ASHEVILLE — Father Joseph Koterski knows a thing or two about teaching the Ignatian spiritual exercise known as the “Examen” in an approachable way.
A Jesuit priest and philosophy professor at Fordham University in the Bronx, he shares living quarters with 150 freshmen each year.
Among his many other duties, he leads student discussions for about an hour most nights beginning at 10 p.m. When he finally gets ready for bed, it is the same Examen he teaches his students that helps him fall asleep with a peaceful conscience.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charlotte sponsored Father Koterski’s presentation on the Examen to a packed room Aug 24 at St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville. Similar talks were also held that same week at St. Barnabas Church in Arden, St. John the Evangelist Church in Waynesville, and St. Eugene Church in Asheville. The event at St. Eugene was offered in both English and Spanish.
The Examen is a prayerful 10-minute daily examination of conscience that is no less useful today than in the 16th century when St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, originated the spiritual practice. Father Koterski tweaked the five steps by using the word “G-R-A-C-E” to help recall the Examen as one reviews the day.
Pictured: Jesuit Father Joseph Koterski conducted several talks in the Diocese of Charlotte last month. His reflections on the Ignatian Examen were sponsored by Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte. (Giuliana Polinari Riley | Catholic News Herald)
“G” stands for gratitude. “Think of something we are grateful for, or something we know we ought to be grateful for and give thanks to God for it. This is not just another self-help exercise,” Father Koterski emphasized. “It’s a prayerful exercise, directed to Jesus.”
He noted that his own practice includes sitting on the floor in the dark after his long day is over. “It can be done anywhere, but I would suggest not doing it lying down,” he quipped.
“R” stands for a request for light. “We need light in our homes and skies, “ he explained. “We need interior light, too. It may be general or specific – a spotlight God uses or something like those little red penlights that museum docents use to illuminate something not so apparent in a painting or sculpture. Sometimes there are things we don’t want to look at, or never even think to look at. So, we ask to see what God wants us to see.”
“A” stands for an account of actions and attitudes. “I ask the Lord to help me choose and look more deeply at one or two out of my day,” he explained. “I may focus on something that went poorly – a conversation or a class. It may also be something that went well and I want to learn from it. It’s not just analyzing myself in my own voice. No embellishment or hiding details. It’s a prayer to Jesus. I’m telling this to someone I trust who really knows me and can help me see and evaluate.”
He emphasized the importance of dealing with anger from our day, avoiding a preoccupation with one’s negative thoughts and actions. “That tape (which continually replays in our brains) usually tries to rationalize or justify our actions and viewpoints,” he said. “We need to push the stop button, give it to our guardian angel as many times as necessary, and save it for our Examen when we may be more objective. The goal is to get some truth. It’s not just to build us up or tear ourselves or someone else down.”
“C” stands for charting one’s course. If things are going well, continue on course; if not, correct it, he said. “If there’s sin, there could be need for an Act of Contrition or the need to prepare for confession,” he said. He suggested looking for patterns of temptation and sin.
“E” represents entreating the Lord for energy and enthusiasm to carry out one’s course. “It can be as simple as the Lord’s Prayer.”
He concluded, “I look forward to this 10 minutes. It’s an acquired taste. But, for me, it’s like clearing my desk at night. It’s saying, ‘Lord, it’s your world, You take care of it, and I did my best today, but now I want to look and make sure that’s true.’ It’s important to have some time to sit in the dark and ask for light.”
— Beth Searles, Correspondent