Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration On May 13th, a new way of putting ourselves in the presence of God became part of the Spiritual Life of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, that of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. To some of us it was a welcome return to something we experienced in a previous parish. To others a new phenomenon. But to all of us, the Real Presence of Jesus is here in our midst every day of our lives. Not only in the tabernacle but also on the altar for us to Worship, Praise, Adore and Thank God for the many blessings we have in our lives. Some of us had questions such as: What is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration? Why should I commit to an hour? What do we get out of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration? And the list goes on. Questions are good because we as a parish will learn together. We will teach each other, we will pray for each other. We will grow together in our parish spirituality as well as that of our own. Now to answer some of these questions. 1) What is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration? Many people ask, "What does perpetual mean?" Perpetual is an ongoing event. It is permanent. Perpetual Eucharist Adoration is the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. During this time there are 168 hours. One or more people are in the chapel praying every hour of every day. We now have a constant prayer vigil in our parish, every day of the year forever. Pope John Paul II says that "Our essential commitment in life is to grow spiritually in the climate of the Holy Eucharist." And you are part of it. We give thanks to God for all of you who have committed to one specific hour each week. We also thank each one of you who have graciously agreed to be on the substitute list. This list is so important, if one of the adorers were to become sick, names are available to call. 2) Why should I commit to an hour? To have perpetual adoration in our parish operate effectively, we must have one adorer scheduled for each of the 168 hours in the week. However, we would like to have at least two adorers for each hour in case an emergency comes up and someone is unable to arrive at the appointed time. It is beneficial to the organizers of our Perpetual Adoration team if you select a specific hour each week, because they will know that Our Lord will not be left alone. If you select a specific hour, it will become an important event in your weekly prayer life. This can be at a time that is convenient to your busy schedule, or an hour that is a sacrifice like the early hours of the morning. Perhaps you could select an hour such as when you wake up in the morning, on your way to work, during your lunch hour, maybe on your return from work. Why not in the evening before you go to sleep? If you put the Lord first in your life, good things will come to you. You will find peace and comfort in your life that you did not know was possible. Proverbs chapter 3 versus 5-6 tells us "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not. In all your ways, be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. If you give a specific hour to God each week, he will reward you with many blessings. In John chapter 10 verse 10 "I have come so that you may have life." And in John chapter 15 verse 5, "and have it more abundantly." So take a minute to select an hour to spend with Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. If you are unable to select a specific hour, perhaps you might consider placing your name on the substitute list. You are needed there. 3) What do I do there? For those of us not familiar with Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, maybe this is something that we want to know before we sign up to accept Our Lord's invitation. What do you do when you go to Mass? You pray! What do you do when you begin a new day? You pray! That is what you do in Adoration. You pray! Fr. Alex has written a letter which is in the Adoration Chapel. Please pick one up and take it with you. In this letter he explains the tradition of the Catholic Church on how to enter the chapel and kneel on both knees before the Blessed Sacrament, and other information about Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. There are many forms of prayer available. We can talk to God from our hearts. We can meditate on spiritual material. We can sit and be quiet and listen to God. You can pray the rosary, or perhaps you would feel more comfortable reading the Bible. The Today's missal and music issue have many prayers, scripture readings, and songs. Meditation or reading material is available on the tables and bookshelves in the chapel for your use while in adoration. We ask that you leave it there for others to appreciate also. 4) What do I get out of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?
Since we have begun our First Friday Forty-Hour Eucharistic Adoration, did you know that
the attendance at Daily Mass has increased. Many interesting sites on the internet
indicate that the crime rate has declined in communities where there is Perpetual
Eucharistic Adoration. Family members who are away from the church have returned. We can
be a part of good things for our family, our parish, and our community by being a part of
adoration. |