BeDevout · Guided Prayer
The Daily Examen
A 5-step prayerful reflection created by St. Ignatius of Loyola to find God's presence, review blessings, and notice emotions in daily life
Guided prayer
ON THIS PRAYER
Most of us get to the end of the day and just… move on. The Examen asks you to do something different: stop, look back, and actually notice. Developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, this prayer isn’t about reciting words — it’s about paying attention to your own life closely enough to see where God was present in it, even in the ordinary, unremarkable stretches of a Tuesday.
For a Catholic dad, that’s not a small thing. Somewhere between the commute, the meetings, the kids’ homework, and everything else, it’s easy to lose track of where grace actually showed up. The Examen gives you five honest minutes to find it again — and to end the day with gratitude instead of just exhaustion.
How to Pray the Ignatious Examen:
- Get still. Find a quiet minute — the car before you head inside, the last few minutes before bed. Take a breath and remember you’re in God’s presence.
- Ask for clarity. Before you start reviewing your day, ask God to help you actually see it honestly — not the version you’d tell a coworker, the real one.
- Walk back through your day. Move through it hour by hour if you need to. What moments stand out? What were you feeling in them?
- Look closer at those moments. In each one — did that moment pull you closer to God, or further away? Be honest, not harsh.
- Give thanks, and look ahead. Thank God for what the day held, even the hard parts. Then think about tomorrow — one small, specific way you can do better. Close with an Our Father.
You don’t need a quiet house or an hour to spare. You need five honest minutes and a willingness to look back.
GUIDED PRAYER
THE DAILY EXAMEN PRAYER
Find God's presence, give thanks for blessings, and review your emotions.
GIVING
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