March 18
Beloved families of Good Shepherd,
Peace be with you! This Sunday our children will hear the Godly Play “Faces of Easter V” story which centers on Jesus’ work as Divine Healer. The image on this card shows Jesus touching the eyes of a blind man and compassionately healing him. The story says, “When Jesus came close to people, they changed. They could see things they had never seen before. They could do things they had never done before. They became well.”
The season of Lent invites us to slow down and reflect on the areas in ourselves that are unwell and in need of Jesus’ healing touch. Like the blind man in our Godly Play story, we can ask Jesus to come close to us and heal us in mind, body, and spirit. One simple way for families to reflect on the areas of their lives in need of God’s healing grace is to pray the Examen. St. Ignatius of Loyola created the Examen prayer centuries ago as a gentle method of asking for and seeing the healing presence of God in our daily lives. Here are the steps of the Examen prayer if you would like to try it with your children this Lenten season (this prayer is usually done at the end of the day).
Become aware of God’s Presence: Start with a deep breath and say, “Jesus, thank You for being with us today.”
Give Thanks: Ask, “What was one good thing today?” Think of big or small blessings, joys, kind moments of your day.
Review the Day: Look back at the day’s events, asking, “When did I feel happy”, “When did I feel sad, mad, or worried?”, and “When did I feel close to God today?”.
Ask for Forgiveness: Gently reflect on moments where you fell short, made poor choices, or need to say “I’m sorry” to God and others.
Look Forward: Ask God for help for tomorrow with trust and gratitude for his healing presence in all of our days.
I’d love to hear how it goes if you decide to try the Examen prayer as a family!
We hope to see you this Sunday!
Many Blessings,
Patty