The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary | Saturday 25 June 2022

Today is Saturday the 25th June, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Welcome to the Saturday Examen.

On the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we remember that there were no obstacles between Mary and God, there was nothing in the way of their relationship. So, let’s begin our reflection on the past week by just doing the minimum it takes to be here right now, and giving thanks for our relationship the God who wants to be with us more than anything else.

Now ask for God’s gentle light so that you can notice the obstacles that prevent you from giving your free response to God as Mary did.

As you go through your week, day by day, notice the moments when you have felt particularly close to God. What were the thoughts and feelings that accompanied those moments? Notice the moments when you felt distant from God. What were the thoughts and feelings that accompanied those times? Like a free-flowing stream God wants to move through your life, so now is a good time to remove any of those obstacles.

Let your feelings of gladness at being close to God deepen in God’s presence, and place any of those obstacles in God’s hands. Leave them for God deal with in God’s own time.

As you look back on the week, can you detect the overall movement? What one thing do you need to be able to follow that movement in the week ahead? Just ask God for it now.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.