In church (by the door leading to the back parking lot) you fill find a poster board on which you can sign up to commit to one, or more than one, 30-minute time slot.
[Tradition instructs us that a minimum of two people should be praying with the Blessed Sacrament at all times. Of course, more than two is a beautiful thing.]
So, a few things to pray with as you think about this:
1. Do I desire to spend more time in prayer with Jesus?
2. Do I need more quiet and solitude in my life without neglecting my vocational duties?
3. Am I ready to give the Lord 30 minutes of uninterrupted attention?
4. Are there things on my mind and heart that I want to share with the Lord?
5. Do I want to know the Bible better or make spiritual reading a part of my Interior Life?
FAQ:
1. What is Eucharistic Adoration? An ancient form of prayer, Eucharistic Adoration involves "exposing" the Blessed Sacrament so that the faithful people of God can pray in front of Him who we believe, in Faith, is present in Body and Soul, under the appearance of the consecrated bread that has become His Body.
2. What does "exposed" mean? The consecrated Body of Christ, the Host, is placed in a monstrance. A monstrance is a liturgical vessel that comes from a Latin word meaning "to show". The Bread of Life, Jesus, is placed in the monstrance and is then shown to those gathered to pray.
3. What's the purpose of Eucharistic Adoration? Prayer is the opening of the mind and heart to God. It's the lifting up one's thoughts and desires to God and God-ly things. Eucharistic Adoration puts us in the Real Presence of God who is present in the Eucharist- the Second Person of the Trinity- Jesus Christ. Eucharistic Adoration is a time to be in the Presence of God-made-Man. It is communing with Him who is yearning to commune with us.
4. What do I do during my 30 minutes? Well, anything really. Remember- you're face to face with Jesus. You are looking at Him, and He is looking at you. You can read your Bible or spiritual reading. You can recollect on the Sunday homily and journal about how to apply it in your life. You can pray the Rosary, listen to music on your iPod, or just sit in silence and let the Presence of the Lord envelope you and nourish your soul. You may or may not "feel anything" during your time. That's not the point: the point is simply to be there, in the Presence of the Lord.
Here are some web resources to check out:
More information to come. Deacon Tom and I will be preaching about Eucharistic Adoration on Sept 22 and 23rd. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Peace to you,
FrC
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