St. Ignatius of Loyola

Patron Saint: Spiritual Growth and Holiness   Feast Day: July 31

500 years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola was inspired by the Holy Spirit to create a guide for all to fall deeper in love with God and to feel His love in a real and tangible way. St. Ignatius called it a Spiritual Awakening and created a 5-step daily exercise as a part of this awakening. 

The Examen of Consciousness — 5 Daily Steps

1. Ask God for Light to help see the day from a perspective of honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity.

2. Give Thanks to God by recalling the gifts received today: life, health, family, friends, job, etc.

3. Review your Day and take note of any emotions that surface, both positive and negative feelings and responses; simply be aware of moments as you review your day.

4. Reflect on Shortcomings by identifying moments when the opportunity to be more kind, more generous, more patient, more forgiving, etc. presented themselves. And now…

5. Look Toward the Day to Come and ask God to show you how to be the person you are called to be, how to be fully alive, how to love fully, and how to be fully loved. 

Listen & reflect on God’s response, His call & His direction in your life.

 

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
Amen.

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