
Pray to the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what you need at this time. Consciously open yourself to God’s light.
3. Finding God in All Things 1:15 pm
This is the heart of the prayer where you examine very concretely the events of the day.
- What happened since this morning?
- Who have you come in contact with?
- What occupies your thoughts today?
- How are you being drawn to God in your life today? Now?
- Where is God calling you specifically this day?
- Is it time to make a tough decision that will affect the lives of many people?
- Should I simply bask in gratefulness to God for my life, career in family?
This is not a time for searching for faults. Rather it is a chance to take a step back and recognize that God is active in the entirety of the day.
4. Petition 5:30 pm
Express to God your desires. Again be specific and frame your prayer here in a petition: “Dear Lord, at this time I ask….for strength to…for courage to….for the resolve to…to be thankful for…”
5. Resolve for the Future 9:00 pm
Finally, look to the future. “How shall I live the rest of the day?” “What shall I do?
Finish with a prayer, for example, the Our Father.
Randy Hain, Senior Editor for The Integrated Catholic Life™, is the author of The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrating Faith and Work which was released by Liguori Publications in 2011. The Catholic Briefcase is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble online and your local Catholic bookstore.
The Catholic Briefcase was recently voted the Best Catholic Book of 2011 in the About.com Catholicism Reader’s Choice Awards.
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