“Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.” Matthew 26:40
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you…For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
John 6:35, 53, 55-56
First off, let me apologize for my absence. As of Monday night, I have become the lead coordinator of my parishes Perpetual Adoration Chapel which has been taking up most of my time. Along with my girls both getting out of school for the summer, I have to say I am officially VERY busy.
Two years ago, a wonderful woman named Pat stood up at mass during the announcements and asked if anyone would be willing to sign up for Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. It was Divine Mercy Sunday, and something very strong in my heart, told me to do it. Since then, my life has changed for the better in so many ways, I couldn’t list them all.
Over the past two years, Pat became to frail to resume scheduling of souls to participate along with various other dealings with Adoration. During this time, she would often suddenly wake up in the middle of the night, say a pray to her Guardian Angel and ask him to please ensure Our Lord was not left alone. Funny really, as I have also been woken up in the middle of the night, sometimes by very vivid dreams, in which I have written about it, and sometimes no dreams but just a sudden “Wake Up Call” of the senses, telling me to get up and go. And I did. Sometimes, getting there to find others already there, and sometimes, getting there and no one was there. Sometimes, this would happen during the day.
For my readers who do not know what this is:
WHAT IS PERPETUAL ADORATION?
Perpetual Adoration is a Eucharistic devotion whereby members of a given parish (or other entity) unite in taking hours of adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament (in most cases, exposed), both during the day and throughout the night, seven days a week.
For one to sign up for Perpetual Adoration, know that it is a calling. Its not something you do for a few weeks, until you get tired of it. It is something you do because you feel you have been called by our Lord to do it, and once you start, the graces flow so generously from heaven, its as if the soul has been transplanted besides the river of life from the middle of the desert. As I spend more time in Adoration then in the past, I hope to continue to write as much as I have in the past, but the next few weeks will be very busy as I make the transition. I know in my heart, I am not the one who recruits new souls as only God can do that, as He did for me. But I can see him using me as his pen and paper, taking down the names to scheduling souls, so He will never be left alone.
I can’t help but wonder if Blessed Pope John Paul II has something to do with this beautiful gift that has been given to me.
Stay with us
“Stay with us today, and stay from now on, every day, according
to the desire of my heart, which accepts the appeal of so many hearts
from various parts, sometimes far away… Stay that we may meet You in
prayers of adoration and thanksgiving, in prayers of expiation and
petition to which all those who visit this basilica are invited…
May the unworthy successor of Peter and all those who take part in the
adoration of Your Eucharistic Presence attest with every visit and make
ring out again the truth contained in the Apostle’s words: ‘Lord, you
know everything. You know that I love you.’ Amen”.
Prayer for the Spread of Perpetual Adoration
Heavenly Father, increase our faith in the Real Presence of Your Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
We are obliged to adore Him, to give Him thanks and to make reparation for sins.
We need your peace in our hearts and among nations.
We need conversion from our sins and the mercy of Your forgiveness.
May we obtain this through prayer and our union with the Eucharistic Lord.
Please send down the Holy Spirit upon all peoples to give them the love, courage, strength and willingness to respond to the invitation to Eucharistic Adoration.
We beseech You to spread Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in parishes around the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Help us to spread the glory of Your Son through Perpetual Adoration.
Blessed Pope John Paul II – Eucharistic Adoration
Wonderful Quotes on Adoration
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324)
“In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1327)POPE JOHN PAUL II
“I hope that this form of Perpetual Adoration, will continue into the future. Specifically, I hope that the fruit of this Congress results in the establishment of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in all parishes and Christian communities throughout the world,” (June 1993 homily at the 45th International Eucharistic Congress in Seville, Spain).“The best the surest and the most effective way of establishing everlasting peace on the face of the earth is through the great power of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.”
(Prayer beginning Perpetual Adoration on December 8, 1982 at St. Peter’s in Rome).“The worship of the Eucharist outside of the Mass is of inestimable value for the life of the Church. This worship is strictly linked to the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. The presence of Christ under the sacred species reserved after Mass—a presence which lasts as long as the species of bread and or wine remain—derives from the celebration of the sacrifice and is directed toward communion, both sacramental and spiritual. It is the responsibility of pastors to encourage, also by their personal witness, the practice of Eucharistic adoration, and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in particular, as well as, prayers of adoration before Christ present under the Eucharistic species.” (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia)
“The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease.”(Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Cenae, February 1980)
POPE PAUL VI
1418 Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, he is to be honored with the worship of adoration. “To visit the Blessed Sacrament is . . . a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord” (Paul VI, MF 66).BLESSED MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA
“It was not until 1973, when we began our daily Holy Hour that our community started to grow and blossom.”ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
“What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation.”