What a day it had turned out to be filled with teaching, miracles, healing, feeding and protecting! Jesus must have felt really
spent. Then there was the situation of the crowd wanting to make him king. We sometimes forget the human side of Jesus, who would have had the same feelings and temptations we have. As he would have listened to the murmurings of affirmation grow louder and louder, it must have felt rather good. Our human nature thrives on positive vibes. When people think we are wonderful, our egos swell with warm and fuzzy feelings. Imagine the fleeting thoughts of the power he could wield if he were king. Yes,
Jesus was completely human as much as he was divine, and all these temptations would have come knocking, particularly as he grew tired and weary. But as Scripture reminds us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
St Ignatius encouraged all those he guided in the spiritual life to always pray the Examen at the end of each day. He even stressed that if your day is very full, never skip praying the Examen.
I can’t help wondering if that is what Jesus did that day. Did Jesus sit with his Father and pray an honest and engaging Examen? If he did, it would make perfect sense. The Examen allows us to unpack everything about our day with God – the good, the bad, the ugly, our thoughts, attitude and actions, our hopes and our fears. In so doing, we are able to open ourselves to God with trust, and any residual temptations would be brought into the light for cleansing and healing. It is also an opportunity for God to affirm
us in a way no other person can so that our spirit grows stronger. As we ask God for the grace we need for the next day, God will fill us with all we need and more.
Can I invite you today to remember to pray your Examen prayer and feel the grace of God rest upon you. If you have never done so before, here is a short version to begin:
Reflections by Cherie-Lynn van der Merwe
