The Examen of Conscience is one of the simplest and most powerful practices in the Catholic spiritual tradition. Developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century, it is a brief nightly review — typically 10 to 15 minutes — in which you look back on your day through the eyes of faith. Where was God present? Where did you respond with love? Where did you fall short?
Unlike an examination for Confession (which focuses specifically on sins committed), the daily Examen is broader and gentler. It is a conversation with God about the whole texture of your day — the graces, the struggles, the small moments you might have missed.
Why the Examen Matters
Most of us live our days at speed. We move from task to task, reacting more than choosing, and we reach the end of the day without ever pausing to ask: What happened today? Where was God in it?
The Examen slows this down. It trains your attention. Over weeks and months, it changes the way you experience your days — not just in retrospect, but in real time. You begin to notice grace as it happens.
St. Ignatius considered the Examen so essential that he told his Jesuits: if you must skip one prayer in the day, skip any other — but never skip the Examen.
The Five Steps
1. Become Aware of God’s Presence
Begin in stillness. You are not alone. God has been with you all day, even in the moments you forgot Him. Take a breath and place yourself in His presence. You might pray simply: “Lord, you were with me today. Help me see where.”
2. Review the Day with Gratitude
Walk through your day from morning to now. Don’t analyze — just notice. What are you grateful for? It might be something large (a conversation that moved you) or small (the taste of coffee, a moment of sunlight). Gratitude is the foundation of the Examen because it trains us to see our lives as gift.
3. Notice Your Emotions
As you review the day, pay attention to your feelings. Where did you feel peace, joy, or energy? These moments of consolation often reveal where God was active. Where did you feel anxiety, anger, or emptiness? These moments of desolation may reveal where you were pulled away from God — or where you need His healing.
The goal is not to judge your feelings but to understand them. Feelings are data. They tell you something about where your soul is.
4. Choose One Moment and Pray About It
From everything you’ve noticed, choose the one moment that stands out most. It might be a moment of grace you want to give thanks for, or a moment of failure you want to bring to God. Don’t rehearse the whole day — focus on this one thing and talk to God about it honestly.
If you fell short, this is not the time for self-punishment. St. Thérèse of Lisieux — who practiced her own version of the nightly Examen — taught that every failure is an invitation to trust God more, not less. “When I commit a fault that makes me sad, I know very well that this sadness is a consequence of my infidelity. But do you think I remain there? Oh, no! I hasten to say to God: My God, I know that I have deserved this feeling of sadness, but let me offer it to You as a trial which You have sent me through love. I am sorry for my sin, but I am glad to have this suffering to offer You.”
5. Look Toward Tomorrow
Close by looking ahead. Is there anything about tomorrow that you want to bring before God? A meeting you’re anxious about? A relationship that needs grace? A virtue you want to practice? Set a simple intention — not a resolution or a goal, but a desire. “Tomorrow, Lord, help me to be patient,” or simply, “Tomorrow, help me to notice You.”
End with a prayer — the Our Father, a Hail Mary, or simply your own words.
Making It a Habit
The Examen works best when it becomes a habit. Here are a few practical suggestions:
- Same time, same place. Most people pray the Examen at night, just before bed. Find a quiet spot and make it routine.
- Keep it short. Ten minutes is enough. Five is enough. Consistency matters more than length.
- Don’t force it. Some nights, nothing will stand out. That’s fine. Just sit with God for a moment and move on. The practice is in showing up.
- Be honest, not harsh. The Examen is not a performance review. It is a conversation with someone who loves you. Bring your real day, not the day you wish you had.
The Examen and the Little Way
St. Thérèse’s “Little Way” and the Ignatian Examen are natural companions. Both teach us to find God in small things. Both insist that holiness is not somewhere else — it is here, today, in the life you are actually living. The Examen simply gives you a practice for paying attention to it.
Thérèse wrote: “The good God does not need years to accomplish His work of love in a soul; one ray from His Heart can, in an instant, make His flower bloom for eternity.” The Examen is how you learn to notice those rays.