Second Sunday of Advent
By Rev. Joe McCloskey, S.J.
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6
In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the
Praying the Jesuit Examination Of Conscience
1. Thanksgiving
Lord, I realize that all, even myself, is a gift from you.
Today, for what things am I most grateful?
2. Intention
Lord, open my eyes and ears to be more honest with myself.
Today, what do I really want for myself?
3. Examination
Lord, show me what has been happening to me and in me this day.
Today, in what ways have I experienced your love?
4. Contrition
Lord, I am still learning to grow in your love.
Today, what choices have been inadequate responses to your love?
5. Hope
Lord, let me look with longing toward the future.
Today, how will I let you lead me to a brighter tomorrow?
Adapted from Through All the Days of Life, a collection of prayers compiled by Fr. Nick Schiro, S.J.
The voice of John rings out in the Gospel of today saying; “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” It seems there is always something in our lives that needs fixing up. The making of the “Examen of the Consciousness of Christ” in our lives slips away all too easily.
It is a practice that is kept up by discipline. Each night it is worthwhile to check back on the day to see where Christ was close to us in the people that came into our day. How did I welcome Christ in my neighbor? It is a question that brings awareness to the fore of our closest moment to Christ. It gives us meat on the bones of our closest moment to Christ that we witness to in Group Reunion. It allows us to have more than one moment to choose from in the myriad of ways that Christ comes into our lives in the person of the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick strangers of our lives. The fixing up of our spiritual life is not a matter of a once only question. We are called to find Christ in our lives in every moment. Prayer is our conscious awareness of Christ brought out in the ways we look back on a day and see and appreciate how good God is to us in our friends and neighbors.
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/120907.shtml
Christ is there in everyone if we know how to look. Study is how we look for Christ in our lives. It is too easy to take Christ for granted; too easy to turn one’s back on Christ and forget to look beyond appearances to find him. Study is how we improve the focus of our hearts on Christ.
The Examen is a study of the events of the day in the light of his love.
The Examen is an important form of prayer in our lives. Christ’s example of how to live life challenges me to see how I could be better. This opens my heart to an acknowledgement of my weaknesses. I see how I could have done better. This is what study reveals to us. Action follows study.
ActionI can do something about what is wrong in my life and the world around me. Study reveals the call of the Lord to do something about what is wrong with our world. I do not have to wait for someone to say; “Do something.” As I read the letter of Paul to the Romans, I hear him ask God to allow us to think in harmony with one another that we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for the voice of John in the poor people of our world. The voices crying out from their pain are continually inviting us to make our contribution for a better world. What needed to be done needs to be continually done that our celebration of life be a Sacrifice of Praise to the God who went out on the limb of the Cross that each and every one of us would know how loved by God we are.
No comments:
Post a Comment