Eucharistic Adoration?

[Hoonbaba]

Hi guys,

I have a quick question:  What is Eucharistic Adoration?

-Jason

 

[Wolseley]

Eucharistic Adoration is a practice where the Sacred Host is displayed in a monstrance in a small adoration chapel. There are usually chairs and kneelers in the chapel, with rosaries, prayer books, devotionals, etc., and people sign up to spend an hour worshipping Christ in the Blessed Sacrament; this is usually done 24 hours round the clock, seven days a week.

We have an adoration chapel here in our local area, and my wife and I switch off taking turns on Friday evenings from 8 to 9 PM worshipping Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. It is an incredibly beautiful experience, and I cannot praise it highly enough; soaking in the Presence of Christ in this manner is indescribable.....the only thing to compare with it is Holy Communion.

I personally find myself greatly strengthened by it, and it helps to calm me down. I have also received incredible revelations about myself and my spiritual life by Eucharistic Adoration. It's really amazing.

I have great respect for the folks who sign up for hours like 3 AM on a Saturday morning, get up in sub-zero weather, and drive across town to spend an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. That is devotion!

 

[Hoonbaba]

Hi Wolsley,

Thanks for sharing.  Also, I heard that it's possible for non-Catholics to partake in Eucharistic adoration.  Is that true?

-Jason

 

[Wolseley]

I don't see why not, so long as they observe the proper respect. Usually the adoration chapel is open and available for anyone who wants to come in, not just to the assigned adorer for that particular time slot.

 

[VOW]

To Jason:

I've heard that the ORIGIN of the Eucharistic Adoration comes from the night that Jesus was arrested. Remember, He took a few of His Disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus knew the time was coming very, very soon where he would be tortured and put to death. He prayed to the Father, and He sweat like drops of blood. I'm sure His very human-ness was terrified.

The Disciples He had asked to accompany Him fell asleep. Jesus woke them up, and said, "Couldn't you even spend an hour with Me?"

You sign up for the Adoration in time blocks of an hour. The Eucharist is not supposed to be left alone, for we must stay with Him, unlike the Disciples.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[BeanMak]

Vow, once again you have wowwed me! What a great story! And what a great inspiration.

Please, God, help me to be faithful.

 

[Caedmon]

Originally posted by Wolseley
I have great respect for the folks who sign up for hours like 3 AM on a Saturday morning, get up in sub-zero weather, and drive across town to spend an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. That is devotion!

Wols... I know I'm not a Catholic and right now I don't believe in the Real Presence. But I liked reading this little section that you talked about. This seems so much like me, it's almost heart-breaking. I can literally see myself doing such a thing... getting up at 3 in the morning in the biting cold air, taking a trip alone, by myself, to a secret place that no one else can know. I've often spent lonely times by myself... sometimes I was left alone, sometimes I indirectly chose it. The pain that I felt would sometimes change itself around in a way, to where my loneliness was special to me. It was all I had, and I felt safe in it. There was a special sense to it, that although from an external viewpoint it seemed dismal, to me it felt safer than the crowds, the large anonymous noncaring groups that like to isolate and destroy by passive indulgence. But this is mine... this alone-ness belongs to me. It's just me and God, and nobody else. I grew to accept such things, and there's been plenty of cold, early mornings, where I've had to simply wait... I've been dropped at school, or at college, early in the mornings, at so-called "God-forsaken" times of the morning, -- through no fault of my own but rather by circumstances -- where no one feels compelled or desires to be awakened to be alone. But these are the times that have been brought to me. These are the times that have been dealt to me, by God, in my inherent solitude. This is the life that has drawn me past all the woes and pain that live just surface-deep, just below perception and apparent dread. These are the momentum that have pulled my feet ever-forward in my journey of life. I live for such things as these, though they were thrust upon me. I share an existence, with the early, the cold, the alone. Where it will take me, I don't know right now. I've had an awful lot of time alone to think in my lifetime. God knows that I've known it. I pray He takes me where I need to go and to what I need to do. I hope one day I may rest. I pray one day I may find someone to walk this path with me. There is nothing so powerful as alone-ness, when it is shared by friends.

 

[VOW]

To Joe:

I think some time spent in Eucharistic Adoration would be breathtaking for you.


Peace,
~VOW

 

[Wolseley]

I agree with VOW. You should check this out, Joe. See if there's an adoration chapel near you somewhere, and inquire about going for an hour.

You might find it to be a broadening experience.

 

[Caedmon]

Perhaps... I've never done that before. I've prayed alone at times, next to a chapel, or inside at the front kneeled at the altar, when no one else was around. It's difficult for me to do things like that, because I'm afraid someone might see me. It's not that I'm ashamed of Christ or God, but it just makes me nervous, ya kenn? I need to feel safe and protected to be able to pray like that. That's all I seek in life when I'm hurting inside and want to pray... just a safe place where noone will harm me, emotionally or otherwise. I don't know about this Real Presence thing. I wish I did though. I don't accept it right now, but sometimes I sort of wish I did. It would make it easier to do something like this a couple of times.

 

[panterapat]

Eucharistic Adoration is our greatest hope for transforming this world for Christ.

In adoration, Patrick

 

[Caedmon]

Sometimes... once, just once, I wish I could touch God. God is just... out there. He's there, I know, but sometimes I just feel like it's all a big whopping lie. Sorry, but I think that sometimes. I can't help it.

God is so noncorporeal. I can't see Him, can't touch Him, can't etc, etc, etc. Sometimes I wish I could believe in this stuff. That would help me out. I just feel so alone in my struggles sometimes. I wish I had a God I could hug, really.

 

[panterapat]

HJ-
God is so great that we cannot bear the Beatific Vision. That is why we must be purfied in Purgatory before seeing God. And yet, at the same time God dwells in us. You may not feel Him but He is carrying you. We are Temples of the Holy Spirit. For now, God is in us. In Heaven, we will be in God. Keep the faith. Thomas believed because he saw. Blessed are they who have not see yet believe.
In Christ, Patrick

 

[Caedmon]

Originally posted by panterapat
HJ-
God is so great that we cannot bear the Beatific Vision. That is why we must be purfied in Purgatory before seeing God. And yet, at the same time God dwells in us. You may not feel Him but He is carrying you. We are Temples of the Holy Spirit. For now, God is in us. In Heaven, we will be in God. Keep the faith. Thomas believed because he saw. Blessed are they who have not see yet believe.
In Christ, Patrick

I know it pat. I don't mean to have those kinds of thoughts... they just kind of pop in there sometimes. But when I think about the world and the universe it's in, I remember that He has to be out there somewhere, because it didn't all just happen for no reason, not as beautiful as it is.

/me grumbles out some Louie Armstrong smoothie... hehe

 

[VOW]

To Joe:

Sometimes... once, just once, I wish I could touch God.

That is why the Real Presence is so precious to Catholics, Joe.



Peace,
~VOW

 

[KC Catholic]

Originally posted by Wolseley
I don't see why not, so long as they observe the proper respect. Usually the adoration chapel is open and available for anyone who wants to come in, not just to the assigned adorer for that particular time slot.

This is how I started my path to converting to the Church. I started going to Eucharist Adoration once a week @ 3:00am (pretty dedicated for a non-Catholic!).

Anyway...its a wonderful way to grow closer to Christ, even if your do not choose to convert.

 

[Lady Grace]

In my parish we only have Eucharistic Adoration once a month at present. But I guess that is better than not having it at all.

I absolutely love going to adoration. It is a time when there is just me and God........and it never fails that I cry, cry because of sin, cry because of joy,,,,,,,,and cry because of need.

I always sit right up front in the second pew, as we have it in the sanctuary of the church, not in a separate area. I can feel God's presence soooooo much.

And when my hour is up, and I leave the church, I feel like God has really heard me pray and feel so spiritual.

And it is soooooooo peaceful and serene.

 

[dignitized]

The Eucharist plays a very strong part of my faith. It's the main reason I took training to become a sacristan. The Bishop once told me: "I have no concern that the Eucharist will be honoured when you are involved." I guess its because I grew up with out it. *shrug* We have Adoration at least once a month for an hour before Liturgy on Sundays. We also do all night vigils with adoration on a regular basis as well. We also have the Lord exposed in the monstrance for all investiture services and the like.

It amazes me how people react during these times as well. Since our community is made up of diverse peoples and I have the misfortune of being on the Government of the order - maybe its they have the misfortune of having me on the government . . . I know there is misfortune in there somewhere!! - ANYHOW, I know better than most the different backgrounds that people come from. I find that those of basic "fundie" backgrounds don't know at first at least how to "deal" with the Eucharist; people of main stream Prot backgrounds are usually VERY respectful; People of Orthodox backgrounds are reverent and respectful; while those of catholic backgrounds . . . . *sigh* seem to take it for granted. The worse in my experience are those of the Anglican background. They hardly even notice the Lord is Exposed at all. I'm not saying this is the case for all - just some general observations.

Our church is also unique in that we have both a Low and a High Alter with the Tabernacle front and center on the High Alter.

 

[jukesk9]

When I walk in our Adoration Chapel (it's open 24-7!), I feel the holiness. It's so reverent. Words just can't describe it. There's this lady, she's elderly, and when she walks in, she gets down on her knees and lays her whole body down face down in front of Our Lord. It's quite awesome to see such devotion.

Speaking of such, last month I was travelling and was in Conway, AR (yes KC, the very same Conway that Conway Twitty named himself after. I just knew you wanted to know that!) I went to Mass at St. Joseph's, which is just a beautiful church. Anyway, as I was in line to receive the Body and Blood, a girl, maybe in her mid 20s if not younger, was wearing her head covered with a veil and when she went to receive Christ, she kneeled down on both knees on the hard floor as Christ was placed on her tongue. I was in awe at her faith.

 

[Caedmon]

What is "monstrance"?

And how in the world are there so many denominations going to your Eucharistic Adoration, Br. Max?