Importance of Adoration

The Importance of Adoration

Like so many pilgrims before us, we kneel in wonder and adoration in front of the ineffable mystery which is accomplished in Eucharistic Adoration.  In the Son of God who is given to us, we find rest for our souls and the true bread that never fails — the Eucharistic Bread foreshadowed even in the name of the town of His birth: Beth-lehem, the house of bread.  God lies hidden in the Child; divinity lies hidden in the Bread of Life.

In the book In Sinu Jesu a benedictine monk recorded many locutions he had received from Our Lord concerning the importance of Eucharistic Adoration.  If you are in need of a way to rejuvenate your relationship with our Lord, an easy way to start is to get a copy of this book and let the messages recorded talk to your heart.

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Mary's Request

Mary’s Request For The Rosary

Tuesday, October 7 is the Memorial to Our Lady of the Rosary.  The Rosary is one of the most popular prayer forms in the Catholic world.  

The Rosary evolved over centuries, with roots in ancient practices.  Early practitioners used beads or knots to count prayers and this method existed long before the modern Rosary was developed.  The prayers being said and counted were 150 Psalms.  Often called a ‘poor man’s psalter’: the laity who could not read the 150 psalms, adopted this counting method to pray 150 “Our Fathers” instead.  This practice became widespread across Europe.

The rise of the Hail Mary from the 11th century onward replaced the recitation of the “Our Father” with reciting 150 Hail Marys instead.  The prayer grew in stages, incorporating scriptural passages from the Annunciation and Visitation (mysteries) before its final form was approved at the Council of Trent in the 16th century.

The Rosary is one of the most popular prayer forms of those visiting the Adoration Chapel and it’s a wonderful place to start if you are new to Adoration.  To help appreciate the importance of the rosary it’s noted that in five of the sixteen Marian Apparitions approved by the church as ‘worthy of belief’, our Lady specifically asks for daily recitation of the Rosary.  Won’t you do your best to fulfill her request?

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Who Is That Magnificent Spirit Next To You?

 Who Is That Magnificent Spirit Next To You?

We’ve all heard of, and many have participated in special days such as ‘Take your child to work day’, or perhaps ‘Take Grandma to bible camp Saturday’; but have you heard of this special day for all Catholics; ‘Take your Guardian Angel to Chapel Day?’

The Catechism states that “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by the watchful care and intercession of angels.  Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.  Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.”  (CCC336)

An angel is a created spiritual person without a body.  The Church teaches there’s nine choirs of angels; most commentators believe we get our Guardian Angel from the ninth choir simply called ‘Angels’.  The importance of the Guardian Angel is that God has seen fit, in his generosity and mercy, to assign each of us a being that is far more intelligent and higher on the created order than we are.  Their essential task is to see us home, so to speak, to get us home to heaven.

To take full advantage of this gift it’s important to establish a relationship with your angel.  To do so begins by acknowledging their existence, to pray to them regularly, and to become more habitually use to calling upon them in all needs, even very small needs, because angels are there for those as well.

Seeking guidance from our angel can only help and will never hurt.  Our angel knows more about us than we know about ourselves.  This understanding is what God has given the angel to properly support us in things of morality and vocation, even in areas of suffering.

So next time you have a feeling that there’s something watching you, you’re right.  Say a prayer of thanksgiving.  And consider showing your appreciation to your angel for all it does for you by taking your angel to the Adoration Chapel and know that that act has filled your angel with JOY!

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Your Spiritual Life Need Help?

 How To Grow Your Spiritual Life

Cultivating a Eucharistic life of Adoration bears tremendous fruit in our own hearts and lives.  One cannot spend time in the rays of His Eucharistic Presence without receiving His grace, His love, His mercy, His peace.  As we gaze upon Him face to face, we are transformed little by little into a closer reflection of His divine image.  When we deepen our personal relationship with Jesus by spending time with Him in this way, we become more aware of the obstacles of sin in our life that stands between us and Our Lord.  We develop a stronger desire to make habits of virtue and self-sacrifice in imitation of Him.

Spending time with Jesus in His Sacrament of love will also fill our hearts with abiding joy and bless our days, our jobs, our families, our lives with His protection and grace.  Each hour that we give to Our Lord bears fruit a hundredfold in this life and in the next.

Don’t limit your opportunities - Visit him in the chapel this week!

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Is Jesus Disappointed In The Way You Live Your Catholic Religion?

 Do You Disappoint Jesus?

When Jesus walked the earth and shared his message for/of salvation, there were many things he experienced that disappointed him.  He was disappointed by the large number of people who didn’t understand or believe what he was teaching and how by following him would lead to salvation. He was disappointed with the  political leaders who accused him of blasphemy.  He was disappointed by the twelve men he personally chose who failed him when he needed their support the most.

We believe He died for our salvation and in todays’ world too many of us continue to disappoint him.  Consider for a moment the large number of lukewarm catholics.  People who don’t believe in the Real Presence; people who don’t attend mass because they leave before the final blessing; people who commit to spend time in his presence then don’t.

No matter where you end up after death, I can guarantee: You will be disappointed and unhappy you didn’t do more to prepare yourself for eternity while you had the chance.  I believe what will separate us in heaven will be our capacity for happiness.  Your glass might be filled to the brim, but the soul next to you might have a bigger glass.

Jesus Offers You Comfort and Peace

 You’re Invited!   “Come to me all you who are …”  Is Not An Empty Promise

“It’s true that the voice of God is a still, small voice.  His is one that comes in the silence, the silence we sometimes fear because it is in that quiet that our heart is laid bare, not only for us to see but for God as well.  We forget that he already knows us better than we know ourselves.”  (Merridith Frediani) 

“Eucharistic Adoration is an invitation from the Almighty, the One who created everything out of nothing.  It’s an invitation to be in the very presence of a king, our King.  Imagine, we sinful, fallen, messy humans are invited, welcomed, and encouraged to be with our Lord and God.  It is this silence that we discover who we truly are.  Yes, we are sinners who stumble and lurch through this life, but we are also the beloved children of God.  We are desired.  We are wanted. We are espoused to him.  He wants us to bring him this mess because he can heal us.” (Merridith Frediani)

When the pressures and disappointments of life seem to weigh heavy and you would like the opportunity to find peace, it’s time to think ‘Eucharistic Adoration’.  It is here you are able to hear Jesus’ gentle comfort and encouragement.  And we know the more we trust and lean on him, the more helpful his actions become.

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The Beauty Of Silence

 If You Haven’t Listened To Silence, You’ve Missed A Beautiful Experience

Silence is an indispensable part of the spiritual life.  In fact, often we can gauge our spiritual health on how much we can tolerate and enter into silence.  If we cannot sit in silent prayer for even a few short moments, then this should be a red flag to us.  Our union with Christ is dependent on some level of silence.  Now, depending upon our state in life, this is easier said than done, but even the busiest of moms and dads must find a few moments a day to enter into silent prayer.

It’s easy to turn Mass and prayer time into one more thing to do on our to-do list.  Because most of society is part of a 24/7 consumer culture keeping us in a state hurried and distracted so that proper attention to ‘prayer time’ is impossible to maintain.  To correct this we start by taking back control of our ‘time’.  Control comes in small measure.  Start by asking the Holy Spirit for help; followed by identifying your ‘time wasters’ and cancelling the activity or redirecting the ‘time’ for better use.  This is one way to capture small amounts of time that can be used for silent prayer.  (Inspired by an article “The Lack of Silence” by Constance T. Hull)

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