As Catholics, there are many ways we can deepen our relationship with God. We can read the Bible, meditate on scripture, read about the saints, or pray. One of most powerful ways to come closer to Christ is to sit with him in adoration. If you find yourself overwhelmed, overstimulated, and exhausted, I’d like to invite you to rest in Jesus. Adoration is the perfect way to find peace in today’s busy world. If you’ve never been to adoration, now is a great time to start! Today, I’d like to discuss what adoration is and how you can get started.
As Catholics, we believe the Eucharist is the body of Christ. Adoration one way we can worship Jesus Chris, who is present in the Host. During adoration, the consecrated Eucharist will be inside a monstrance on the altar. (The monstrance is a gold vessel in which the consecrated Host is displayed.) This allows us to look upon Jesus and adore him. Adoration is a beautiful way to spend time with Jesus. We can sit with Him in silence and allow Him to speak to us.
Now that you know what adoration is, let’s talk about how to start going and what to do when you’re there. Most parishes have what’s called a “holy hour.” You can call your parish or check their bulletin for times. If you’re really lucky, you might find perpetual adoration in your area! Perpetual adoration means a church has adoration 24/7. Parishes with perpetual adoration will usually have a code to get in. This keeps the chapel safe, so you’ll need to call or visit the parish to get the code.
Once you enter the adoration chapel, you should kneel on both knees and bow down. Then quietly find a pew to sit or kneel in. You’ll do the same when leaving–kneel on both knees, bow, then walk backwards toward the exit. This may sound a bit strange, but this is done so that you never turn your back towards Jesus. The etiquette surrounding adoration is really driven by the fact that we, as Catholics, truly believe the body of Jesus is present in the Host. Thus, you would behave the same way you would if Jesus was actually standing in front of you. So long as you are reverent and quiet, there is really no right or wrong way to attend adoration.
You don’t to know any special prayers; you can really just sit in silence and listen to anything God might put on your heart. You can read your bible, or you can quietly pray a rosary or divine mercy chaplet. God might just tug on your heart and ask you sit with him in silence, which is so important in today’s world.
You can also stay for benediction, which is the ending of adoration. The priest will bless everyone with the monstrance. It really is a beautiful rite, with hymns, prayers, and incense.
Remember, anybody can go to adoration! You do need to be Catholic to attend mass, pray the rosary, or got to adoration. The only things you cannot do as a non-Catholic is receive the Eucharist or go to confession. Most Catholics are very welcoming, so please come visit! Jesus is there in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting for you.
I hope you feel a little more inspired to make adoration a regular part of your life. If you have any eucharistic adoration stories, please drop a comment and share! God bless!
