Eucharistic Adoration

WHAT IS EUCHARISTIC ADORATION?

Catholics believe that the bread and wine we consecrate at Mass through the ministry of the priest become truly the Body and Blood of Christ. During the consecration of the Mass, the priest speaks these words during the Eucharistic Prayer, “While they were at supper, he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take this, all of you, and eat it: this is my body which will be given up for you.” We have, over centuries, come to see that this moment of the Mass presents a great opportunity for spiritual intimacy with the Lord. Our adoration of the Sacrament we call the Eucharist, or the Blessed Sacrament, calls us to spend time in the presence of the Lord as we watch and wait, allowing the power of Christ to transform us.

WHAT DO YOU DO DURING ADORATION?

Those who present themselves for a period of adoration spend their time in reading and private prayer, but also in reflection of some virtue or quality they would like to grow. Some might read the Gospel for the coming Sunday and listen as Christ speaks to them through the sacred text; others can meditate on the mystery of the Life of Christ in the Rosary or from a spiritual book. Some simply sit quietly, drawn into the love of Christ that is expressed for us in his sacrifice on the cross, demonstrated through his self-giving in the Eucharist.