“I will meditate on all your work, and muse on your mighty deeds.”
- Psalm 77:12
- Socrates in Plato, Apology
Sometimes I think I have a split personality. I go through seasons in life, actually sometimes I differ from day to day. I waver between deep contemplation and unreflective living. My reflective moments are the blessing and curse of my theological education, where they taught us to ponder how a hamster running on its spinning wheel relates to the depiction of life that the Teacher pens in Ecclesiastes. One day I will find myself contemplating and reflecting on every little thing that happens around me, from the number of times I hit snooze and the way our lab “talks” to me when she needs more water to the way a flame dances on a candle wick and the way people I encounter during the day either ignite a fire within my soul or douse my spiritual flame, leaving me empty, cold, and lifeless inside. Other days I find that I have simply done the necessary tasks of the day and thought very little about the true significance of my experiences, both good and bad.
In my better moments, I know that Socrates was right. The unexamined life truly is not worth living. I am convicted of that. Of course, then I have to struggle with the reality that I sometimes go mindlessly through the day without really reflecting on any of my experiences. So, how can I reconcile my conviction with my behavior? Is there a more intentional way of reflecting on life each and every day?
I think so. And I would like to ask you to consider joining me. Natalie and I have recently made some serious modifications to our nightly routine. It started when she discovered a contemporary model of a very ancient Christian practice of reflection on life. Each night before going to bed we take some time to reflect on our day. We think about what Ignatius of Loyola called our consolations and desolations. These are basically our high and low points of the day, the things that either gave us life or stole life away from us.
I have found that this simple, nightly reflection has already helped me gain a better understanding of myself, my calling and ministry, and my relationships with God and others. It has also helped me enter into Natalie’s life and experiences more fully. It had been such a blessing for the last three weeks, that I cannot imagine how it will transform our lives as individuals and as husband and wife in the future.
As I was thinking about how important this examination time has already become for me, I started trying to imagine the amazing impact it could have on our family of faith if we became a people who prayerfully examined our lives daily. Here is what I propose. Each night, before going to bed, get the family or a close friend together around a table, or you can sit alone in silence. Read one of the Psalms aloud. Then, take a few minutes to reflect on the day. Get a journal or a notepad to record your consolations and desolations. If you are reflecting as a family, take turns sharing your highs and lows and have someone jot them down. (If you live alone, you may want to consider asking a friend to join you. You could either call each other each night or email your reflections to each other the next morning.) Have your children join, and help them learn how to prayerfully reflect on their experiences from an early age. Let them hear you talk about your highs and lows and be drawn into your experiences. Finally, allow you reflection to flow into prayer, much as the Psalmist’s reflection of life flowed into the prayers and praises we find in the Psalms.
So, will you join me?
(See the post below for a list of examen questions.)
1 comment:
I am reading a book you might enjoy: "Thristing for God in a land of Shallow wells" Mother Rapheala recommended it to us at a resent parish retreat. She is the Abbess of Holy Mryhbearers Monastery in New York. The book is written by Matthew Gallatin. It is about his journey and discovery of orthodoxy. I hope you enjoy it.
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