Scripture
Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, “Behold I come.”
“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
to do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!”
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
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
Called to Renewed Mission
The liturgical calendar’s turned green again, this week – Christmas is over, the Holy Family assembled, the kings visited, and Jesus is grown-up, baptized, and beginning his long-awaited mission. “The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us,” reads the Gospel acclamation today, “To those who accepted him, he gave power to become children of God.” This is our mission for these next five weeks of “Ordinary Time” until Lent: to not only be moved by the mysteries of the Incarnation, but to be called by them – by Jesus, himself – into mission, into action, into growth – the green of a new-sprouted seedling.
“He put a new song in my mouth,” says our psalm today. The intimate love of Christmas should have moved something within us - has it yet become song? Praise? Gratitude? Generosity? Am I rising to it and to these new (liturgical) year’s resolutions?
—Fr. Garrett Gundlach, SJ, is a Jesuit priest based at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Jerusalem and serving diverse local communities.
Ignatian Prayer
Jan 18, 2026
Prayer
Loving God,
we’ve begun again
with your “Yes”, with Mary’s,
and every mystery following behind:
your birth
your family
your visits
your baptism and now your mission –
it’s our turn, now, to say “Yes”
as we await you on the shores of Capernaum,
awaiting your word and awaiting what all of this
will mean, again, anew, for us, for me…
Call me and help me to hear it.
Amen.
—Fr. Garrett Gundlach, SJ
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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