The examen prayer, in two parts, is essential to Ignatian spirituality. The general examen is done spontaneously each evening by Christians when they review their day to recollect how they were or were not acting as Christ. A yardstick for review can be the “fruit of the Spirit, … love, joy, peace, etc.” (Gal 5:22, Phil 4:4-7), or St. Paul’s famous passage on love (1 Cor 13:4-7). St. Ignatius suggests we look for patterns in our daily behavior, asking, “What events in my life tend to rob me of love, joy, peace, etc.? What attitudes of mine lead to my negative behaviors?”

To go beyond mere review and achieve transformation, I apply the particular examen to one of my faults. I can do this in about thirty seconds, first thing in the morning, by asking God to help me during the day to recognize the times I might give into my fault, and to help me grow in the knowledge of how I can replace my fault with its corresponding virtue. I focus on the same fault long enough (days, weeks …) to allow God’s grace to work in me. This brief prayer is miraculously effective because it puts my desire for transformation in the back of my mind from where it can leap into consciousness at the first promptings of the Holy Spirit. My general examen can now help me to monitor—and give thanks for—the daily progress with which God will be blessing me. Fr. Frink

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