Posted on 10/02/2010 8:16:00 PM PDT by markomalley
This post was originally published on November 4, 2008.
Our church is doing 24 hours of Adoration for people who want to pray before the election. After the kids went to bed last night I wanted nothing more than to go collapse into bed myself, but instead I grabbed my purse and headed out into the night to go to our church. Adoration started after the daily Mass yesterday and will continue until the Mass this afternoon, right around the time the polls close. It was late on a weeknight, so I was surprised that there were about 40 other people there. As usual, the group was of all different ages and backgrounds. After I sat down three hispanic teenaged boys dressed in baggy clothes slid into the pew in front of me and knelt on the kneelers to pray. Behind me were some middle-aged gentlemen in business attire praying Rosaries. Last night I didnt feel any big emotions like I sometimes do. Maybe I was just too tired, but the wave of inspiration that sometimes hits me during Adoration wasnt there. Nevertheless, something did happen that always happens: after praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament, my thoughts were ordered. There was a clarity there that wasnt there before, that I did not come to on my own. Probably the most interesting religious experience Ive had since my conversion is Adoration. It doesnt seem like something Id be attracted to; though I found the doctrine of the Real Presence to be perfectly reasonable, Ive never had a gut-level understanding that Christ is actually there, physically, in what appears to be bread. And when I walk into Adoration each time, I still look at the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and think something like, How is this possible?
I look around and marvel at how many people flock to this devotion, and what they sacrifice to do so. Though Adoration last night was in our beautiful sanctuary, many churches hold it in a small room in another part of the church so that Adoration can continue during Masses and other services. There is usually very little visual stimulation, just the exposed Sacrament in a nondescript room and the one red candle. Maybe some flowers or other candles, but thats usually it. There is never any music. It is always completely silent. There is no payoff in terms of sensory experience. Also, the exposed Sacrament can never be left alone, so each church has to come up with an elaborate sign-up system managed by at least one person and a backup to make sure that the room is never empty. In our area there are a few perpetual Adoration chapels, which means that the host is exposed 24 hours, seven days a week, including holidays. Christmas night at 3:00 in the morning? Someone has to set their alarm, get out of bed, and be there. The Fourth of July at 2:00 in the afternoon? Someone is there. The stroke of midnight on New Years Eve? Someone is there. I always feel a sting of tears when I see the schedule at an Adoration chapel, seeing the handwritten names in blocks like 2:00 in the morning on a Tuesday or 4:00 in the morning on a Saturday. Its touching to see so many people sitting there in silence, just spending time with the Lord, often grabbing a Kleenex to dab their eyes. Adoration chapels always have lots of Kleenex. When I think of the impact that Adoration has had on my own life, the intense pull I feel towards it, even when its late on a Monday night and Id rather be in bed, and the way it gets people to behave in ways they normally wouldnt, leaving their homes in all types of weather at all hours of the night to come sit in a still room in front of a monstrance, I am reminded of an oasis. I might not be able to see Christs presence in the Host or even understand exactly how it works that he is there; yet I see the results of him being there. I see how my own thoughts are ordered and transformed by something external to myself, even when I cant muster up much emotion about it or would rather be in bed; I see what people sacrifice to sit in the same room with him, and know humans well enough to know that you couldnt get that number of people to do that if they hadnt experienced something real; I see the Kleenex boxes, the vases of flowers people bring from their homes, the fact that almost every parish can get enough people to sign up to sit with the Blessed Sacrament so that they can host 24 hours of Adoration once a month (and many can have their own perpetual Adoration chapels), and its like coming across an oasis of lush, flowering land in the desert. I might not be able to see the running water in a form Id expect, but I see it in the fat, green plants that could not get such nourishment from anything else. I might not understand exactly how it got there, but I see overwhelming evidence of its presence. Looking around at the flourishing life in an environment where such a scene is rare, Id know there is water here. |
I was an atheist all my life until 2005. I researched my way into Christianity, and now I write about what it's like to be part of an orthodox faith after a life of nonbelief. [READ MORE]
I can relate a bit.
Catholicism stands up to scrutiny and makes perfect sense.
That was really interesting.
Wonderful and inspiring post!
I have been to a church in georgia during christmas week and week after holidays. 20 to 30 people after mass for the adoration chapel. It’s changing lives in parishes. You sign in a guestbook. Sacred Holy Time. Sweet presence of peace. The Prince of Peace! Praise Jesus!
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] There is water here (Eucharistic Adoration)
Eucharistic Adoration is Life Changing
Here is Christ! (Daily Holy Hour) [Catholic Caucus]
Letter to a Brother Priest [on Eucharistic adoration]
NDs McBrien: Eucharistic Adoration is a...spiritual step backward (Catholic Caucus)
Adoration with no end: 24-hour Eucharistic ritual returns to Boston [Catholic Caucus]
Kansas parish opens adoration chapel
Perpetual adoration returns to Boston after 40 year absence [Catholic Caucus]
I Fall To My Knees (A Reflection on Eucharistic Adoration)
A Chinese Girl-True Story That Inspired Bishop Fulton Sheen- Eucharist Adoration (Catholic Caucus)
Eucharistic Adoration increases prayer, vocations in Uganda(Catholic Caucus)
Faithful Invited to Follow Pope, Adore Eucharist [Catholic Caucus]
Catholic Caucus: The Hour That Makes My Day | Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
A Shepherd Speaks (Eucharistic Adoration) -- Bishop Edward J. Slattery [Catholic Caucus]
Why Eucharistic Adoration?(Catholic/Orthodox Caucus)
The Core of Monasticism Is Adoration [Catholic Caucus](Homily of Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration: a Parish's Fuel
The History of Eucharistic Adoration Development of Doctrine in the Catholic Church
The Cease-Fire of Prayer and Fasting
Eucharistic Adoration: The Early Years
Catholic Meditation and Devotion: The Holy Hour
Spend Some Time With Jesus Tonight...
The Eucharistic Mystery Calls For Our Response
Pope Backs Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration
Eucharistic adoration is key, but also has drawbacks, bishops say
Eucharistic adoration: Intimacy with Christ
The Gaze [Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament]
St. Francis of Assisi and Eucharistic Adoration
Ancient Roman Catholic ritual making a comeback in Minnesota
Adoration for Vocations to be Promoted Worldwide
POPE GRANTS PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR YEAR OF THE EUCHARIST
New Plenary Indulgence to Mark Year of the Eucharist
The Adoration of the Name of Jesus (El Greco)
Adoration Tally Presented to Pope by Vocation.com
In The Presence Of The Lord
2.2 Million hours of prayer, and counting
Eucharistic Adoration or Abortion?
Bishop Calls for Perpetual Adoration of Eucharist
What I learned From a Muslim about Eucharistic Adoration
PERPETUAL ADORATION
Our area is reproducing the boards at a cost (for long use and travel in the Archdiocese) at the cost of $55.00 a board. So we had only 50 or son on display. I got about half way through it. I could have spent all day reading them. It’s already coming to our parish, and my women’s group, YLI (similar to Catholic Daughters) is having a representative bring some boards and make a presentation....So by that that I will have had three opportunities to view them. I’d love to do a series on FR about them. I’m just too busy right now putting together a vocations flyer for young men and women in our Archdiocese — vicariate — whatever. I’m thinking if I do a good enough job on it — it won’t stop with my parish!
Oops
only 50 or so
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