Why Do People Go?

“The ways of visiting the Blessed Sacrament must be as varied as the souls of men.  Some love to go there to listen; some to speak; some to confess to Him as if He were their priest; some to examine their consciences as before a judge; some to do homage as to their king; some to study Him as their Doctor and Prophet; some to find shelter as with their Creator.  Some rejoice in His divinity, others in His sacred humanity, others in the mysteries of the season.  Some visit Him on different days by His different titles, as God, Father, Brother, Shepherd, Head of the Church, and the like.  Some visit to adore, some to intercede, some to petition, some to return thanks, some for consolation; but all visit Him to LOVE.”

   Frederick William Faber, The Blessed Sacrament

Be counted among the growing number of parishioners who spend an hour each week in Eucharistic Adoration.  Let God know you’re committed by signing up for an hour at:

https://adorationpro.org/schedule.php?org=ihmmi&languageMain=english

 Thank You Lord For The Gift Of Eucharistic Adoration!

“When you look at the Crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you then.  When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now.”

   Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

“St Paul wrote that the transforming power of gazing upon the Eucharist changes us into His likeness.”  (2 Cor 3:18)

“To converse with You, O King of glory, no third person is needed.  You are always ready in the Sacrament of the Altar to give audience to all.  All who desire You always find You there, and converse with You face to face.

   St Teresa of Avila

“Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament has His hands full of graces, and He is ready to bestow them on anyone who asks for them.”

   St Peter of Alcantara

“Silence in the religious sense signifies God-awareness.  What matters in silence is not our external situation but our inner disposition.  It is a matter, not of keeping our mouth shut, but of opening our heart to God.”

   Kallistos Ware

Why don’t you join the growing number of fellow parishioners who are making a weekly hour in the Adoration Chapel part of their regular routine.  Click here to find a convenient hour:  https://adorationpro.org/schedule.php?org=ihmmi&languageMain=english

“Go, gather, teach, pray.”   Our Lady of Good Help

Heartfelt Adoration

 Heartfelt Adoration

Adoration must be “in spirit”, which in a sense makes it a loving act of will that as a human being we can do anywhere and at anytime.  You don’t have to be in church, or in the chapel, to adore God in your heart.  The secret to being successful to spontaneously adore in your heart is to condition the heart through ‘chapel time’.

Only the Blessed Mother was able to adore anytime and anywhere … the rest of us have to work at it to be successful.

Adoration ‘in spirit’ allows you to pause whatever it is you are doing, and simply bring to mind the presence of God in your heart.  It is a beautiful and rewarding practice which truly is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  If you cannot do this … you need to practice and to pray.

If you are not a regular Adorer in our Chapel, here is a good place to start:  Available Schedule

Exposition of the Eucharist

 Why Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?

If we can adore the Eucharistic presence of Christ when reposed in a tabernacle, why do we then need to expose the Blessed Sacrament on an altar?  It is not essential for exposition to take place to have Eucharistic Adoration, yet people report experiencing a greater sense of intimacy with Jesus and attentiveness of mind and heart to prayer when they are able to actually ‘see’ our Eucharistic Lord.  But the best reason for having exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is simply that God wills it.  During His Eucharistic discourse, Jesus made this unmistakably clear:  “Indeed, this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks upon the Son, and believes in Him, shall have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.” (Jn 6:40)

Spend time in His presence and know you are doing the will of the Father.

Used again 080623

A Treasured Hour

 A Treasured Hour

“One thing is certain, that next to Holy Communion, no act of worship is so pleasing to God, and none so useful, as the daily visit to our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament dwelling upon the altar.”   St Alphonsus Liguori

For most of us a ‘daily’ visit is difficult if not impossible.  Our schedules and ‘life’ simply get in the way.  I remember a saying often used by a nun who taught me when I was in the 6th grade; sister often said, “If you really want to do it, you will find a way” (you can probably all relate).  If you really want to spend time with God you will find at least an hour a week for Eucharistic Adoration.  Outside of Sunday Mass that hour will become your most treasured hour of your week - guaranteed.  You will not know the full value and benefit it brings you until you are face-to-face with our Lord.  At that time, Jesus, just maybe instead of listening to all your ‘thank you’s’, will be saying ‘thank you’ to you for spending your time with Him in Adoration.

“For two of the most perfect and powerful means of becoming a saint are Eucharistic Adoration and frequent Holy Communion … because Jesus Christ the saint-maker is present in the Eucharist as He is nowhere else in the world.”  (Peter Kreeft)

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 An Hour Of Adoration Is A Waste Of Time …

That’s exactly what the devil wants you to think.

Truth is, outside the Celebration of the Mass, there is no more worthwhile hour that you can spend for the wellbeing of your soul.  The devil would be ecstatic if the Adoration Chapels of the world could not get enough volunteers to maintain their Adoration schedules before the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior.  If you want to help raise hell in Hell just go spend an hour in our chapel.  

Most people pray when they do go to the chapel.  But you don’t have to - there’s no preferred ‘practice’ for Adoration behavior … it’s a time for just you and Jesus to be together in a special way.  Jesus says to you “come; let’s go over here and talk, just the two of us”.  You talk to him the same way you do to a friend at a backyard barbecue.  

Another chapel practice is to just sit quietly and LISTEN.  St. John of the Cross wrote in the sixteenth century “silence is God’s first language”.  If you sit quietly and listen with an open heart you begin to feel the indwelling Trinity starting to change your heart.  Once that happens you can’t help not moving towards true happiness.

Adoration helps us rely on the Holy Spirit and live a life of obedience in prayer.

We are transformed from someone asking for a sign, to someone seeking sight through understanding.  Adoration helps to maintain a daily prayer practice the rest of the week.

Enhance Your Christian Life

 Enhance Your Christian Life

When Adoration becomes a habit it produces the following Fruits in the Christian life:

Docility of the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit will lead us to holiness if we but surrender to Her actions and give Her a chance to teach us.

Peace and Surrender - Adoration helps us surrender to the providence of God and once we have done that we can find true peace.

“Let nothing trouble you, Nothing frighten you.  All is passing.  God changes not.  Patience obtains all. 
One who has God lacks nothing.  God alone is enough.”  (St Teresa of Avila)

Inner Silence - Adoration creates in our hearts an inner silence by which we can be ever present to God’s love, and truly listen to what He has to say personally to us.

Humility - Adoration helps us realize who God is - our Creator - and what we are - creatures totally dependent on the Creator.  Through humility we grow in holiness and increase our intimate union with God.

Detachment from Idols - Idolatry is an ever recurrent temptation that results from the consequences of original sin.  Adoration helps us not to always put ourselves first and to adore God alone.

Obedience - By way of Adoration we make a spiritual offering to God of what we are and surrender our will to His providence.  By doing this we get help to obey His will for us.

(source: Adoration In Spirit and Truth - Alain-Marie de Lassus, c.s.j.)

“In Heaven, the occupation of souls will be to adore and to love.  Let us begin then, on earth what we’ll be going for all eternity!”