3 minute read
Time Spent With Jesus In Eucharistic Adoration Brings Love, Peace And Strength
In Matthew 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 at designated Eucharistic Adoration times at St. Andrew and St. Joseph. Eucharistic Adoration means the Blessed Body of Christ is exposed in what’s called a monstrance. The Blessed Body cannot be left alone when exposed.
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Nancy St. Sauver appreciates the opportunity to attend adoration at St. Andrew and sees it as a great gift.
“It is an opportunity to be faceto-face with Jesus and deepen my relationship with Him,” Nancy says. “At Eucharistic Adoration, I don’t just see the consecrated host, I see the face of Jesus.”
Eucharistic Adoration is offered at St. Andrew on the first Tuesday of every month, from 2 to 5 p.m., and the second Sunday of every month from 2 to 4 p.m. St. Joseph offers Eucharistic Adoration on the third Sunday of every month from 3 to 9 p.m. At this time, there is no Eucharistic Adoration at St. James yet. All parishioners are encouraged to sign up for an hour during those times, or even just to stop by to adore without signing up.
Adoration is a time to pray and spend time with Jesus. Nancy says adoration can also be a time to rest in Jesus.
“In our busy world, and one that is dealing with a pandemic and civil unrest, it is a time and place to rest in Jesus and restore our hope that our world can survive and be better,” she says. “Eucharistic Adoration is a more intimate time with Jesus.”
Nancy uses some of her time at adoration to pray the Chaplet of the Adorable Sacrament, which is said on Rosary beads — on the Hail Mary beads, “Jesus, I adore you in the most Blessed Sacrament,” is said.
“This prayer allows me a way to express my sorrow for the sins committed against Him and to express my adoration to Him in the Blessed Sacrament,” she says.
Spending time with Jesus at Adoration can also be helpful when grieving the loss of a family member, as Nancy notes.
“Over the years, I have felt love, peace, strength, and compassion during adoration,” she says. “It is a time to talk to Jesus about anything and everything, knowing that the Person I am talking to loves me beyond measure. It is also a time to just be with Someone in silence Who loves me.”
Nancy recalls the words of author Vinny Flynn, who writes, “The more you expose yourself to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, the more His love will heal you, bless you, transform you.” She hopes all parishioners will sign up for adoration or just visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for however long they can — there is no time expectation when visiting.
“I just love being in the real presence of Jesus,” she says. “I feel Him looking at me as I look at Him.”
Parishioners are invited and encouraged to visit St. Andrew’s and spend time with the Lord.
