Scripture
Matthew 15: 29-37
After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” The disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?” Jesus asked them, “How many loaves have you?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Ignatian Reflection
St. Francis Xavier
Around this date in 1536, Francis Xavier and a few companions made it to Venice to rejoin their friend Ignatius. They had walked from Paris in bad weather and by a long route to avoid the religious conflicts erupting in Europe. The group had planned to find a boat from Venice to the Holy Land but were prevented by additional conflict in the Mediterranean.
Eventually, they together decided to walk to Rome to offer to serve the Church however was needed. It was a generous offering of all they had, but seemingly as meager as the seven loaves the disciples could offer Jesus to feed the crowd. God has multiplied that gift of the original Jesuits by bountiful multiples over the ensuing five centuries. I am a grateful recipient of the fruit of that combination of human and divine generosity.
—Allain Andry is a spiritual director and OCIA leader at St. Peter Catholic Church in Charlotte, NC, the Jesuit parish in the Diocese of Charlotte.
Ignatian Prayer
Dec 3, 2025
Prayer
May your mysteries, O God,
kindle in us that fire of charity
with which St. Francis Xavier burned for the salvation of souls,
so that, walking ever more worthily in our vocation,
we may attain with him the reward you promise
to those who labor well in your harvest.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen
— ICEL Prayer after Communion for St. Francis Xavier, Memorial (C)
The Daily Examen is a prayer technique developed by St. Ignatius to help us reflect on the events of the day to discern God's presence and direction. When Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, he required the Jesuits to practice the Examen twice daily—at noon and at the end of the day. It's a habit that Jesuits, and many other Christians, practice to this day.
The Examen structure presented below is adapted from a technique described by Ignatius Loyola in his Spiritual Exercises. Click here for more information from our partners in ministry at Loyola Press.
Daily Examen
1. Become aware of God's presence
God, I believe that at this moment I am in your presence and you are loving me.
2. Review the day with gratitude
God, you know my needs better than I know them. Give me your light and your help to see how you have been with me, both yesterday and today.
3. Pay attention to your emotions
God, help me to be grateful for the moments when people have affirmed me and challenged me. Help me to see how I have responded, and whether I have been kind to others and open to growth.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it
God, forgive me for when I have not done my best or have failed to treat others well. Encourage me, guide me, and continue to bless me.
5. Look toward tomorrow
As I look to the remainder of this day, make me aware that you are with me. Show me how to be the person you want me to be.
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