Confession and Self-Examination: Ignatius of Loyola: The Daily Examen

Ignatius of Loyola (d. 1556) developed the Examen as the single most important daily prayer practice. He considered it so essential that even if a Jesuit had to miss all other prayers, the Examen should never be skipped. The practice involves five movements: (1) Become aware of God's presence; (2) Review the day with gratitude; (3) Pay attention to your emotions; (4) Choose one feature of the day and pray about it; (5) Look toward tomorrow.

Ignatius was especially interested in the movements of "consolation" and "desolation" -- interior states that indicate the presence or absence of God's Spirit in one's choices. Consolation includes peace, joy, faith, hope, and love; desolation includes anxiety, sadness, turmoil, and temptation. By tracking these daily, one learns to discern God's leading.

Practical application: Set an alarm for 9:00 PM each evening. Spend ten minutes reviewing your day using the five steps above. Focus especially on identifying one moment of consolation (when did you feel most alive and connected to God?) and one moment of desolation (when did you feel most distant?). Over time, patterns emerge that reveal your unique spiritual dynamics.