Letter to a Brother Priest [on Eucharistic adoration]

Vultus Christi ^ | 03-25-10 | Fr. Mark Kirby

[mlizzy]

Dear Father X,

You asked me the other day to write something that would encourage you to be faithful to your daily Eucharistic adoration. Here then are a few thoughts that came to me while at prayer. I share them with you simply, as one priest to another.

When you come into Our Lord's presence to adore Him, and when you prefer Him to the countless other things that solicit your attention and make claims upon your time, Jesus is consoled and glorified. The proof of friendship is the choice of one's friend over all else. Our Lord wants you to prefer Him, to give Him time that could be given to other persons and things. In so doing, you will show Him your love and offer Him the consolation of a true friendship.

The Lord Jesus asks this preferential love of all His priests. Friendship, if it is to thrive, must be practiced. This is as true of friendship with Our Divine Lord as it is of human friendships. Jesus waits for the companionship of His priests. With them He holds His priesthood -- and His victimhood -- in common. This is what makes the friendship of His priests so precious to His Sacred Heart.

With us priests Jesus shares the purest joy of living in the presence of His Immaculate Mother and of experiencing her maternal care in all the circumstances of priestly life. Given that friendship is based on treasured things held in common, Our Lord's friendship with His priests is unlike His friendship with other souls. The more we priests come to Him and linger in His presence, the more will He share with us the secrets and the treasures reserved for us in His Sacred Heart.

[mlizzy]

Such a beautiful post ...

[Parmy]

That's nice. But, how about when you make a commitment, you live with it, no matter what?

If you can't keep the commitment, then go do something else.

[RnMomof7]

How sad

[mlizzy]

I think the priest who came to Fr. Mark was pretty committed to begin with. He was seeking guidance on how to achieve heightened prayer time during Eucharistic Adoration. If you read about Fr. Mark (in the sidebar of his site), you will see that he's the perfect priest to address these types of concerns with.

[Salvation]

Wasn’t that a beautiful letter? I sent it to my priest and to the coordinator of our Adoration schedule!!

[mlizzy]

Indeed! I like how Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapels Everywhere spells out P.E.A.C.E.