Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, May 20, 2015
What About Tomorrow? And Prayer?
Today I am looking at the last section of a brief prayer form of St. Ignatius, the Daily Examen. This part of the examination is a bit different for me, especially since I have been trying to live by the credo “One Day at a Time.” For years.
I really have tried to live each day, in the “now.” I’ve been trying not to get lost wandering in yesterday, and not to get ahead of myself by immersing myself in tomorrow. That’s exactly what our Lord Jesus told us to do at the end of the sixth chapter of Matthew. Each day has concerns of its own; or, as the Revised Standard Version says in verse 34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”
St. Ignatius has a little different view of what I ought to do, however. The last section of his Daily Examen tells me to look forward to tomorrow. Plan for the day. Here’s the quote from the Ignatian prayer website:
“5. Look toward tomorrow. Ask God to give you light for tomorrow’s challenges. Pay attention to the feelings that surface as you survey what’s coming up. Are you doubtful? Cheerful? Apprehensive? Full of delighted anticipation? Allow these feelings to turn into prayer. Seek God’s guidance. Ask him for help and understanding. Pray for hope.” [1]
It’s always beneficial to ask for God’s guidance. No matter what. And, to pray? Develop my relationship with God further? That can only help me.
Thanks, God, for giving me a hand, and helping me out.
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[1] http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray
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