Spirituality is Applied Theology

Christian Theology is all about what we think or believe about God. Christian Spirituality is what we do with that knowledge. How do we relate to God? How does what we believe change who we are and what we do? Within this, Ignatian spirituality is apostolic - it concerns choices, how moment by moment we are being invited to choose to more radically follow Christ in every thing that we do. It’s very practical and is focused not just on our relationship with God but also on our mission as Christians.

One exercise that Ignatius strongly recommended to help us in co-operating with God is the Examen. This is a time of prayer which enables reflection on the variety of things that pull me in different directions each day. It is based on the belief that God is present and active in everything that happens and wants us to work for the greater good. We can only do this if we are aware of how we are drawn towards God and how we are pulled by other forces away from God and God’s plan.
At the end of each day, St Ignatius suggests the following steps:
I ask the Holy Spirit to highlight for me what God wants me to notice.
I recall the events of the day, noticing particularly anything that had a strong emotional effect on me. I look again at those moments. Thinking about what was really going on in them.
A helpful guideline as I begin to discern if my choices were for God or not is to notice how they left me feeling - do I have a sense of peace, hope or gratitude about my choices? Am I left feeling ill-at-ease, irritable, frustrated or trapped?
For those choices that leave me feeling deeply negative or separated from God, I ask God for forgiveness and healing, that I may make better choices in the future. For those memories that leave me feeling at peace, I give thanks.
Finally I think about tomorrow and ask God for those graces that I will need in order to most effectively co-operate with God’s plan.
Over the next month I suggest you try and pray this prayer 4-5 times a week. If possible you might like to briefly write out your reflections, so that you have a record of what was going on for you. At the end of the month it would be good to read through your entries and to notice what patterns you see emerging in your relationship with God and your mission as a Christian.
Christ’s calling is dynamic, inviting us to change, to grow and to become more like Christ. This tool of the Examen helps us to become more aware of what is happening in our lives. When I practise the Examen, I have in the back my mind those lines from John’s gospel, ‘I have come that they may have life and have it to the full’ (Jn 10.10).
When we are aware of how we are living we are better able to change. To choose life more effectively.

Frances Correia is a member of the Ignatian Spirituality Team of the Jesuit Institute.