EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
“The Eucharist is 'the source and summit of the Christian life.' The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch.”
+ Catechism of the Catholic Church #1324 +
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Adoration is a way to be present with the Lord and focus on actively listening to His word through prayer. During Eucharistic Adoration, the faithful pray to Jesus Christ, who is present in the Eucharist through the miracle of transubstantiation that occurs at every Mass.
The Eucharist, also referred to as the Blessed Sacrament, is typically kept in a tabernacle at our parish church. For Eucharistic Adoration, the Eucharist is displayed in a monstrance — a metal stand that resembles a sunburst that holds a consecrated host.
While it is true that you can pray to God anywhere and that He is always within you, it is especially powerful to adore Jesus in the Eucharist. In the presence of the Eucharist, we pray to the one who gave His life so that we may live. It is His body, blood, soul and divinity that is really, truly, and substantially present in the Eucharist!
We adore and receive the Eucharist in communion at Mass, which is the most beautiful act of worship that we have as Catholics. We have Jesus truly present in all of the tabernacles around the world. We can continue to adore Him in the Eucharist after Mass in a quiet time of prayer and contemplation on Who we have just received. Being in the presence of the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ gives spiritual strength and nourishment in a uniquely powerful way!
What's the Point of Eucharistic Adoration?
SpiritualDirection.com hosts Fr. John Bartunek and Dan Burke as they talk about adoration, what it is, and why it is important.
Does the Bible Say How We Should Worship God?
On this video from Catholic Answers, Apologist Karlo Broussard gives evidence from the Last Supper, the Acts of the Apostles, and the epistles of St. Paul for why offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass is the primary way God wants us to worship Him.
What is Prayer?
The Catechism clearly defines prayer as a "vital and personal relationship with the living and true God" (CCC #2558). Prayer is Christian "insofar as it is communion with Christ" (CCC #2565), and a "covenant relationship between God and man in Christ" (CCC #2564).
Prayer provides the opportunity to communicate with God. When we pray, we are entering into a conversation with God. We are building up and engaging in a relationship with God. We are living out our deep desire to grow closer to God and to receive what God longs to give all of us: God’s unconditional love, which is always available, always freely offered, and always life-giving. But let’s not forget the other side of this relationship. If prayer is supposed to be a conversation, we need to remember that it should include both speaking and listening. Listening means allowing God space to speak to us: through the quiet of prayer, in our own deep desires, through the Scripture, or through the words of someone meaningful in our lives. As in any relationship, you are invited not only to speak, but also to listen with an open mind and heart.
Do Catholics Worship Saints?
Father Mike Schmitz wants to address some confusion regarding Catholics’ veneration of saints. In this video from Ascension Press, he explains how statues, paintings, and icons of the saints are reminders of what God can do in someone’s life. Therefore, honouring the saints doesn’t take away from the glory we give God. It actually brings him greater glory.
Is Mary Essential to Christian Worship?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church claims that devotion to Mary is essential to Christian worship. Tim Staples of Catholic Answers gives the two main reasons (with biblical evidence) why the Church makes this claim.