Finding Christ through eucharistic adoration

Editor’s Note: As the Church celebrates a special three-year National Eucharistic Revival to help people gain a greater understanding of Jesus’ presence in holy Communion, readers of The Catholic Spirit have begun sharing their experiences with the Eucharist.

While praying in the adoration chapel one afternoon, a little girl (who was with her mom) came quietly over to me, with a big smile, and whispered as she pointed to the monstrance, “That’s baby Jesus.” And pointing to the Mary statue, she continued, “And that’s his mommy.”

It was so sweet and pure. Isaiah 11:6, with the phrase “and a child shall lead them,” came to mind. She wanted to introduce me to her friend, Jesus, and to his mom, too. Adoration was certainly deepening this little one’s friendship with Jesus. frequently for regular Sunday Masses,” Flicek said. “We plan to slowly increase the frequency that we use it as the congregation gets accustomed to it.”

Choir members at St. Nicholas are junior high through retirement age, with a good percentage of students, Flicek said. When he started leading the choir,

Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1379 states: “Eucharistic adoration … as faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist deepened, the church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord under the Eucharistic species.” At times, I wonder, do we really know that when we spend time in eucharistic adoration, that we are truly in the real presence of Jesus? We believe it in faith, but is it only knowledge in our head, or has it reached our heart? When it does, wow, what an honor and a gift.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the meaning of adore is, “To worship or honor as a deity or as divine; to regard with loving admiration and devotion.”

For those wishing to enhance their relationship and friendship with Jesus, the adoration chapel is a great place. Spending time in adoration, adoring Jesus — while sitting, kneeling, lying prostrate before the monstrance — we worship and honor our Lord as the divine one, regarding him with loving admiration and devotion.

Telling our Lord how grateful we are, pouring out our desires, sharing our pains and joys or deepest sorrows and sufferings quietly in our hearts — Jesus is there to listen, to comfort and to rejoice with us. We don’t need eloquent prayers; even better, simply “being” in his presence is healing, and I’m pretty sure Jesus enjoys this.

Being quiet and listening to him is essential. Who wouldn’t want Jesus as their best and closest friend? I like to imagine Jesus praying with me as I pray the he represented about the middle of the choir’s age range. Today, at 41, he is one of the older members. “The core of our involvement is the teenagers,” he said. Not only are they singers but a few play the violin, he said.

“I see a lot of young people being really drawn to more of the traditional history of the Church,” Flicek said, including artwork, architecture and music. And as young choir members shared their enjoyment for sacred music, he believes it had “a snowball effect.”

In all the changes to the parish’s music program in a short time, there is much to be proud of, Flicek said. But he is most proud of the youth involvement and how that’s grown, “because there’s nothing more important that we can do than to show these kids how to serve their parish.”

Tim Havlicek’s daughter, Maggie, 19, has sung in the choir since middle school and continues when she is home from college. Younger members have brought “new life” to the choir, she said.

Sacred music is “so dear to my heart,” Havlicek said, adding that it can help her enter prayer in a deeper way. Flicek does “a great job” balancing chant with regular hymns, she said. “Growing up with chant, I have a deep appreciation for it, and I know that by putting it into our Masses here and there, it can help foster that love.”

Her mother, Molly, 43, also sings in the choir. She said sacred music has brought a deep richness to the Mass.

“I’m not well versed in the language of music, but there’s a connection to the musicians of the past (such as Mozart) that has brought a depth of music to liturgy,” she said, “and we don’t hear much (new music) being created today to that caliber.”

But Flicek has accomplished that in creating a Mass specifically for St. Nicholas, Molly said. “What a gift he’s left us and has opened new doors, I think, to the creativity of being able to enter into … a really rich history in the Church, of bringing beauty to the liturgical music.” rosary in honor of his mother, and for me, it is a comfort. And as the saying goes, if we want to get to know someone better, we spend time with them. What an excellent place to become better acquainted with the King of Kings and to express to him our gratitude for — well, for everything — the good and the bad, and for the fact that he is always with us, always, along with his dear mother, also our mother.

When I was in grade school, all the different grades took turns going into the church for Holy Thursday adoration. I remember looking forward to that time and wondering why it wasn’t more often. A few years ago, two of my dearest friends and I often had prayer time together, tea visits and mini day trips. One summer, we decided to include (what we called) “chapel hopping” on our trips. We’d find a church that offered 24-hour adoration and spend time in prayer together in various chapels. It was wonderful.

I find adoration to be truly my “spiritual filling station.” I would certainly recommend it to everyone, individuals and families. You will be filled with peace and wonder and possibly an excitement to introduce others to our Lord, as the little girl wanted to introduce me to her friend, Jesus.