What is the Ignatian Examen?
Every July 31, the church remembers St. Ignatius of Loyola—founder of the Jesuits and creator of the Ignatian Examen, a daily spiritual practice that continues to shape the faith of people around the world.
Born in 1491 in Spain’s Basque region, Ignatius was the youngest of 13 children. As a young man, he pursued a life of ambition, honor, and military glory. But that path changed drastically after he was injured in battle and left bedridden. During his long recovery, the only reading available to him was a collection of stories about the life of Jesus and the saints. What began as boredom turned into awakening. He later wrote that God was “working within him—prompting, guiding, and inviting.”
In 1522, Ignatius gave up his soldier’s uniform and life of privilege. He began living as a pilgrim—sleeping in caves, begging for food, and seeking spiritual clarity. In the town of Manresa, he spent time in solitude, where he began writing what would later become known as the Spiritual Exercises—a set of meditations and reflections designed to help people experience God personally and practically.
Eventually, Ignatius enrolled at the University of Paris, where he met six friends—including Francis Xavier and Peter Faber—who would become the founding members of the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. They took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and dedicated themselves to education, service, and spiritual formation.
Ignatius believed that every person—regardless of age, background, or education—could have a direct, personal encounter with God. His famous Suscipe Prayer reflects this posture of openness and trust:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
My memory, my understanding, and my entire will.
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace—
That is enough for me.
The Ignatian Examen: A Prayer for Ordinary Days
Ignatius believed God could be found in all things—not just in church or Scripture, but in our emotions, our relationships, and even our failures. He taught that the spiritual life isn’t about escaping the world, but becoming more attentive to God’s presence within it.
The Examen is one of the tools he developed to help people do exactly that. It’s a short, reflective prayer that invites you to look back on your day and notice where God might have been moving. It helps you become more aware of your thoughts, emotions, and actions—not to judge them, but to grow in clarity, connection, and purpose.
Here’s how to try it:
Become aware of God’s presence.
Pause. Breathe. Thank God for being near.
Ask for insight.
Invite God to help you understand your day more clearly.
Review the day.
Think through the events of your day—what stood out? How did you feel?
Reflect on your response.
Were you moving toward God or away from God in those moments?
Look ahead to tomorrow.
What’s one way you want to live differently? End with the Lord’s Prayer.
You can do this individually, as a journaling practice, or as a family around the dinner table or during an evening walk. Try it together for a week. Ask your kids: Where did you see kindness today? Where did something feel off? What do you think God might be showing you?
A Practice for All Ages
Ignatius’s gift was his belief that everyone—children included—could experience the presence of God. Not only that, but children can often teach us something about the Spirit’s movement. Their observations, questions, and emotions are not barriers to faith—they are windows into it.
As you practice the Examen or talk about Ignatius’s story this month, make space for your kids to reflect out loud. Ask what they’re noticing in their friendships, their feelings, or even their boredom. Invite them to wonder where God might be working in the middle of all of it.
Because the truth Ignatius knew still holds: God is not distant. God is already here, woven into the fabric of our days. All we have to do is look.
