EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
The life which our Lord Jesus is calling us to is a life of intimate union with him, and surely this life of union with our Lord deepens as often as we receive him in Holy Communion; however, our contact, for lack of a better term, with the Bread of Life must not stop there. Not only have we been given the grace to receive him in Holy Communion, but as our Lord told us in Matthew's Gospel, he would be with us always until the end of time (Matt 28:20). Truly we see the fulfillment of this Scripture as we see Jesus reserved in all the tabernacles throughout the world; Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. Beyond receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, we are called to adore him in the Blessed Sacrament. The intimacy which our Lord is calling us to with him goes beyond just receiving him. He desires that each of us be united to his very life. To put it simply, he desires that each of us spend time with him, contemplating the mystery of his Real Presence in this holy Sacrament.
We believe it is very important to try to understand the depth of the intimacy which Jesus desires to have with us; we will therefore use an example. The marital act between husband and wife is the deepest, most profound way in which they express their love to one another; our Lord desires to have a much deeper intimacy with us. And this life of intimacy, this union with Jesus, comes through receiving him and adoring him in the most Blessed Sacrament. Why adore him? Why spend time in his presence when we truly receive him into our very being? It is very simple. We can use the example of husband and wife again. A husband and wife would never have wedded if they did not spend time with one another, if they did not get to know one another. The way they come to love one another is by being with one another: the lover with the beloved. In the same way, we must spend time with Jesus to come to know him in a more intimate way, to come to love him in a deeper, more intimate way.
Spending time daily in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is to spend time with Love Incarnate, it is to spend time with the Source of Love. And as we adore the Source of Love, our lives are transformed into lives which are animated by divine love. As St. Paul says: "All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...(2 Cor. 3:18). The advice of the saints and other holy men and women who have gone before us is to spend time in adoration of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Some people who are in the habit of spending time before our Lord in Eucharistic adoration often speak of making a daily Holy Hour. Often times we'll hear them say, "I still have to make my Holy Hour today", or maybe they'll ask a friend, "did you make your Holy Hour today?". We would like to suggest that we change this terminology of "making a Holy Hour" because we believe the saints would tell us differently: saints do not make daily Holy Hours, daily Holy Hours make saints. We are transformed by the grace, mercy, and love which our Lord Jesus pours forth into our hearts as we adore him. All over the world we are beginning to see an explosion of perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The Holy Spirit is stirring in the hearts of Christ's Faithful People and they are coming to a deeper realization of the life-transforming power and love in Eucharistic adoration. While adoring our Lord in this Holy Sacrament, we can offer prayers of reparation; we especially need to pray in reparation for the sins of the world committed against the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and especially for the sins of our own country.
We must believe not only in the transforming power of Eucharistic adoration for our own lives, but also the power of transformation which it provides for the whole world. Pope John Paul II sees and understands the power of Eucharistic adoration, and indeed he has been an impetus in the explosion of perpetual adoration throughout the world. He himself sees Eucharistic adoration as being intimately bound up with the ushering in of the third millennium of Christianity. As we know, 1997 marked the beginning of the three year preparation for the year 2000, and we believe that as we approach the third millennium we will continue to see an increase in Eucharistic adoration throughout the world. In fact, our Holy Father had said that the year 1999 will be "intensely Eucharistic". Our prayer for all is that we may become "intensely Eucharistic" people. May we, who are transformed by receiving and adoring our Lord Jesus in the most Blessed Sacrament, be the instruments which the Holy Spirit uses to transform the world!
May the Heart of Jesus, in the most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved, with grateful affection, at every moment, in every tabernacle of the world, even until the end of time!
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You!
Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world!
AMEN! AMEN!
(paragraphing added for ease of reading)
http://www.cfpeople.org/page18.html
What’s Your Story?
My mom got another call while talking with me on the phone this morning. I waited while she answered it. “It was Colleen (My Cousin). She’s got a good adoration story to tell me”, said my protestant Mom excitedly. “I’ll go and let her tell it to you”, I said, knowing that my mom relishes the retelling of our adoration experiences. She often says; I can’t wait to tune in for the next episode. “You should call her and tell her about yours”, she replied. “I think I will”, I said.
I called my cousin about a half an hour later and we talked for two hours about the miraculous occurrences and incredible peace that accompanies and surrounds our times of adoration. “When I come out of adoration, I just want to tell everyone what a treasure we have in adoration”, she said. “So many people who need this are really missing out! I just want to tell everyone” she continued. “That’s what I do”, I said. “I tell people in the church paper what they’re missing at adoration.” “I don’t think writing is for me”, she said, but email me some of your articles so I can let everyone know.”
I tell this to you, my brothers and sisters, to give you confidence to talk about your experiences at adoration. Those of you who visit the adoration chapel have your own adoration stories. You know what I am talking about. Tell your stories to everyone. Catholic, protestant, it doesn’t matter. Who on earth wouldn’t want an audience with Jesus. Just think of what a blessing you will be to those you bring to Jesus. Those of you who don’t know what we’re talking about: YOU’RE MISSING OUT! Spend some time with Jesus in the adoration chapel and then tell your story. You may be surprised at who is waiting to hear it. Crystal Tyll
WHAT IS IT THAT DRAWS YOU TO JESUS?
What is it that draws you to Jesus? Some of you are at adoration an hour or more a week. Why? What difference has it made in your life? What keeps bringing you back? Take a minute to ponder these questions. Allow the answers to flood over you, to fill you, to consume you. When your heart and mind are full of answers, pick up a phone or a pen and call someone or write an open letter to those you love telling him or her about what Jesus gives you in adoration. Don't know what to say? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Just ask your friend how they are, and when they ask you how you are tell them, "Oh I'm so full of the love of Jesus" or "Actually, I'm having a really peaceful day, I just spent an hour at adoration and it always seems to make my troubles dim and my blessings seem magnified."
Don't keep it to yourself. Don't be the cat that ate the canary. Once the cat eats the canary no one hears its song again, but after leaving the adoration chapel, the Holy Spirit should fly right out of your mouth telling everyone you meet about the love of Jesus! Remember to whom much is given, much will be required.
Another way to spread the love of Jesus is to plan to be somewhere where you are seeing people after your holy hour. They will notice the radiance on your face. Without saying a word you will affect those you meet. Some may comment on your glow. Tell them who put it there.
When you read a beautiful piece of literature or hear a tape or CD about adoration, pass it on. Some, and I'd venture to say most; people out there in the world don't know anything about adoration. Who will tell them if not those of us making holy hours?
A friend of mine is having a difficult time with financial circumstances. We talked for hours about how she had always been a generous woman and one who is led by God. Why, then was this happening to her? She wondered. Still thinking about her later at home, I sent her a copy of an adoration article via computer. I wasn't sure what her knowledge of adoration was, but I knew in my heart that Jesus would be her best comfort. The next day she sent a glowing email back explaining how she had never really understood about adoration, but the article make it clearer and she was going to sign up for a weekly hour at her church.
Whatever your method, share Jesus with someone. There are so many hurting people who need Him. Crystal Tyll
WARMING THE HEART OF JESUS
The fabric of life in our Adoration Chapel is being woven every hour of every day. Each of our adorers brings their own threads and works them into a beautiful tapestry that warms the heart of Jesus. Currently, there are a few threadbare areas and holes in our tapestry. These are the hours that we need you to fill. Won't you join us in prayer and ask Jesus which hour He would have you commit to? Our most lovely work can only be wrought when we all join together to bring our threads and join them with the threads of others to form a tight weave. His laborers working together are the cross-weave that hold the tapestry together. Each one of our visits is precious to Him and pleases Him. When we work together it doubles and strengthens our efforts creating an exquisite celestial pattern, the beauty of which none of us can imagine. Every one of us have a prayer of thanksgiving to offer Our Lord. Won't you bring it in and weave it into our tapestry? Crystal Tyll
HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION
My summer vacation was awesome. I spent a lot of my time at the John Paull II Adoration Chapel at Church of the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church in Highland. It was very restful because I could sleep as late as I wanted. No matter what time I arrived the Son was always shining. The surf--the surf was amazing. I just knelt down and let the waves of His love wash over me for hours. Each one was more refreshing than the last. There was never a dull moment with all the things to do there. There was a wonderful spiritual library, comfortable chairs, friends who shared my interests and even a book where I could write down my needs and the needs of those I love and the Host would see that they were taken care of. The Host was so compassionate that he even provided a bowl of rosaries so that I could stay in touch with my Blessed Mother. I must confess that no one had ever made me feel the way the Host did. He seemed to anticipate my every need and fulfill my deepest desires. I found myself spending more and more time in His Presence. Before long I had fallen deeply in love with Him. Such an all-consuming love grew in me each time I visited Him that I found that He was the most important part of my life. Every thing and everyone paled in comparison to Him. I surrendered to His holy will heart and soul. He has promised to go with me whenever I cannot stay with Him and to always be at my side. When I'm weary and I can't go on, he carries me. He will never leave me or forsake me. My Host has become the love of my life. Now what did you do on your summer vacation, again? Crystal Tyll
Speak Lord, Your Servant Is Listening
There was a documentary on TV recently that told the story of a man who travels across the United States searching the mountains valleys, meadows and woodlands for a place that has no noise that is man made such as trains, airplanes or car noise. Even though his destinations are beautiful, remote and for the most part tranquil, almost everywhere he goes, the sounds of nature are interfered with by the inventions of modern man. His conclusion; It’s getting harder and harder to find a quiet place.
It would be difficult to disagree with our researcher’s findings. We are so conditioned to the noise of everyday life that we sometimes get nervous when we find ourselves in a situation where it is “too quiet”. Yet with all of this activity we wonder how we can find God, that is if we can find the time. God is not the author of confusion, but peace. We condense a week’s worth of activity into each day and wonder why we can’t hear the voice of Jesus.
He speaks to you every moment of everyday. Why do you think scripture tells us to pray without ceasing? Would Jesus ask you to do more for Him than He is willing to do for you? If you have been seeking his voice, consider turning down the volume of your life. Plan some quiet time in your schedule that is completely dedicated to Him. It will need to be in a place where you will not be interrupted. You know, the perfect place for you to hear his voice is the adoration chapel. Why not make a commitment to spend an hour a week with Him. Consider what part of your busy schedule you could sacrifice for Our Lord. He honors every sacrifice made in His name and He will speak to your heart. Spend some time with Him and listen to what He has to say to you. Aren’t you curious? Call the Worship Office to sign up for an hour of Adoration. Crystal Tyll
TESTIMONY!
My deepened faith came from the adoration chapel. Have you ever felt like you were getting closer to Jesus but there had been something that stopped you? Maybe a fear of what he may ask of you? I was that person. I decided that I wanted to remove that block from my heart and signed up for an hour at the Adoration Chapel. I didn't know how much that one hour would change my life. My love for Jesus has grown to new heights. I have conquered my fear of surrendering myself to Jesus by his help from the Holy Spirit. I hope all of you take a look deep within your heart and ask, "What is stopping me?" Sign up for an hour and see how your life will change. Chris Hatmaker
In Gratitude For A Fruitful Harvest
How exciting it was to see the testimony in our church paper from our parishioner, Chris Hatmaker, about how her time in adoration had made an impact on her life! Her heart was so filled by her experience that she could not help from shouting it out loud. This tells us that our chapel is having the effect that it was intended to in the lives of our people. And this is only the beginning. The fire that is so brightly burning here at Holy Spirit cannot be contained and is spreading with great intensity throughout both Michigan and the many far-flung destinations to which our parishioners travel. The many prayers that we have sent up while building and opening our adoration chapel are yielding the fruits, which we requested. God bless Chris for writing and submitting her testimony. We know that it is not the only one. One way you were asked to evangelize a few weeks ago was to write down or call someone to tell them what is happening to you in adoration. Because of her voice, I hope many more of you will share your stories with us about the blessings you receive from your time at adoration. Submissions can be directed to the Worship Office. Thank you so much for being the faithful brothers and sisters that you are and for being part of this parish, which creates such a nurturing atmosphere to increase our faith. A thank you is also due to Father Leo whose great love and understanding of the great power of The Real Presence of Jesus in The Blessed Sacrament has allowed this awesome treasure to come here to Holy Spirit. Crystal Tyll
This Year, Be More Advent-urous
Oh how the holidays sneak up on us some years. Before you know it, we have sailed through Thanksgiving and are shopping double-time to finish by Christmas. Because of the panic that seems to get more intense every year, we've put up our outside Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving so that we could spend more time shopping. After all, we don't want to disappoint the children, Aunt Suzie, Grandma or even the postman. We've got a short time and a lot of stuff to get and it better be the good stuff or we'll hear the complaints. For the really popular stuff we'll have to camp out overnight and stand in long lines in the bitter cold. It'll be tough, but we've got to please our family & friends, right?
NOTHING IS AS SWEET AS A BIRTHDAY VISIT
A dear friend of mine left a message for me on my answering machine on my birthday one year. She said, "I just wanted to tell you how important and special this day is because it is the day you were born. The world is a much better place because you were born. I hope you are having a wonderful day." When I heard that message, the tears overtook me immediately. What a lovely thing for her to have done. Later, she came by and had tea with me and brought me a beautiful gift. Really, it was three gifts. There was the gift of her call, the gift of her time and the gift of a mirror surrounded by angels. She made me feel as if I were a great treasure to her and she, who was always precious to me, became even more so by her kindness to me. As I pondered my friend's love for me, I realized that she had put a lot of preparation into making my birthday special because I was important to her.
Soon our Lord will have his birthday. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we prepared for his birthday with the same or greater love that my friend showed me? After all, His birth was of infinitely greater consequence than mine. Yet if we can love one another with all of our human faults, how much greater should our love be shown to our Savior? Just as my friend called me, you can call on Jesus in prayer and thank Him for His sacrifice of being born into this world. You can clear your schedule to make time to visit Jesus in the adoration chapel. And during this preparation time of advent, you can examine your reflection with the Holy Spirit surrounded by the angels in the sacrament of reconciliation. Offer Jesus the gift of a pure and clean heart on the occasion of His birth. Order your priorities so that He comes first in all things. Show Him what a great treasure He is to you and then marvel at the friendship that develops between you. Crystal Tyll
What would happen if we weren't enslaved by the Season? Remember the wise men? They already had everything-plenty of stuff. Yet they spent their time preparing their hearts and seeking the Son of God. They listened to the voice of God and sought to kneel at the feet of Jesus. They found Jesus to be the greatest treasure in their lives. You can too. During advent this year why not trade the credit card shackles and in suing debt that enslaves us for the freedom of a trip to reconciliation and the peace you'll find at the feet of Jesus in the adoration chapel? Camp out in the adoration chapel instead! Give everyone on your list a card that tells them you have been on your knees for them making a holy hour on their behalf. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving! This gift blesses not only the receiver, but the giver as well. Crystal Tyll.
MY DAILY PLANNER IS DRIPPING WITH PIE!
A brand new shiny year is upon us. It's time to get organized and prioritize our schedules.
Let's see, where is that new daily planner I got for Christmas? Here it is all clear and blank. It reminds me of what my father would say when someone told him that they didn't have enough time for a certain activity. He'd always say, "I don't know why, you've got 24 hours, just like everyone else." His meaning was immediately clear to the quick witted folk; others stared blankly or didn't respond at all. What he meant was that if an activity was important enough to them, they would have made it a priority. He was a great people watcher and made a habit of filing people into categories by how they spent their time. He would say this one or that one has a "good heart". This meant that they were a charitable person who cooked for older folks or repaired things for others without expecting repayment. All of the children in our household as well as various people with problems who stayed with us were taught to care for our neighbors and sacrifice our time with a cheerful attitude. My parents would say, "You'll get your reward in Heaven."
This year as we make our schedules and think about how busy we are while we try to fit in that new exercise routine. Let's scrutinize that agenda. Look at where you spend the majority of your time. Split it up into percentages and make a pie graph. What slice of pie are you serving the Lord? I hope it is a big juicy piece, dripping with love. If it's just a sliver, consider increasing His portion. One great way would be to sign up for an hour of adoration in the adoration chapel. Put it on your schedule. Make Jesus a priority in your life and serve Him a portion of your year. Call the worship office and make it official. Be sure that Jesus gets a slice of your time and not just the crumbs that fall from your table. You'll get your reward in Heaven! Crystal Tyll
http://www.holyspirit-highland.com/perpetual_adoration.php