The start of a new year often prompts us to reflect on our lives and consider what changes we might want to make. New Year resolutions, as with Lenten fasts, often focus on what we might give up. It’s a boom time for the diet industry as people focus on losing some weight; it’s a less good month for the drinks industry as many observe ‘Dry January’ to give their livers a rest after indulging at Christmas. (I was doing fine until John handed me a glass of wine on New Year’s Day…)
Such opportunities for reflection are woven into Christian practice. We do this, for example, in the prayer of confession we say at the start of the Eucharist, offering up those moments in the week where we perhaps didn’t show our best selves to the world, asking God to help us do better. We can also say these prayers on behalf of the world — making our confession for the destruction of God’s creation, or the suffering that humanity inflicts.
Taking time to reflect at the end of each day is a long-established Christian practice. St Ignatius encouraged Christians to undertake a daily ‘Examen’, not only calling to minds the part of the day that went wrong for us (‘desolation’) but also offering thanksgiving to God for those moments in the day we are thankful for (‘consolation’). Take a moment to still yourself and open up to God’s presence, and ask: Where did I see God’s presence today? What am I thankful for? What feelings did I have today (positive and negative)? What should I pray for? How do I feel about tomorrow? You can read more about how to use these questions in your prayer time at: www.chrisgribble.com/the-daily-examen-five-key-questions/
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