Staying Focused on God

Dear Friends,

I hope you are doing well.  Things are very challenging in so many ways these days and all of us need ways to stay focused on the abundant life that God calls us too.  One of the ways that I have found helpful is a simplified version of the Ignatian examen of conscience.  It involves “looking over your day with Jesus”. At the end of the day (or whenever works for you), light a candle, get quiet and picture Jesus sitting beside you.  First call to mind a time that day when you felt close to God, other people or your truest self.  Dwell in that memory for several minutes. Let your whole being fill with joy and give thanks for it.  Then call to mind a time when you felt far from God, your truest self or other people.  Ask Jesus to help you to look at it honestly and see whatever you need to see.  Feel Jesus’ compassion for you.  Stay there a few minutes. Then go back to the joyful memory and picture Jesus drawing a circle of light around the harder memory and healing it.  You can close your quiet time with the Lord’s Prayer.  

I hope you will find this practice helpful and I look forward to being together this Sunday as we reflect on the Feeding of the 5,000 in Matthew’s Gospel and the abundance that Jesus invites us to experience every day.  

Yours in Christ,
Shearon+