1. Equipping Our Spiritual Toolbox The Practice of Self-Examination
Daily Examen, Confession & Awareness

2. INTRODUCTION: God the Searcher of Human Hearts

3. Psalm 139:23-24
God is the searcher of every human heart
“All-seeing” Eye of God…Comfort or Discomfort???
Self-Examination & Confession ≠ call to self- hatred, self-condemnation, self-punishment
Open the door of our hearts to cleaning, renewal & peace

4. TWO KEY TRUTHS…

5. Embracing Two Key/Basic Truths
GOD LOVES US!
TRUTH #2
OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS & BROKENNESS IN RELATION TO GOD

6. TWO BASIC FORMS OF SELF-EXAMINATION
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE &
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS

7. EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
An explicitly PENITENTIAL PRACTICE
Helping us name & acknowledge our weaknesses and sins
“A soul comes under the gaze of God…is pierced to the quick and becomes conscious of the things that must be forgiven and put right before it can continue to love the One whose care has been so constant.” Douglas V. Steere

8. Twelve Step Recovery Methodology
STEP 4: Make a fearless and searching moral inventory of ourselves…
PROCESS of Self-Examination…
Takes time (not rushed)!
Shining a light will elicit uncomfortable emotions
Will not see our flaws right away (self- protection)
Resist temptation to focus attention on what others have done to us in the past

9. Categories to consider…
Fears
Resentments
Emotional Security
Material Security
Social Acceptance
Sexuality
Faith/Relationship with God

10. Methods… Daily Examen… Life-Review Daily Examen
Meeting with a Fellow Pilgrim
Sacrament of Penance & Reconciliation
Daily Examen…
Stillness [Presence]
Gratitude [Thanks]
Looking Back on the Day [Review]
Sorrow-Forgiveness [Contrition]
Hope for Tomorrow-A New Day [Grace]

11. Examination of Consciousness
Spiritual Practice to sharpen our awareness of both positive and negative aspects of our attitudes and behaviors
Focus= AWARENESS
Two-Fold Purpose:
To see where God’s grace has been present in our day
To see where we have/have not responded to that grace

12. CONCLUSION…

13. Fruits of Self-Examination
St. Teresa of Avila…
Fruits of Self-Examination
Increasing truthfulness/humility…being REAL
Greater compassion
Interior [Exterior] peace
Forgiveness-felt and offered more freely