Eucharistic Adoration
About
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. In the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself.
“It is pleasant to spend time with him, to lie close to his breast like the Beloved Disciple (cf. Jn 13:25) and to feel the infinite love present in his heart. If in our time Christians must be distinguished above all by the art of prayer, how can we not feel a renewed need to spend time in spiritual converse, in silent adoration, in heartfelt love before Christ present in the Most Holy Sacrament? How often, dear brother and sisters, have I experienced this, and drawn from it strength, consolation and support.” Saint Pope John Paul II on Eucharistic Adoration
Truths of the Eucharistic
1. The Eucharistic is truly alive!
“When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion my hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul but souls do not even pay attention to me. They leave me to myself and busy themselves with other things…They treat me as a dead object”
– Jesus speaking to Saint Faustina as recorded in her diary
2. Christ comes not alone
Where the Father and the Son are present the Holy Ghost is there also. Thus the Blessed Trinity dwells in the heart of each person receiving Holy Communion.
Jesus assures us of this when he said “If a man loves me,…my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him” (Jn 14:23)
3. More than just one miracle
“What miracles !…If the angels could be jealous of men, they would be for one reason : Holy Communion”.
– Saint Maximillian Kolbe
“Indeed in it alone are contained in a remarkable richness the variety of miracles, all supernatural realities”
– Pope Leo XIII
“It is only in eternity that we shall know the great mystery effects in us by Holy Communion”
– Saint Faustina
4. No limit to the number of times we can receive
It is true we can only receive the Holy Eucharist sacramentally 2 times per day but there is no limit to the number of time we can enter a spiritual communion. Many of the Saint made multiple spiritual communions each day. Our spiritual communion must always have sacramental communion as its goal.
Saint Catherine of Siena had a vision in which Jesus explained the great value of Spiritual Communion. Jesus held 2 chalices one gold and one silver. He told her “In this golden chalice I put your sacramental communions. In this silver chalice I put your spiritual communions. Both chalices are pleasing to me”
The Eucharist transforms us so that we become more like Jesus. By frequent spiritual communion we continue this process until the next time we are able to receive the Eucharist.
5. We don’t just receive!
“The Eucharist involves more than just receiving. It also involves satisfying the hunger of Christ for souls. He says ‘Come to me’. He is calling us to not merely receive Communion but to enter into communion “
– Saint Mother Teresa
“Receiving Communion is always a personal act. In Communion I enter into the Lord who is communicating himself to me”
– Pope Benedict XVI
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem explains:
“Throw melted max into melted wax and the one interpenetrates the other perfectly. In the same way when the Body and Blood of Christ are received the union is such that Christ is in the recipient and he in Christ”
The Catechism explains
“To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and holy a moment”
If the recipient is conscious of grave sin committed he/she must go to confession before receiving the Eucharist otherwise another grave sin is committed against the Eucharist.
6. Every reception of the Eucharist is different
“The more resemblance there is between the person who goes to Communion and Jesus so much the better will be the fruits of Holy Communion be for the person”
– Saint Anthony Mary Claret
However nothing happens if our attitude is not right.
Saint Thomas Aquinas writes “The sacrament of Communion does not produce any effect if the recipient in his heart does not desire this union and does not even try to remove every obstacle to it. Christ therefore does not remain in him.”
St Paul warns if our attitude is not right when we receive the Eucharist we not only fail to gain good fruits of the sacrament but can also harm ourselves spiritually.
– 1 Cor 11:27-29
In order to receive him worthily Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation where we go to meet Christ in confession of our sins before receiving him in the Eucharist.