Human Frailty, Divine Redemption: The Theology & Practice of the Examen

Do you desire deeper communication with God?

In Human Frailty, Divine Redemption: The Theology and Practice of the Examen, Marko Rupnik explains how the Ignatian practice of the examen leads us to listen to the Spirit.

Taking a fresh look at the daily examination of conscience as a spiritual art of prayer and discernment, he explores some of the theological truths that are the basis for this prayer:
-Our call to union with Christ
-The place of memory in life-giving relationships
-The effect of sin and sinfulness on relationships
-The power of the redemption in our life
-Union with the three Persons of the Trinity
-Our need to discover that we are loved

He describes this examination of conscience as listening to our heart, as a conversation with God, and as contemplation. Explaining the multiple benefits of this prayer for growing in self-knowledge, in relationship with God, and in discernment, the examen is depicted as an irreplaceable means to nurture a deeper spiritual life. It helps us become aware of how the life and love of God dwell within us.

After suggesting a method for making the examen, Rupnik concludes by addressing the situation of those who have not had a living experience of God, wisely guiding them in this prayer.

Rupnik is a Jesuit priest who works as director of the Centro Aletti in Rome and teaches at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, the Pontifical Gregorian University, and Saint Anselm Pontifical Liturgical Institute. Both a visual artist and a theologian, he is also a consultant for the Pontifical Council for Culture.