Ash Wednesday is February 18, 2026, so today we’re highlighting just a few of the many Ignatian-inspired features designed to help you observe Lent. Encounter Grace Lenten Read-Along Join in the annual Lenten read-along with Loyola Press. We’ll be reading Encounter Grace by Becky Eldredge. Becky offers gentle, heartfelt reflections grounded in Ignatian spirituality, each […]
We all have specific gifts given to us by God. These are Our Treasures Within. Inspired by the book of that title by Pope Francis and Peter H. Reynolds with Paul A. Reynolds, pray the Treasures Within Examen. Take a deep breath, and notice God’s presence. As you inhale and exhale, thank God for these […]
There’s nothing complicated or mysterious about making the examen part of your life. The subject matter of the examen is your life—specifically the day you have just lived through. The examen looks for signs of God’s presence in the events of the day—lunch with a friend, a walk in the park, a kind word from […]
My husband and I sat mesmerized by waves at Alki Beach. Our camp chairs were comfy as we watched children play, lovers stroll, and runners pass. My eyes were drawn to a woman lugging a fully loaded ice chest down to a picnic table. After struggling to get it situated, she disappeared briefly, only to […]
Many of us find it helpful to talk through an idea with another person when we are trying to make a decision or process the meaning of something significant that has happened. For example, when I was younger and applying to graduate schools, I decided to shift in my career plans from psychology to philosophy. […]
It is good to remember that spirituality is a series of practices that allow us to pay attention to God. God’s always there, but we get easily distracted. And the more we get distracted, the easier it is to get distracted. Distraction itself has become our practice. The answer, of course, is the opposite practice […]
My husband asked me why I was being nice instead of sharing the snarky comment the expression on my face expressed. Looking at him, I announced that I was trying to “will the good” of others in my life, and I had thought it would be a simple thing to do. “It’s hard,” I reluctantly […]
My 84-year-old father, a former Air Force fighter pilot who traveled around the world, now spends his days mainly confined to his recliner. His liberty to get up and walk to the refrigerator, let alone travel or even run an errand, is gone. He has lived in the same room for three years now, yet […]
