My husband recently stopped by a party store to get some balloons for my birthday. He was struck by the New Year section that gave ample opportunity to “bash” 2020.
Why Pray the Examen at Year End?
It’s been a long and hard year. Before we bash, trash and set the dumpster to flame, will you take a few minutes to Examen the year in prayerful reflection with me?
The Examen is one of my favorite liminal moment prayers. As we stand at the threshold of something new, the examen calls us to first look back at where we’ve come from. We lament the things we must release. We celebrate what we have been released from. And we turn our gaze to the unknown before us. The Examen centers us in gratitude and hope, even during the hardest times.
But most of all, the Examen asks us to notice where God has been moving in our lives. It invites a fresh look back through the eyes of Jesus–through the eyes of Love. It is a collaborative prayer that joins us to the work of God in our lives and in the world. And perhaps from this place, we can be postured not only for renewal but for meaningful resolution.
Happy New Year everyone!
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The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
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