4th Step - Bellarmine Pond | Contrition
Lord, I am still learning to grow in your love.
Today, what choices have been inadequate
responses to your love?
We have not always made choices that reflect who we are. We have not always acted as if we believe that we are loved. We have not always treated everything in our lives as a gift, especially those experiences that have felt uncomfortable and unwelcome. We come to the awareness that we are not perfect and there is freedom in that because it invites us to humbly acknowledge our faults and limitations. Only when we claim our brokenness and stand in our truth authentically can we truly experience love and compassion for ourselves and others. We are not as good as we thought, but we are much more loved than we ever imagined. In light of your review are there areas of ingratitude to consider? Are there areas where you might be called to respond differently to a difficult situation, person or occurrence?
The Walking Examen, a one-mile prayer journey around Fairfield University’s scenic campus, is based on a prayer method popularized by St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, in the 16th century. The intention of the meditation is to invite participants to trust, allow and delight in God’s love through a five-step process of contemplation and presence.
The Examen walk, open to community members and visitors of all faiths, begins near the Egan Chapel plaza and continues toward Campus Ministry’s entrance on the lower level, and then winds its way through the fields and past the library toward the steps at the Mary Garden, Bellarmine Pond, and lastly the lawn of the Jesuit Community Center. Each step of the Examen is marked with a boulder and a plaque identifying the prayer prompt: Thanksgiving, Illumination, Examination, Contrition and Hope.
For more information visit The Murphy Center for Ignatian Spirituality