I have found that concluding my day by jotting down answers
to a series of “examen” questions is a helpful contemplation tool. Some of the
questions remain constant, such as:
• How did I encounter Christ today?
• What was I most grateful for?
• What was I least grateful for?
• What delighted me?
I continue to tinker with other questions. For example, “What
did I learn by listening today?” too often led to a response such as “Sister
Eugenia broke a fingernail.” Recasting it as “How did God speak to me today?” has
proven to be much more fruitful.
It is interesting to consider how God might be talking to us
through other people. For example, recently I was asked if I would make a
presentation at a conference, and my immediate inclination was to say no. However,
considering the possibility that God might be speaking to me through this
invitation—saying, in effect, that I need to challenge myself to go outside my
comfort zone—provides a different perspective and makes me more open to new
creative endeavors.
It’s easy to get in a rut with our spiritual practices. When
they become rote and no longer bear fruit, a little tinkering can open us to
sacred surprises.
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