ADVENT EXAMEN

ADVENT EXAMEN
While the world marks the New Year on January 1st, selling us gym memberships, new planners, and goal- setting sessions, the Church has a different calendar and different standards…We tell time by God and what He has done. I came across a variation of this examen.
I hope you will try this or some variation of your own during this season advent, in preparation for Christmas.

It is fitting to look at the beginning of the liturgical year, which is the start of Advent, as the proper time to reflect on the year that is ending and look ahead to update our “map and our compass” to plan the next year's journey deeper into the heart of God.
It is a long-standing practice to end one's day with an examen, that is, a prayerful look at the day through the eyes of our relationship with the Lord.

This year, try preparing differently. Set aside some time to examine your spiritual struggles, progress, and gifts.
The particular graces of the season will aid you in pointing out the surest path of progress.

1. ASK

Realizing that we have unlimited capacity for self- delusion, ask at least one person who knows you well, preferably two or three, to tell you any unhealthy patterns of thoughts and behaviors they see in you. Make sure you tell them that there will be no repercussions for their honesty.
Listen closely. Ask questions. Make note of their insights.
Thank them for helping you to heaven.

2. ADORATION

Plan at least one hour of uninterrupted, purposeful time in Eucharistic Adoration or before the Tabernacle. Bring along a journal and a heart ready to probe the year in all of its depths.
"Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us."
--St. Alphonsus Liguori

3. PRAY

When you enter into the presence of the Eucharistic Lord, recognize the loving gaze of the Trinity upon you, make the sign of the cross, and pray:
DEAR LORD, YOU KNOW MY HEART AND MY SOUL BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF. YOU KNOW MY SIN, MY IMPERFECTIONS AND THOSE THINGS WHICH KEEP ME FROM LIVING IN THE FULLNESS OF LOVE FOR YOU AND THOSE YOU HAVE PLACED IN MY CARE. SHOW ME MY SINS, MY IMPERFECTIONS AND HOW I HAVE HONORED AND FAILED YOU THIS PAST YEAR. I BEG YOU TO HELP ME TO REJOICE IN THE SUCCESSES THAT HAVE COME BY YOUR GRACE AND TO TURN FROM CHOICES I HAVE MADE OVER THE YEAR THAT REVEAL SIN AND SELFISHNESS WITHIN ME. PLEASE HELP ME NOW AS I EXAMINE MY ACTIONS TO SEE WHAT YOU SEE AND TO EXPRESS MY HUMBLE GRATITUDE FOR SUCCESSES THAT YOU HAVE GRANTED BY YOUR GRACE AND TO SEEK FORGIVENESS FOR TIMES WHEN I HAVE FAILED TO GIVE ALL THAT I AM TO YOU.
HELP ME TO HUMBLY ACKNOWLEDGE MY FAILURES AND SINS AND TO REST IN YOUR REDEMPTIVE PROVISION KNOWING THAT WITHOUT YOU, I CAN ACCOMPLISH NOTHING, BUT WITH YOU, I CAN OVERCOME THESE FAILURES TO YOUR GLORY AND CONTINUE TO EMBRACE YOUR VIRTUES BY YOUR GRACE. YOUR LOVE IS WORTHY OF ALL MY LOVE. HELP ME TO RETURN THAT LOVE WITH GREATER JOY IN THE YEAR AHEAD AND TO SEE YOU AND TO FOLLOW YOU IN ALL I THINK, SAY, AND DO.

4. REVIEW

Asking the Holy Spirit for guidance, slowly walk back through the year and note both areas of growth and grace and the patterns of sin and failure. Listen to any areas of love and direction. Reflect on the feedback you received from trusted loved ones in Step 1 and ask the Lord for the grace to discern His movements.

Each time you see success over the year, give praise to God. You might offer praise such as:
THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR YOUR GRACE AND GROWTH THIS YEAR.

5. REPENT

For those areas in which you have failed, recognize that this failure is part of the cross and a realization of your need for God to complete the work of self-sacrifice that you failed to complete.
Ask for forgiveness as a child when a loving parent looks on them with joy because the heart of the child is rightly oriented to the truth and desires to please them. Say something like:
I AM SORRY FOR THIS PATTERN OF THOUGHT AND BEHAVIOR THAT HAS CONTINUED THIS YEAR, LORD, PLEASE HELP ME TO BETTER SERVE YOU IN THE NEW YEAR. GIVE ME NEW STRENGTH TO OVERCOME MY FRAILTIES. HEAL ME. HELP ME IN THIS NEW YEAR TO BETTER FOLLOW AND HONOR YOU AND THOSE YOU HAVE PLACED IN MY CARE.

You can also use the traditional act of contrition or the penetential act from mass.
Act of Contrition
O MY GOD, I AM HEARTILY SORRY FOR HAVING OFFENDED THEE, AND I DETEST ALL MY SINS BECAUSE OF THY JUST PUNISHMENTS, BUT MOST OF ALL BECAUSE THEY OFFEND THEE, MY GOD, WHO ART ALL GOOD AND DESERVING OF ALL MY LOVE. I FIRMLY RESOLVE, WITH THE HELP OF YOUR GRACE, TO SIN NO AND AVOID ANY OCCASION OF SIN.

Accept the Lord's love and forgiveness. Reject any negative self-talk, self-focus or self-condemnation that focuses on you rather than God's redemptive work in your soul.

If you realize that in your struggle with a particular habitual sin, you have tried on your own at least three times and failed to overcome it, make a resolution now to seek help, whether though a holy friendship, community, or program.

6. GRATITUDE

List three things for which you are especially grateful for this past year.
“In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God, and in all things give Him thanks.”
- St. Teresa of Avila

7. RESOLVE

Commit to correct your failures with the Lord's help.

In a spirit of holy listening, write down three resolutions you believe God is asking you to make to move deeper in discipleship and relationship with him in the new liturgical year.
Make note of specific, practical ways you can better keep those resolutions:

• Adjustments to schedule
• Seeking out help
• Accountability, etc.

Ask the Lord to bless both your intentions and your efforts.

8. CONCLUDE

Conclude your time with thanksgiving for the progress you have made, the graces of true repentance and resolution, and for the self-emptying love of a Savior who comes in the poverty and vulnerability of a child to save us from our sin.

Ask for the particular grace to be attentive to Him this Advent. Be intentional about offering each element of liturgical participation for your specific intentions for a deeper union with His will and way.

Make the sign of the cross to conclude your prayer acknowledging His profound love for you in His sacrifice on your behalf and His commitment to draw you to Himself through both your failures and successes. Draw near to the one who is coming again.