The "New Evangelization" Must Begin With Us and In Our Homes
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Too often we have taken God for granted. So sometimes He asks others “to shake things up.” Today may be one of those days.
Here is a question worth pondering now and in the days to come: “What if God loved you only as much as you loved Him?” (Father Francis Hudson, S.C.J.)
Have you ever loved someone so much that you could hardly wait to hear from them, to speak with them and to see them? How often have you looked forward to a visit from someone you deeply love only to have that person not come? How hurt have you felt when you were ignored and your love not returned?
Imagine then how God - Who is Love – Who loves us more than words can describe - feels when we fail to demonstrate our love for Him? He waits in our churches hour after hour just to hear our voices and to see our faces.
Yet, few of us come to be with Him.
God is the sole source of real peace amidst the chaos, challenges and trials of our daily lives. But the noise and busyness that surrounds us prevents us from experiencing that peace as God intended we do.
Pope Benedict XVI recently reminded us that attendance at Sunday Mass is simply not enough. Adoration should never have been de-emphasized. It is a real reminder that Jesus is always here with us in the Blessed Sacrament. “To really communicate with another person”, the Pope wrote, “I must know him, I must be able to be in silence, close to him, to hear him, and to look at him with love.” (Corpus Christi Homily 2012)
On another occasion, the Holy Father had this to say:
“In silence, we are better able to listen to and understand ourselves; …. By remaining silent we allow the other person to speak, to express himself; and we avoid being tied simply to our own words and ideas without them being adequately tested. In this way, space is created for mutual listening, and deeper …relationships become possible… If God speaks to us even in silence, we in turn discover in silence the possibility of speaking with God and about God.” (World Communications Day 2012)
Why go to Adoration?
God deserves it. He is entitled to it. He has asked us to watch one hour with Him. You find the time to be with the one you love.
According to the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, every hour we spend in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament:
- deepens our union with Jesus, transforms us into the very image and likeness of God Himself, and makes up for those who do not know Him or do not love Him;
- draws the world and everyone in it closer to Christ.
- lifts up the whole world to the Father for His blessing, and
- saves a soul from going to hell.
Let me hasten to state that time before the Blessed Sacrament is no guaranty of a struggle free life. But He does promise sufficient graces to carry our daily crosses and eternity with Him for those who love Him.
Adoration is for everyone. But I don’t have the time you say. Consider these statistics from Father Oscar Lukefahr, C.M.:
If you live to be eighty you would have spent about 3 years reading, 5 years talking, 6 years riding in a car, 7 years eating, 11 years in recreational activities and 27 years sleeping. If you offered an hour of adoration each week you would have given Jesus less than 6 months of your life. Add attendance at Sunday Mass and 5 minutes of daily prayer to your weekly holy hour and you would have given Him a little less than I year of your time.
You have the time. You just have to choose to do it.
“Adoration is not just one more thing to do like going to the store, the doctor, etc. It is an encounter with Christ. His love changes and orders our life.” (Father James M. Sullivan, OP)
I am a much different person today than I was before making a commitment to weekly adoration. I have a deeper and more profound love for God, my wife and my family. I think more often of others before myself. I still offend God but am quicker to seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I love Mass and the Holy Eucharist. I joyfully jump out of bed each Saturday morning at 3 AM to be with Him.
Can I be bold enough to ask you another question: How much do YOU love God?
What are you waiting for?
Consider this a personal invitation from Jesus Himself.
He awaits you with open and loving arms.
If you come to Him with an open heart, He will give you His.
That’s His promise.
My vocation as a Lay Dominican created an insatiable desire to learn, study, live and share my Faith. For more than ten years I led a Prison Ministry program and have nearly three decades promoting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. Now retired, I aspire to promote zeal for the salvation of souls, awe and amazement for the Holy Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration, and fidelity to the Truths of our Catholic Faith. I have published nine books, three of which have received the the Seal of Approval from the Catholic Writer's Guild. Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire! - Words to Challenge, Instruct and Inspire, I Thirst For Your Love and Stirring Slumbering Souls - 250 Eucharistic Reflections. I blog at https://harvrstingthefruitsofcontemplation. blogspot.com/
