DAY OF RECOLLECTION | November 2022

A monthly Day of Recollection is a time set aside specifically for a Christian to seriously go deeper into his or her relationship with God. It is an opportunity to spend a couple of hours in prayer and conversation with God guided by meditation, spiritual reading, and an examination of conscience.

Following are a guide and resources from the St. Josemaria Institute to plan and make your own day of recollection for this month:

I. To begin, download the Guide for Making a Day of Recollection: (View/Download PDF)

II. Listen online or download the meditation; or, read the meditation transcript (View/Download PDF):

III. Take time for silent prayer and spiritual reading:

• • Pray the Holy Rosary
  • Read and reflect on Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12
  • Recommended Articles:
    • • The Formation of Saints: The Beatitudes Form Christ Within Us
      • Living by Faith

IV. Reflect on the examination of conscience questions for this month:

• • Our Lord says: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48). Do I want to answer the call to holiness? Do I begin each day by offering it to God with a prayer? Do I renew this offering throughout the day?
  • Do my family and friends see that I live my faith naturally, that God is on my lips and in my deeds? Do I try to teach them to offer God their everyday activities, especially their work or study?
  • As long as we are on earth, conversion is always possible. Do I give my friends some idea of the happiness that comes with friendship with Christ? Do I pray and offer up some sacrifice for the conversion of those who don’t live with their sights on God?
  • “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). Do I meditate frequently on eternal life, death, the judgment of God, purgatory, heaven and hell? Do I do so amid the hope that Christ gives us salvation? Do I speak of eternal life to others?
  • Do I go to Our Lady to prepare for Advent, and do I ask her for a new conversion?

Act of Contrition: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.

V. Conclude your time of prayer:

• • Make two or three concrete resolutions that you can give Our Lord for the month. Remember that the resolutions and themes from this time of prayer are meant to guide and accompany you throughout the month.
  • You may also want to download and use our Monthly Planner to write your resolutions, prayer intentions, daily plan of prayer, and special dates for the month. Then, once a week during the month, perhaps on Sunday, review your notes and monthly planner to refresh and remind yourself of the prayerful fruits and inspirations from your time with God.