• Deeper Gratitude

It has given me a greater awareness of the multitude of graces and blessings that my Heavenly Father showers on me each and every day. 

• Greater Self-Knowledge  

From this practice, our Lord has helped me grow in self-knowledge.  I now have a greater awareness of my faults, struggles and temptations and how to overcome them.

• Needed Forgiveness & Mercy 

It allows me to experience daily, the loving patience, forgiveness and mercy my Heavenly Father has for me.

• Renewed Hope For The Journey 

This habit encourages me and gives me hope.  I am reminded that tomorrow, with the help of God’s grace, I can overcome my faults and love Him better.

• Pushing It Too Late

I have a set time in the evening that I plan to do my Nightly Examen Prayer, but a few times a week I find it tempting to push it until later in the evening, particularly if I feel busy, or if I let myself get pulled into a distraction.  When this happens I tend to rush through it, or skip it altogether because I’m too tired.

• Going Through The Motions  

Over time I notice the temptation to go through the steps of the Examen Prayer in a superficial way, particularly if I feel rushed or tired.  However, when I do this it is always less meaningful and less fruitful.

• Feeling Impatient or Discouraged 

When I do the Examen Prayer well, I can be tempted to feel frustrated or discouraged with how slow my progress is, or even realize where I have regressed.  To overcome this temptation, I thank God for the humbling awareness of my struggles, and I try to reframe my Examen Prayer as an encounter with my loving heavenly Father that helps me learn and continue to grow, rather than a measure of success or failure.

It is in some way consoling to know, that these are common experiences of the saints, and all of those who are seriously striving to grow in the life of virtue. 

• St. Ambrose (Bishop and Doctor of the Church) 
• St. John Chrysostom (Doctor of the Church & Bishop of Constantinople)
• St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Doctor of the Church & Founder of the Cistercians)
• St. Ignatius of Loyola (Author of The Spiritual Exercises)
• St. Teresa of Avila (Doctor of the Church & Author of The Way of Perfection)
• St. John of the Cross (Doctor of the Church & Founder of the Discalced Carmelites) 
• St. Francis de Sales (Doctor of the Church & Author of Introduction to the Devout Life)
• St. Alphonsus Leguri (Doctor of the Church &  Founder of the Redemptorists)
• St. Pope Pius X (Bishop of Rome 1903 to 1914)
• St. Padre Pio (Franciscan Capuchin friar, with visible stigmata) 
• St. Mother Teresa (Founder of The Missionaries of Charity)
• Venerable Luis de Granada (Author of The Sinner’s Guide) 
• Venerable Bruno Lanteri (Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary) 
• Fr. Thomas Dubay (Author of Deep Conversion Deep Prayer)
• Fr. Roger Landry (Author of Plan of Life) 
• Fr. John Hardon (Author of Spiritual Life in the Modern World)
• Benjamin Franklin (He did a secular version of an examen) 
• Dr. Scott Hahn (Founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology)
• Christopher Carter (Author of Uncommon Habits of Great Catholic Fathers and Grandfathers) 

The Evening Examen Prayer has been practiced and encouraged for centuries by the Church and its great saints as a basic and indispensable means for acquiring self-knowledge and growing in imitation of Christ.