My Lenten Journey has changed from year-to-year as I continue my spiritual quest. One year I chose to write a Gratitude Log for each day of Lent and post it to my Facebook page. It was a wonderful exercise in looking at my daily life and finding God’s Grace within.
This year I have chosen to do more reading, including Marilyn McEntyre’s wonderful “Where the Eye Alights”. I find that short daily readings help me to focus and provide a respite from my monkey brain distractions. I have also found, as a direct result of my EFM studies, a new addition to my journey.
St. Ignatius’ Examen has proven to be a wonderful tool for ending my day, and providing some time with God. If you are not familiar, it’s a truly remarkable, yet simple way to look at your day, find the place where God was there for you and sit with it for a while.
In a nutshell,
- Ask God for Light – I want to look at my day with God’s eyes, not merely my own.
- Give Thanks – The day I have just lived is a gift from God, be grateful for it.
- Review the day – I carefully look back on the day, being guided by the Holy Spirit.
- Face your shortcomings – I face up to what is wrong, in my life, and in me.
- Look toward the day to come – I ask God to be with me in the day to come.
Now that I have added this to my spiritual arsenal, it will not just be a Lenten practice, but I plan to continue it daily. I can’t wait to see where this journey leads me.
