“Church is the practice. Love is the point.” Ignatian Examen practice.

Curated by the Rev. Caela Simmons Wood

First Congregational UCC of Manhattan, KS

March 20, 2022

The national setting of the United Church of Christ created a graphic a few years back that says “Church is the practice. Love is the point.” Isn’t that lovely? It reminds of one of the things I’ve always appreciated about yoga - and that’s that we call it “practicing yoga.” We all show up as practitioners - seeking, stretching, growing, learning. And we do it together, in community. 

Church is like that, too. We come here each week to practice being a part of Christ’s Beloved Community so that we can go back out into the world and practice some more - seeking through our persistence to be a part of God’s transformation of the world. We do this imperfectly, of course. It turns out that practice doesn’t really make perfect. But practice does make possible. 

It makes it possible for us to hold steady when hate is thrown our way. Practice makes hope possible even in the midst of great pain. Practice makes joy possible even at the most unexpected times. Practice makes it possible for us to remember who we are - humans created in God’s image, made of dust and stardust, overflowing with the Spirit’s light, invited to be agents of reconciliation and wholeness everywhere we go. 

During this season of Lent, I’ve been introducing some spiritual practices each week in the Friday email in hopes that you’ll try one or two this season. The one I shared on Friday  is the Ignatian Examen, a simple but profound method for daily prayer. St. Ignatius of Loyola, a 16th century Spanish priest and founder of the Jesuits, said the Examen was the most important fifteen minutes of his day. It helps us practice awareness of God’s presence in our daily lives and live more intentionally. 

Today we’re going to practice the Examen together here in worship, remembering that “Church is the practice. Love is the point.” We practice together so that we can live more fully into Jesus’s commandment to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. In a world where hate and violence are so loud, this is no small feat. And that’s why we need to come together to practice. In this way, God’s love is imprinted on our hearts and sustains our living. 

Typically you would do this practice on your own. You might sit in silence or journal while you pray. Most people choose to practice the Examen at the end of the day but you can also do it in the morning or at midday if that works better for you. There’s also a free app you can download if you’d like, which guides you through the practice each day. That app is listed in your bulletin on page 10. 

This morning, I’ll guide us through it. There are five steps to the prayer. So I’ll speak a few words to introduce each step and then give you a minute or so for silent reflection. Please take a few moments as we begin and find a prayer posture that works for you. You might want to close your eyes or find something to focus on.. You might want to journal your thoughts or find something to fidget with quietly. 

We begin with the first step: Relish. We begin the Examen by giving thanks for the opportunity to be with the Spirit in prayer. This is a time to remember who God is and to reflect on moments of joy in the past 24 hours. 

(30 seconds silence)

The second step is Request. Ask God to fill you with the Spirit so you can do the challenging work of soul-searching ahead as you seek to live more fully in the ways of Christ. Feel God’s presence with you in this time of prayer.

(30 seconds silence)

The third step is Review. This is where you go through the previous 24 hours in more detail, remembering specific moments from your day. Allow God to be your guide as you review your day. Linger in the important moments and move quickly through the less relevant ones. I’ll give you a longer period of silence for this step. 

(2 minutes silence)

The fourth step is Repent. As you continue to thank God for the gifts found in your day, allow yourself to pause at some of the unpleasant moments. Pay attention to any missed opportunities - places where you could have taken a more loving action but didn’t. Allow the Spirit to gently point out moments where you might not have been the person you are called to be. Ask God for forgiveness, allowing Christ’s healing mercy to wash over you. 

(45-60 seconds silence)

The fifth and final step is Resolve. Ask God to show you what type of person you are called to be tomorrow, resolving to seek God’s strength and wisdom as you face whatever challenges the next 24 hours might bring. Listen to the Spirit’s song, drawing you into the dance of Love and justice.

(45-60 seconds silence)

God, we thank you that practice makes possible. Renew a sense of possibility and hope in your people as we look to the future together. Strengthen us so that we might be instruments of healing, hope, peace, and justice each day. Walk with us day-by-day as we practice being servants together. Help us as we seek new ways to practice your love. We pray in the name of Jesus, the still point of the turning world. Amen.