Start the new year by reviewing God’s presence in your life
IN ALL the noise during the festive season, we are often told to “remember the true meaning of Christmas”.
However, every day when I come to work at the Denis Hurley Centre, I am reminded of the meaning of Christmas by one of the grandest buildings in Durban.
The Catholic Cathedral is named “Emmanuel” which is a word that means “God is with us”. That word is associated with Christmas, since it refers to Jesus being born and so something that Christians need to think about at this time. But I would suggest that the idea that “God is with us” is something we all need to be reminded of, whatever our religious beliefs.
It is hard enough to remember that God is with us at this time of year; it is even harder to remember this all year round.
In the busyness of our lives, with every day running into the next, and each year whizzing by, how can we possibly be aware of the presence of God?
Let me introduce you to a practice that can help us to do just this.
The practice is called the Examen of Consciousness, which has similarities with the Muslim concept of taqwa, ie God consciousness.
The underlying principle is that the Divine – whom we may call by different names – is present throughout every aspect of our days, but we are not always conscious of God’s presence at the time.
Certainly, there are moments when God’s presence is very visible to us – at temple or mosque or church; when saying our prayers; perhaps when sitting with someone who is sick or lonely – but what about all those other moments when God is there, but we are too busy or too blinkered to notice?
The Examen invites us to look back across the day – slowly and meditatively – and ask not “when was God present” but “how was God present”?
How was God present when I was eating with my family? How was God present when I stopped at the robots? How was God present when I was in the supermarket? How was God present in that dull meeting?
Sometimes the Examen helps us to see things we did not notice at the time. Sometimes it helps to see ordinary events in a whole new light.
This practice can help us to look back over each day. It can also be used to review a whole year.
The newspapers this week are reviewing the headlines of the year, and we can look at the stand-out events of our own years.
In fact, Pope Francis has used this practice every day of his 60 years as a Jesuit.
But we also need to take time to find not just the God of the headlines but the “God of small things”. This is where we can sense the underlying movements of God in our lives.
So let me invite you to find time between mince pies and New Year bubbly and spend 20 minutes or so looking back over 2017.
You cannot,
of
course, re-examine every day or even every major event.
Instead, at the beginning of the prayer, ask God to keep your mind open to see what He wants you to see, and then sit back and watch. It helps enormously to find a time and place where you will not be disturbed.
Perhaps the ideal is when the children are absorbed in their new Christmas toys, or when your loved ones are snoozing after a satisfying lunch.
Begin with a deep and sincere thank you to God – for all that the year contained, good, bad and confusing.
Then imagine yourself like an eagle flying over the year – a God’s eye view – from which you can swoop down on particular events, locations, people or decisions, to look at them again.
Some will be the expected stand-out moments, some will be chances for God to surprise you as He invites you to look again. But throughout the reflection, stick with the thought that God was present even when you least expected Him to be. Let God give you the gift of seeing His Presence.
There will also be moments of regret as you look back over the year – why did I do that? Why didn’t I make use of that opportunity? Why did I use those words?
We cannot change 2017 but we can use it to learn lessons before the start of 2018. What can I do differently this coming year and what graces do I need from God to help me grow?
Many companies are preparing their balance sheets at the end of the year and are required to carry forward their debts and their credits.
The Examen is a kind of psycho-spiritual reckoning, but with a difference. God, the all-merciful, allows us to carry forward our credits but permits us to cancel our debts so we start the year “in the black”.
Now there is something to celebrate for New Year!