What is Adoration?
Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction or a simple, quiet hour of Adoration, is an extension of the adoration of the Eucharist which occurs in every Mass: "Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb." Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament flows from the sacrifice of the Mass and serves to deepen our hunger for Communion with Christ and the rest of the Church.
Jesus Christ makes himself present to us in the Holy Eucharist and our time in Adoration is time with Him, "face-to-face." We can pray to God anywhere, anytime, any place, but being in His physical presence and adoring Him is an especially powerful form of prayer.
Here at St. Patrick's we regularly have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on the 2nd Monday of every month, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. This is usually a simple, quiet hour of Adoration-everyone praying and adoring Christ silently. You can come and spend the full hour, or come for a few moments. Occasionally, we have a Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction- in this case there are communal prayers and hymns, possibly a scripture reading and short homily either by Father or Deacon, and a period of silent, private prayer. When we have Holy Hours, prayer cards will be provided to help you follow along- so don't worry about not knowing what to do!
In either instance, when you enter the church, in silence, you genuflect and reverence Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament just as you would when you enter for Mass and the Eucharist is in the Tabernacle. In your pew, kneel or sit (or switch off between the two postures) for the duration of your Adoration (see Fr. Josh's video "What Do We Do in Adoration?"). Your prayer posture should help you focus your attention on the Lord, but not be so uncomfortable that you are focused on your discomfort. When you leave, again in silence, reverence Jesus by genuflecting to the Blessed Sacrament (either exposed in the Monstrance or enclosed in the Tabernacle).
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Genuflection
Genuflection is an act of devotion that literally means “to bend the knee.” The practice of “bending the knee” is an ancient way of recognizing the presence of someone greater than we are. It became a common part of etiquette in the royal courts of the Middle Ages. From Medieval palaces, it was a small step to genuflecting becoming part of the devotional lives of Catholic Christians who used this gesture as a way of recognizing the presence of the One who is King of Kings. |
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Watch this video about the prayer life of Bishop Fulton Sheen. Everyone can adopt this practice of regular Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and see the fruits of this prayerful time in our daily lives.
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You really don’t have to “do” anything during Adoration. You can just sit there and look at Jesus. But take the time to be with Him. After the Last Supper, before he was arrested, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives to pray with his disciples. He withdrew from them for private prayer and when he returned he found them sleeping. "So, you could not stay awake with me one hour?" (Mt. 26:40). Stay awake spiritually and feed your soul- go to Adoration!
Looking for more information about the Eucharist? Go to Formed.org and watch "Presence: The Mystery of the Eucharist" or read Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (free copies may still be available at the church- contact the Office- or click the image to purchase).
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Anima Christi
Soul of Christ, sanctify me; |
The Anima Christi is a Communion prayer dating back to the 14th century. It is commonly prayed before or after receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and can also be prayed during Adoration. If this is not a prayer you have memorized, it is found in most Catholic prayer books and can also be found in the Breaking Bread books, immediately following the section with the Sunday Mass readings.
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