E
ucharistic Adoration is honoring the Eucharistic Presence of Christ. In a deeper sense, it involves the contemplation of the mystery of Christ truly present before us. During Eucharistic Adoration, we watch and wait, we remain silent in His presence and open ourselves to His graces which flow from the Eucharist.
During Nativity Nights, the Eucharist will be present on the altar in the monstrance surrounded by candlelight. The lights in the church will be dimmed and there will be Advent music playing in the background. Come and spend some quiet time in prayer with our Lord. My expectation is that people will come and go throughout the evening. This is simply a time for you to be free of the hustle and bustle that can sometimes overtake the
Christmas season and just spend a few minutes in quiet prayer with Jesus. I will also be available for the sacrament of reconciliation.
Eucharistic Adoration is a good time to reflect on God's love for you and how that love has been manifested through Jesus Christ. We can contemplate the reality that God loves us so much that he continually humbles himself in order to be present in our lives and fill us with his grace and blessings... of which we have so many.
Different Ways to Pray During Adoration
1. Pick a Psalm and pray it.
Whether you are praising, giving thanks, asking for forgiveness or seeking an answer, you'll find an appropriate psalm.
2. Recite the "Jesus Prayer."
Say "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me," repeatedly as you quiet your heart and mind.
3. Meditate using scripture.
Choose a passage from the Bible. Read the words and ask God to let the passage speak to you. Pay special attention to anything that strikes you and ask God what He wishes for you to draw from that message.
4. Read the life of a saint and pray with him or her.
Most holy men and women have had a great devotion to Our Lord in the Eucharist. Therese of Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Peter Julian Eymard, Dorothy Day, Teresa of Calcutta and Baroness Catherine de Hueck are just a few. Read about them and pray their prayers before the Blessed Sacrament.
5. Pour out your heart to Christ.
Speak to Jesus, aware that you are in His presence, and tell Him all that comes to your mind. Listen for His response.
6. Ask for forgiveness and intercede for others.
Think of those who have hurt you and request a special blessing for them. Ask God to forgive you for all the times you have neglected or hurt someone else. Bring before the Blessed Sacrament all those who have asked you to pray for them. Ask the Lord to address their concerns.
7. Pray the rosary.
Pope John Paul II reminds us, "...is not the enraptured gaze of Mary as she contemplated the face of the newborn Christ and cradled him in her arms that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us every time we receive Eucharistic communion?" (The Church and the Eucharist, 55) Ask Mary to join you as you gaze on Christ in the Eucharist and as you pray the Rosary.
8. Sit quietly and just "be" in the presence of God.
Think of a visit to the Blessed Sacrament as coming to see your best friend. Sit quietly and enjoy being in each other's company. Instead of talking to the Lord, try listening to what He wants to tell you.
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