Faithful witness in a fractured world means neither withdrawing from public life because it’s too hard or messy, nor combatively entering public life on the side of one partisan ideology or another. Rather, we follow the third way that Jesus models: engaging with the world from the standpoint of our distinctive identity as a baptized child of God and follower of Jesus Christ. This requires us – and especially our values and our hopes – to be shaped by scripture and the gospel. And it’s requires daily, spiritual intentionality to stay grounded in this perspective.

One way to do this, in addition to the regular study of scripture and reading carefully the stories of Jesus, is through daily examen. An examen is a daily devotional exercise to help us evaluate about our daily thoughts and feelings. This examen is especially geared for public life, to evaluate our responses to the world around us. It can be on your own, or with others, and takes about 5-10 minutes. If you’re alone, you might write down your thoughts; with others, you can share them together.

An Examen for Public Life

Where did I see signs of God’s goodness in my community this past week?

When did I feel hopeful about the world? Celebration! 

When did I feel discouraged? Lament!

How did I respond to issues of justice or suffering? Did I engage? Did I withdraw?

What is one way I can be more present to God’s work in my community this week?