Adoration

[EstherTherese]

Hi everyone.

So I got back from a Catholic youth conference called Steubenville. You might have heard of it. Most people tell you that it’s phenomenal, amazing, and more words that they feel can’t do it justice.

I thought it was great too. Speakers, service, and seeing thousands praise Jesus is just beyond words.

However, there’s always one thing that completes everyone’s experience: Adoration.

I saw so many of my friends cry, laugh, and truly feel God’ presence.

This is my 3rd year attending Steubenville, and I never can say that this experience was amazing or life-changing.

It’s always a highlight of my summer and I’m glad I go, but in Adoration I don’t ever really feel the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it’s very peaceful, or I’m always how I am.
I’m pretty active in my church and pray regularly. I know this is wrong but is it because I feel it’s not always necessary? I didn’t know Catholics experienced these gifts. I don’t think to myself during Adoration “I don’t need the Spirit”. In fact, I really, really wanna feel His presence.

Can someone shed some light for me?

 

[reggieM]

Here’s my opinion as a life-long Catholic (please accept or reject if it helps or not).

You’ve pointed to the very reason why I do not like or support the emotional-oriented spirituality that is found at places like Steubenville. The life of the spirit is externalized and made to appear as if it is some kind of giddy feeling, that makes people high or dazed or crazy, etc.

From my reading of many dozens of time-tested Catholic spiritual books – that kind of emotional fervor is not something to be desired. It’s not a goal or an aim. When you get a lot of people acting that way, however, it will appear as if they’ve “found something”. Therefore, someone like yourself will feel something is “missing”. You might wrongly conclude that God is “not blessing” you in ways that others enjoy.

Again, I find this very wrong and quite bad. It’s the opposite of what the Catholic spiritual guides of the past teach. That’s another problem I have with the new-movements and charismatic groups. They don’t seem well-grounded in classic Catholic spirituality.

So, I don’t want to be a nay-sayer against the many good things found at Steubenville. But the effects of Adoration are supposed to be “interior” – it’s building the interior-life, not a life of (what Fr. Knox calls) “enthusiasm”. The interior life requires quiet, self-discipline and great reverence for God. This means stillness and silence. When God’s “still, small voice” arrives, its not a moment for jumping out of the pew and dancing in the aisle. It’s for quietly cultivating the gift of God’s light.

You can find that spirituality well-taught in Carthusian and Benedictine (and many other orders’) monasteries. You could ask an old monk – a man who has sacrificed to God every day for 40 years. Is this kind of giddyness found in the mature, tested, strong spirituality of a man or woman of the consecrated, contemplative life?

No – far from it. Again, I hate to sound too harsh, but the emotionalism that is found in most charismatic groups is not mature spirituality. It’s childish and very attached to external consolations. We have to outgrow that - if we ever actually fell into it.

So, rather than desiring these manifestations, you should be glad that your spirituality is on an even keel. Don’t seek highs because with them come lows. We should keep steady, disciplined, consistent in a joyful walk to God. The more strength we build, the more we will be able to embrace and carry the Cross with Him. That is a totally different kind of joy.

 

[Sunflower15]

**I believe that the Holy Spirit moves in different ways and for different objectives, all aimed toward the same goal, of course. It may mean that some people at a specific time in their lives need the outward manifestation, or inward contemplation, and the Spirit offers that. Like-minded people tend to collect and experiences intensify for that reason, which neither means it is the ONLY way, nor that it isn’t a wonderful way.

I disagree with the charismatic who asserts that everyone MUST speak in tongues, as much as with the contemplative mystic who claims that it is just “emotionalism” rather than a movement of the Holy Spirit. If you feel joy, be glad in it! Don’t ‘covet the neighbors’ spiritual experience’…when the Spirit is giving you your own!

Nothing is ‘wrong’ with you, or them, or with the hermits, we are all ONE body of Christ, different members, not the same…or what would the body do with all of us being the ‘mouth’, or the ‘ears’…right? I also hear people argue over whether it is better to pray [spiritual works of mercy] or to act [corporal works of mercy]…aren’t ALL of these necessary? I think so!

May the Holy Spirit keep moving within us to bring His kingdom nearer!
Pax Christi,

**

 

[Monica4316]

Don’t think about how you feel when you’re at Adoration. You are there to visit Jesus, to give Him consolation, not necessarily to receive.

St Therese said,

“My Heaven is to smile at this God I adore when He is hiding and testing my love”

our love for God isn’t measured by what we feel. Many of the Saints even went through really dark nights.

When you’re at Adoration, or receiving Communion, intend to give Jesus all the love in your heart and He will receive it.

God bless

 

[ironband]

Hi There,

I just returned from Steubenville SD where I was the group leader for my parish. I’d like to share with you what I shared with them, and encourage you to talk to your own group leader, as well as your friends.

Adoration, especially the Saturday night Adoration, CAN be very emotional for SOME. Many of your peers may be struggling with deep emotional pain, abuse, serious sin, etc. It is natural when faced with our Lord and realizing the depth of our pain, along with the infinite love he has for us, to have some emotions well up. As a group leader, for me, much of the emotion I felt was by seeing the work our Lord was doing in the lives of our youth there, and it made me terribly happy to be in his presence and watch him work. I definitely teared up…much I think as I would have if I had witnessed our Lord in one of His biblical miracles.

That said, you said you felt peaceful, or just how you usually are. This, too, is a gift! Maybe it isn’t “amazing” and life changing because your life doesn’t need much in the way of drastic change right now. God knows what we need always, and when we call upon him, he gives only good things.

I agree that we should not seek an emotional experience in adoration (or otherwise in our faith), because emotions are fickle and to think of our faith as a feeling does it (and us) a terrible disservice. Our faith is not a feeling. It is Truth.

(As an aside, in the Group Leader/Chaperone Training, viewable on the franciscanyouth.com web site, we were specifically told not to encourage overly emotional experiences. That is not the aim of this conference…the aim is to lead youth to Christ and to understand His love for them.)

But for those who have been in the darkness for so long and not really understood how much God loves them, that revelation and light often brings with it emotions befitting the circumstances. Imagine being chained in a cave for years, being set free, and seeing the sun for the first time in a great while! It is not hard to see why people might cry, or laugh, or simply be overcome with deep emotion.

The important thing is to recognize this: You are no less holy, or loved by God, than the individuals you see these responses occuring in. It sounds like you have a great prayer life and are living your faith and understand God’s love for you. It is natural, therefore, for you to be at peace and to be “yourself” in this circumstance. But so many of your peers have been hiding benind masks for years, filling the holes in their lives with sin and despair. Be joyous that the Spirit is moving in their lives and helping them to break the bondage of sin in their lives. Keep them in your prayers, and remain focused on Jesus. Use the peace and clarity of mind to truly examine yourself in the light of our Lord, to enjoy his friendship and presence, and to love him with all your heart.

It is 2:48 and you are loved.

Andre

 

[Monica4316]

Hi There,

I just returned from Steubenville SD where I was the group leader for my parish. I’d like to share with you what I shared with them, and encourage you to talk to your own group leader, as well as your friends.

Adoration, especially the Saturday night Adoration, CAN be very emotional for SOME. Many of your peers may be struggling with deep emotional pain, abuse, serious sin, etc. It is natural when faced with our Lord and realizing the depth of our pain, along with the infinite love he has for us, to have some emotions well up. As a group leader, for me, much of the emotion I felt was by seeing the work our Lord was doing in the lives of our youth there, and it made me terribly happy to be in his presence and watch him work. I definitely teared up…much I think as I would have if I had witnessed our Lord in one of His biblical miracles.

That said, you said you felt peaceful, or just how you usually are. This, too, is a gift! Maybe it isn’t “amazing” and life changing because your life doesn’t need much in the way of drastic change right now. God knows what we need always, and when we call upon him, he gives only good things.

I agree that we should not seek an emotional experience in adoration (or otherwise in our faith), because emotions are fickle and to think of our faith as a feeling does it (and us) a terrible disservice. Our faith is not a feeling. It is Truth.

(As an aside, in the Group Leader/Chaperone Training, viewable on the franciscanyouth.com web site, we were specifically told not to encourage overly emotional experiences. That is not the aim of this conference…the aim is to lead youth to Christ and to understand His love for them.)

But for those who have been in the darkness for so long and not really understood how much God loves them, that revelation and light often brings with it emotions befitting the circumstances. Imagine being chained in a cave for years, being set free, and seeing the sun for the first time in a great while! It is not hard to see why people might cry, or laugh, or simply be overcome with deep emotion.

The important thing is to recognize this: You are no less holy, or loved by God, than the individuals you see these responses occuring in. It sounds like you have a great prayer life and are living your faith and understand God’s love for you. It is natural, therefore, for you to be at peace and to be “yourself” in this circumstance. But so many of your peers have been hiding benind masks for years, filling the holes in their lives with sin and despair. Be joyous that the Spirit is moving in their lives and helping them to break the bondage of sin in their lives. Keep them in your prayers, and remain focused on Jesus. Use the peace and clarity of mind to truly examine yourself in the light of our Lord, to enjoy his friendship and presence, and to love him with all your heart.

It is 2:48 and you are loved.

Andre

good post.

 

[EstherTherese]

Hi There,

I just returned from Steubenville SD where I was the group leader for my parish. I’d like to share with you what I shared with them, and encourage you to talk to your own group leader, as well as your friends.

Adoration, especially the Saturday night Adoration, CAN be very emotional for SOME. Many of your peers may be struggling with deep emotional pain, abuse, serious sin, etc. It is natural when faced with our Lord and realizing the depth of our pain, along with the infinite love he has for us, to have some emotions well up. As a group leader, for me, much of the emotion I felt was by seeing the work our Lord was doing in the lives of our youth there, and it made me terribly happy to be in his presence and watch him work. I definitely teared up…much I think as I would have if I had witnessed our Lord in one of His biblical miracles.

That said, you said you felt peaceful, or just how you usually are. This, too, is a gift! Maybe it isn’t “amazing” and life changing because your life doesn’t need much in the way of drastic change right now. God knows what we need always, and when we call upon him, he gives only good things.

I agree that we should not seek an emotional experience in adoration (or otherwise in our faith), because emotions are fickle and to think of our faith as a feeling does it (and us) a terrible disservice. Our faith is not a feeling. It is Truth.

(As an aside, in the Group Leader/Chaperone Training, viewable on the franciscanyouth.com web site, we were specifically told not to encourage overly emotional experiences. That is not the aim of this conference…the aim is to lead youth to Christ and to understand His love for them.)

But for those who have been in the darkness for so long and not really understood how much God loves them, that revelation and light often brings with it emotions befitting the circumstances. Imagine being chained in a cave for years, being set free, and seeing the sun for the first time in a great while! It is not hard to see why people might cry, or laugh, or simply be overcome with deep emotion.

The important thing is to recognize this: You are no less holy, or loved by God, than the individuals you see these responses occuring in. It sounds like you have a great prayer life and are living your faith and understand God’s love for you. It is natural, therefore, for you to be at peace and to be “yourself” in this circumstance. But so many of your peers have been hiding benind masks for years, filling the holes in their lives with sin and despair. Be joyous that the Spirit is moving in their lives and helping them to break the bondage of sin in their lives. Keep them in your prayers, and remain focused on Jesus. Use the peace and clarity of mind to truly examine yourself in the light of our Lord, to enjoy his friendship and presence, and to love him with all your heart.

It is 2:48 and you are loved.

Andre

I agree! Great post.

I was at the most recent Steubenville SD as well. Didn’t you just love Paul George’s toe touch? And how CRAZY was the lime magic?
haha, anyway thank you for sharing all your wisdom. I find that the people who have cried were not always deeply involved with their faith and were able to be back in right relation through Adoration.
I just thought of it as pretentious to say that I was alright without enthusiastic reactions. However, the truth is that I live a comfortable life and sometimes felt was more advanced in my spiritual knowledge than my peers.

Regardless, I have a LOT to work on, and Adoration simply is a way to clear my head, not just try so hard to achieve some sort of emotion.

Thanks!

 

[puzzleannie]

although Adoration has been part of my spirituality for most of my adult life I can say I never appreciated or understood, to the depths of heart and soul, what was going on until participating in Steubenville summer conferences, and Y2K, in the Masses, praise and worship, Eucharistic processions and adoration. that this is the result of direct action of the Holy Spirit I do not doubt because the evidence is so strong. The Holy Spirit acts in, with and through all that happens on that campus, because Fr. Scanlan and current administration has invited Him directly, and to be there is to participate in that invitation.

this really has very little to do with emotion, more with knowledge and acceptance, in the intellect but also on a deeper level. Perhaps because of my age an emotional response is not my first reaction to a spiritual experience, although it happens, but interior comfort and peace and trust. Not very well explained but if you have it you know what I mean

an outward manifestation of emotion, such as tears, resting in the Spirit, violent feelings, has little to do with and is an unreliable way to judge the intensity of the spiritual experience. It is also unwise to compare oneself with others, but to focus in such moments on one’s own interior perception of God’s presence.

If you want the presence of the Holy Spirit simply ask for it and it will be given to you, although there may be very little outward indication of it. If you have been confirmed you have His gifts, simply ask Him or remind Him to help you when you need them–when you need the right word of knowledge or counsel to say in a situation, when you need the wisdom of spiritual things, when you need understanding such as what the Gospel is saying to you, when you need strength, etc. If you have not been confirmed, ask for, prepare for and receive Confirmation, that is the ordinary way we invite Him to be with us.

 

[Belle10]

Hi There,

I just returned from Steubenville SD where I was the group leader for my parish. I’d like to share with you what I shared with them, and encourage you to talk to your own group leader, as well as your friends.

Adoration, especially the Saturday night Adoration, CAN be very emotional for SOME. Many of your peers may be struggling with deep emotional pain, abuse, serious sin, etc. It is natural when faced with our Lord and realizing the depth of our pain, along with the infinite love he has for us, to have some emotions well up. As a group leader, for me, much of the emotion I felt was by seeing the work our Lord was doing in the lives of our youth there, and it made me terribly happy to be in his presence and watch him work. I definitely teared up…much I think as I would have if I had witnessed our Lord in one of His biblical miracles.

That said, you said you felt peaceful, or just how you usually are. This, too, is a gift! Maybe it isn’t “amazing” and life changing because your life doesn’t need much in the way of drastic change right now. God knows what we need always, and when we call upon him, he gives only good things.

I agree that we should not seek an emotional experience in adoration (or otherwise in our faith), because emotions are fickle and to think of our faith as a feeling does it (and us) a terrible disservice. Our faith is not a feeling. It is Truth.

(As an aside, in the Group Leader/Chaperone Training, viewable on the franciscanyouth.com web site, we were specifically told not to encourage overly emotional experiences. That is not the aim of this conference…the aim is to lead youth to Christ and to understand His love for them.)

But for those who have been in the darkness for so long and not really understood how much God loves them, that revelation and light often brings with it emotions befitting the circumstances. Imagine being chained in a cave for years, being set free, and seeing the sun for the first time in a great while! It is not hard to see why people might cry, or laugh, or simply be overcome with deep emotion.

The important thing is to recognize this: You are no less holy, or loved by God, than the individuals you see these responses occuring in. It sounds like you have a great prayer life and are living your faith and understand God’s love for you. It is natural, therefore, for you to be at peace and to be “yourself” in this circumstance. But so many of your peers have been hiding benind masks for years, filling the holes in their lives with sin and despair. Be joyous that the Spirit is moving in their lives and helping them to break the bondage of sin in their lives. Keep them in your prayers, and remain focused on Jesus. Use the peace and clarity of mind to truly examine yourself in the light of our Lord, to enjoy his friendship and presence, and to love him with all your heart.

It is 2:48 and you are loved.

Andre

:clapping: I couldn’t have said it better!

I went to Steubenville for a youth conference back in high school (mid-90s) and it was wonderful. :yup: It was such a blessing!

I agree that not having a strong outward expression of your inward joy is OK, but it is also OK to be outwardly joyful! :yup:

As it’s been said, the Holy Spirit touches different people in different ways. In my case, I’ve been “slain in the Spirit” a few times during quiet, calm, healing Masses, but not when I was at Steubenville, when many around me were. At Steubenville I received the gift of tears, and actually, I receive it almost every week at Mass, almost always during the praying of the Our Father.

Anyway, may God bless you and all in this thread.

 

[ironband]

I agree! Great post.

I was at the most recent Steubenville SD as well. Didn’t you just love Paul George’s toe touch? And how CRAZY was the lime magic?
haha, anyway thank you for sharing all your wisdom. I find that the people who have cried were not always deeply involved with their faith and were able to be back in right relation through Adoration.
I just thought of it as pretentious to say that I was alright without enthusiastic reactions. However, the truth is that I live a comfortable life and sometimes felt was more advanced in my spiritual knowledge than my peers.

Regardless, I have a LOT to work on, and Adoration simply is a way to clear my head, not just try so hard to achieve some sort of emotion.

Thanks!

Paul’s toe touch was very impressive, though I still wanted to see him attempt a moonwalk. Still, Jackie was amazing (as she always is) - she truly has a charism for music, and I love her for her humility, which is rare among music ministers of her caliber. Who knew she could dance too?

Sadly, I missed the magic as I was at the youth minister’s session, which was amazing in its own right.

We ALL have things to work on - it is wonderful that you can adore with clarity and focus. In the end, before we can really talk to Jesus as our friend, we all have to find that place.

9:26, and you are loved.

Andre