Scripture
Matthew 7: 21, 24-27
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”
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
Fieldstone Foundation of Faith
In today’s Gospel we heard that those who heed Jesus’ words are like the wise who build their home on stone, while fools who reject his words build theirs on sand. That you are spending time on this website, praying over a daily scripture reflection, makes me think that your spiritual home is already built on stone.
However, stone foundations can crack over time. And as we inspect our own lives, we note cracks of jealousy, cracks of miserliness, cracks of envy, cracks of selfishness, and cracks of judgement. Cracks that create a metaphysical mildewy must about us.
The season of Advent is not a season of waiting...it is a season of preparing. Spend a couple days spot-checking your foundation and then another couple days getting together a plan on how to seal up those cracks...so as to prepare a precious place for the Prince of Peace to enter into the world.
—Fr. Aaron Malnick, SJ, is a Vocation Promoter for the Midwest Jesuits and author of Poems to Retreat By: Praying with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. Learn more about Jesuit life at beajesuit.org.
Ignatian Prayer
Dec 4, 2025
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I come to You today to build my life on a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ, Your son. Help me to grow my trust in You, strengthen me when I doubt, and guide me to live a life according to Your will. I ask that You grant me a deep sense of Your presence to be the bedrock of all I do, and I thank You for Your love, Your grace, and the promise that You are my rock and my strength. Amen.
—Anonymous
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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