Tonight’s Reflection: God, So Here’s What Happened
A Thought to Begin
“Let us ask, at the end of the day… what happened today in my heart?”
—Pope Francis, General Audience, October 19, 2022
Scripture
“Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my thoughts.”
Reflection
My days have become so full that many nights, the moment my head hits the pillow, I am out.
That means I have to make a real effort to spend a little time talking with our Heavenly Father before I fall asleep.
Does your nightly routine include a few quiet moments with Him?
I was fortunate to spend many years working at a Jesuit high school. It was there that I learned the beautiful and powerful practice of the Ignatian Examen.
As an entire school community, we would pause near the end of the day and reflect on where God had been present throughout our day.
Those few quiet moments helped me recognize that God had been there through it all—in the people I encountered, the moments that brought joy, the challenges that tested me, and the ordinary details I might otherwise have missed.
What I came to love about the Examen was that it helped me see my day differently.
Instead of ending the day focused only on what went wrong, I began to notice where God had been present, what brought me joy, what remained in my heart, and where He might be inviting me to grow.
It taught me to ask not:
“God, where were You today?”
But rather:
“God, where did I see You today?”
God is always surrounding us. The Examen helps us pause long enough to recognize Him.
When we first began creating Tonight’s Reflection, I knew the Ignatian Examen would be its foundation.
Still, I felt something was missing.
While working on a special reflection for Mary’s birthday, I realized what it was. I realized that Tonight’s Reflection needed to include Mary.
Choose Joy Always is about opening ourselves to the invitations God places before us and not being afraid to answer with a big yes, as Mary teaches us.
Each night, we invite Mary to join us as we look back over our day and bring it to her Son—with all its joys, successes, laughter, tears, struggles, and moments that could have gone better.
I hope that, with Mary beside us, we will become more open to God’s invitation. That we will learn to return to our yes, no matter how our day unfolded. And that, with her help, we will continue learning how to choose joy every day.
Tonight’s Reflection is guided by the wisdom of the Ignatian Examen, but it follows the Choose Joy Always path.
The complete Tonight’s Reflection prayer can be found in The Prayer Room.
What a beautiful way to end our day—with God and our Blessed Mother beside us. Together, we bring it all to her Son.
And tomorrow, with God’s grace, we begin again with another faithful yes.
Something to Think About…
Before you go to sleep tonight, pause and tell God what happened today.