EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: Spending the Best Time on Earth with Jesus

In Matthew Chapter 26, Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Crucifixion. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee fall asleep — Jesus asks them, “So, you could not keep watch with me for one hour?"

How fitting it is that we have the opportunity to keep watch with our Lord here at Annunciation from 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Eucharistic Adoration means that the Blessed Body of Christ is exposed in what is called a monstrance.

Time spent in adoration is essential to Jan Brencick’s life — she would be lost without it. It’s become a regular part of her week.

“Jesus is my friend,” she says. “Adoration is when God, the Father, lets His Son come play with His friends.”

On Fridays, Jan spends at least an hour with Jesus in adoration. She fills the time with praying a Rosary and singing in her head, among other things. Adoration precedes the noon Mass on Fridays.

“You can always bring the things which are bothering you to Him,” Jan says. “He will rebuke the storm like when he was on the Sea of Galilee with the disciples.”

Jan has loved adoration since she was a child attending school at St. Joseph’s in St. Louis, Mo. She’s been regularly attending adoration since the second grade.

“Being with the Lord is my privilege,” she says.

It’s easy to look around and see all the rough spots in our world today — for Jan, adoration is a break from all of that. Jan will often read The New York Times in the church parking lot to remind herself that God is in control.

“He helps remind me that I need to keep the faith, and everything will be okay,” Jan says.

Jan also loves the Rosary — she prays it four times per day to reflect on all of the mysteries. She also prays the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Chaplet of St. Michael.

“I can’t go a day without the Lord,” she says. “I talk to Him during the day a lot.”

Adoration and prayer are very ingrained in Jan’s life — she recommends that everyone take part in adoration. “It brings you so much joy,” she says. “It’s joy and pleasure. You are right there and the Lord is listening and talking back to you.”

All are invited and welcome to attend Eucharistic Adoration from 10 a.m. to noon on Fridays.