Eucharistic Adoration Part IV

07-25-2021Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In his recent Apostolic Exhortation Veneremur Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling, Bishop Olmsted offers practical and concrete suggestions for how to pray before Our Eucharistic King in adoration.

Bishop Olmsted writes: “Make a ten-minute visit to the tabernacle in a church or chapel on the way back from work, on the way to a family gathering, or even on the way to a simple daily errand. It’s not about the length of time spent; it is about the faith, hope, and love with which you spend those moments in the Lord’s presence.

Find out when your parish has Eucharistic adoration and schedule a weekly or monthly time (perhaps 30 to 60 minutes) and stick to it. Consider inviting your spouse, family, or a friend to accompany you.

During your time of adoration, consider praying the liturgy of the hours, the rosary, prayerfully reading the Scriptures, reading a good spiritual book, or using a collection of prayers for use in adoration, or gazing on the Sacred Host in silence.”

Some people are hesitant to become a committed adorer because of the time commitment. Here is a simple suggestion that works: Find a few prayer partners (family members, fellow parishioners, friends) to take the hour with you. Things happen and you may find it difficult to make your hour. No problem, you have a backup if you invited others to join you for your hour.

Lifting others up in prayer and praying for other’s needs is one of the great blessings in my life. I can think of no better way to spend my time in prayer. If you are having a difficult time in your prayer life, know that bringing your concerns and the needs of others to Our Lord present in the Most Blessed Sacrament will bring you and others His peace.

I will close with a few more thoughts from Bishop Olmsted to make the most of your time with Our Eucharistic King interceding for others in need.

Bishop Olmsted writes: “Call to mind a loved one who feels himself or herself to be far from the Church. Think of a friend who finds the Mass difficult to understand and to engage. Consider an acquaintance in your life who does not believe in God or in Christ. Now imagine each of these persons sitting quietly and peacefully next to you in a beautiful place of adoration for ten minutes of Eucharistic adoration. What gentle but profound effect might it have in his or her heart?”

“Faith-filled intercession for others plays a key role, especially when neither testimony nor invitation is sufficient to draw a person into Christ’s presence. A man was so incapacitated that he could not even walk to where Christ was. So his friends picked him up and they “were trying to bring him in and set him in His [Jesus’] presence”. Unable to carry him into the crowded house, they lowered him on a stretcher through an opening in the roof. Jesus saw their faith, forgave and healed the man, who “went home glorifying God” (Lk 5:17-26). We should never despair when someone we love is unable or unwilling to accompany us to the Eucharist. With deep faith, we can still lower them on the stretcher of our intercessory prayer into the Lord’s presence.”

If you have not read Bishop Olmsted’s Apostolic Veneremur Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling, please do. It is available here. May you find yourself in Eternity spending time meeting all those you had the great privilege to pray for in this life before Our Eucharistic King truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

God Bless,
Fr. Don Kline

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