St. Thomas Aquinas says, “The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.” Living the Christian life culminates in our participation in the Eucharist. We are truly in God’s presence at this moment. The Eucharist as the source of my faith life. Sure, it’s a mystery and sometimes you just have to believe, but once you believe, you start to comprehend just what it means to be Catholic and how important our faith is. Looking at the Eucharist displayed in the monstrance we realize that Jesus came to show the world just how much God loves and cares for each and every one of us. And through his life, he showed us how to live, by dying on the cross he brought us salvation, and before he died, he gave us himself in the Eucharist.
During adoration we are truly in his presence and this is when I feel most connected with God. The first time that I experienced adoration was at a youth group retreat. If was my first retreat helping with the youth group and when the monstrance was brought out, I had no idea what to expect. Needless to say it was an interesting experience, but I wasn’t focused, I didn’t know the songs we sang, and my knees really hurt from kneeling on the floor. But it wasn’t until I was on a retreat that upcoming Oct when it started to click. But when I really made the connection was when we went to a FOP at Steubenville. A priest had been telling us for a while about how amazing these things were and we decided that it was worth a shot. We drove down there and boy were we surprised. My friend and I had always secretly thought the charismatic Christians were odd. What the heck were they doing with their hands in the air praising Jesus? Yet, that night we became one of them, thanking Jesus for all he had done for us.
It was at Stuebenville when my world collided and I found Jesus at the center and had met him face to face. It was also in that moment when I saw and felt the embrace of the whole Catholic community. This was when I realized that my relationship with Christ had begun.
I’ve realized that when I’ve finally come to the source, being in the presence of the Eucharist with our Lord, things make sense. And after each encounter, I always leave a new person, wanting to become closer to Christ.
3 comments:
WONDERFUL POST! I love my Adoration time & I really wish my parish had perpetual Adoration. I have found several other churches in the area, one of which I used to belong, that have perpetual and I find myself wanting, needing, being drawn there. Don't get me wrong, I do attend our parish's Adoration Chapel on a regular basis. There is just something wonderful about a parish that has perpetual Adoration.
A couple things that I recently discovered: From the Tersanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy) through the Consecration of the Eucharist is when Heaven meets Earth at Mass. And it is the same in the Adoration Chapel. I often wonder when I am the only one in the Chapel if the Angels are crowding around the Monstrance to be close to Jesus.
The other thing I discovered is that, yes, it is Jesus who is Sacramentally present in the Holy Eucharist...but He can not be separated from God and the Holy Spirit. So when I am in the Adoration Chapel, I know that not only am I adoring Jesus, fully present, but also God and the Holy Spirit. And if that wasn't good enough, which it most certainly is, - I am adoring Jesus where He is right now, in Heaven! So, not only is Jesus present Sacramentally, but because He is in Heaven, fully glorified, so is Mary, our Holy Mother, St. Maximillian (one of my favorites), and all of the Angels and Saints. How awesome and wonderful is that!!! Lillian Marie
Last semester I learned that both Mass and Adoration are proleptic of the beautific vision. In other words, being there is an exprience of a future reality...for eternity.
And while I knew that Heaven touches earth during Mass, those terms put it differently for me and just opened up the meaning so that I could understand more deeply.
Even a moment in front of Jesus in adoration is worth more than 1,000 years of anything we can do on earth.
We are fortunate to have Perpetual Exposition. I am so lucky to have that opportunity. I almost didn't sign up, because I "didn't have time". But Adoro is right, it is part of eternity.
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