Advices on Adoration

[Augustine]

Now that a nearby parish set up perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I decided to have a weekly encounter with Our Lord there.

I’ve been to Adoration before and it was usually most blissful, but in these last couple of times since I started going there it’s been as dry as a desert. Actually, I’ve been through a rather dry period which got quite severe during Holy Week. I had hopes that the dryness would be gone by Easter, and I prayed at the feet of Jesus’ for it, but it’s not what He’s got in stock for me, it seems.

Anyways, what advices can you give me to make most of my time adoring the Lord?

 

[cecilia97]

We are lucky enough to have perpetual adoration too…it is such a blessing!

I find it goes in peaks and valleys. Dry for a while (like right now) then a few weeks where it’s just an amazing experience. It helps to remember that you’re there for Him.

I usually start with the rosary. Then I’ll read a random scripture passage until I find something that speaks to me, and I’ll reflect on it for a while.

Our parish calls us regulars on the schedule “guardians” instead of “adorers” like the last place I attended adoration. Just that little change in semantics has helped me remember that, even during the dry times when I don’t “feel” anything, I’m doing a service by keeping the Lord company and keeping Him safe.

 

[Augustine]

I usually start with the rosary. Then I’ll read a random scripture passage until I find something that speaks to me, and I’ll reflect on it for a while.

Well, being where I am, I went before Him yesterday to listen, but my ears were deaf. So I picked a bible as His words on the cross came to mind, so I read and reread psalms 22 to 25. It was as though I could have said them myself…

Now that I think of it, it was actually a blessing to hear His voice in the Scriptures. Now if only He wouldn’t hide His face from me…

 

[cecilia97]

It will happen at the right time. Maybe He’s showing Himself to you through another person lately? Don’t wear yourself out by trying too hard.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Just so you know that you are receiving blessings from this dryness, even though it doesn’t seem so …

Rev. Thomas Dubay, in the book Fire Within, lists the following benefits of aridity in prayer:

"One divine mercy shown in arid prayer is that the Spouse ‘disregards’ our yearnings that they may become deeper still … Desolation in prayer sharpens the yearning in an earnest person, and this can only be a blessing, for the Lord fills the hungry with good things …

"A second reason is that fidelity in the midst of aridity proves that we are seeking God and not merely our own satisfaction. Difficult prayer distinguishes the spiritually mature from the immature.

"Third, dryness in devotion offers a vivid experience of our ineptness, our finitude. We learn concretely … that without the Lord we can do nothing at all. Thus we are grounded in a realistic humility so that later favors will not puff us up.

"Fourth, when one remains faithful despite desolation, the theological virtues are deepened, since, being stripped of secondary supports, they are now operating purely from their primary motives. At times of aridity one clings to the the Trinity … not because it is comforting … but because Father, Son and Spirit are purest truth, goodness and love. Since the whole spiritual life revolves around faith, hope and charity, this person is advancing rapidly, even though feelings may be as absent as moisture on desert sand.

“Finally, empty prayer is valuable, indeed indispensable, because in it and by it many imperfections are burned away: impatience, worldly inclinations, vanities, laxness …”

I hope this gives you some encouragement that this difficult time is not in vain. Stay faithful to prayer no matter what.

 

[jrabs]

Our priest suggested that we sit and listen at Adoration. He said that when we spend our time in constant conversation with God, that we do not let Him have time to talk back. Like any other conversation, you need to quiet yourself occasionally to be the listener.

I found that in those quiet moments at Adoration, God usually speaks the loudest to me.

 

[jc-servant]

I like to split my adoration time between active and passive things. I usually start out with prayer of contrition and just sitting there with Jesus. I’ll sometimes do a rosary or chaplet of divine mercy with some intercessory prayer. Another time I might do my Bible study chapter during part of my hour. I may also stay longer than the hour or other times have a very hard time just staying awake for the single hour.

I think everyone spends their time differently during adoration. My parish has PEA, so we have some people with more than one committed hour per week who do different things each time. Don’t feel bad if you are not “productive” or having some kind of experience. Jesus is someone you love who you are taking the time to visit. I would imagine He is pleased by that effort regardless of what else we can do during the hour. You are already doing more than the apostles did in the garden.

 

[the_phoenix]

Dear Augustine,

Since Heaven is all about the Beatific Vision, which is seeing God face to face, being present at Eucharistic Adoration brings you right up to where you can look and see the Real Presence of Jesus Himself. So gazing on the Lord in contemplation is excellent practice for a happy eternity.

If you like to pray the Rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament, just before you start you might like to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to come and stand between you and Her Eucharistic Son so that her soul can “magnify the Lord” for you so that you can better see Him. As Mary said in the Biblical passage called the Magnificat, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

You can also ask your Guardian Angel to help you, for your angel continually sees the face of God the Father who is in Heaven.

And if the Lord leaves you in dryness, know that you are still blessed, that He loves having you come visit Him, and that He will not be outdone in generosity.

~~ the phoenix

 

[I_Believe]

Hi Augustine, to the solid suggestions offered so far, I’ll offer this link. I’ve found it helps if I prepare myself before I go, using the info on the link as a guide.

mafg.home.isp-direct.com/holyhour.htm

Thank you for posting this. I’ve enjoyed everyone’s reply.

charles

 

[blessedstar]

Now that a nearby parish set up perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I decided to have a weekly encounter with Our Lord there.

I’ve been to Adoration before and it was usually most blissful, but in these last couple of times since I started going there it’s been as dry as a desert. Actually, I’ve been through a rather dry period which got quite severe during Holy Week. I had hopes that the dryness would be gone by Easter, and I prayed at the feet of Jesus’ for it, but it’s not what He’s got in stock for me, it seems.

Anyways, what advices can you give me to make most of my time adoring the Lord?

God is giving you a great gift. It doesn’t feel like it, I know, but it is a very great gift.

It is a very small share in the desolation of Christ Jesus whilst He was on the Earth in its darkness, in the Garden of Gethsemane, during His Trial, His Scourging, the Carrying of the Cross, Death on the Cross, the Three Days in the Tomb and His descent into hell. You are gifted with a share in the darkness He experienced and it is only in the dark of faith that faith truly becomes faith.

I always think that before the Ressurection came the Cross and we cannot hope for the Ressurection without the trial of the cross.

When you are at Eucharistic Adoration as you know, you are before the Crucified and Ressurected Lord. For me, I like to console my Lord Crucified, tell Him of my sufferings, thank Him for them and offer them to Him united to His and ask Him to ‘Remember me when You come into Your Kingdom’.

I always believe that spiritual suffering is far greater than physical suffering. I think our Lord Jesus suffered greater in His Spirit than He ever did in His flesh though that was truly terrible. How much greater then did He suffer in Spirit. ‘My Spirit is sorrowful even unto death’, this was the only time Jesus mentioned any sorrow at His suffering and it was that of His Spirit.

I think that Jesus is calling you to His Cross and I also believe that Jesus is taking you ever closer to Him through the Dark Night of the Soul. How long will this last? Well only God knows that so just trust Him because He has your best interests at His Sacred Heart. Though the greater the dryness and its duration the greater the holiness developed in the soul.

Go before Him in the Blessed Sacrament at Eucharistic Adoration as He has inspired you to do and say this ‘I am here before You Lord Jesus suffering in my spirit, thank you and I give it to You. Amen.’ and just sit with Him for one hour, there is more love in this than a thousand words or beautiful thoughts. That indeed is a very pleasing prayer to Jesus.

In my prayer of life.

 

[puzzleannie]

I used to have a regular time slot for adoration at my old parish, and during the morning hours parents would often bring their small children in for a short visit with Jesus (what a wonderful habit, by the way). I was having a similar problem, feeling it was all a waste of time, looking for things to read, pray or do to fill up the hour. One day I heard a parent scold a child, “Sit down and shut up” and I have followed that advice ever since, and it really works. I no longer bring anything with me, except LOTH or my bible if I have not had time for it that day. Reading the prescribe prayer for the hour or the scripture passage helps me transition, and the rest of the time is purposeful listening and waiting and looking. I don’t hear a Voice but I hear internally if that makes sense, and often don’t realize what I have heard until much later.

 

[Biblioassistant]

I usually go about the time to say Evening Prayer from the Divine Office. I might say the chaplet of Divine Mercy or bring my Ignatius Study Guide so I can go over a chapter of the Gospels. I’ve even brought a religious novel to read. I’m a total newbie at contemplation, but am working on it.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I begin my hour with either the Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Then I say the Liturgy of the Hours, Evening Prayer.
After that I do Centering Prayer for about 20,minutes or longer.
I finish the hour with spiritual reading.

Jim

 

[maryj]

Can’t think of his name but he is a french priest that I saw on EWTN, he travels the world helping bring Adoration to different parishes. Here was his thoughts on Adoration. Would you, if in the presence of the Pope, pick up a book and start reading it in front of him. How much more impolite is it to pick up a book and start reading it in front of the Lord. Well I paused at that thought and the next time I went to Adoration I brought nothing with me except the Catholic book of prayers that I have for prayers in front of the Holy Eucharist, (haven’t memorized them YET!!) I have to say it was really hard to just keep myself and my gaze fixed upon our Lord. I found my thoughts wandering and I became quite aggitated with myself. And then I thought, well I guess the Apostles couldn’t stay awake for an hour with our Lord, I’ve got some work to do. But as my mother always told me “practice makes perfect” I intend to get lots of practice

 

[cecilia97]

Can’t think of his name but he is a french priest that I saw on EWTN, he travels the world helping bring Adoration to different parishes. Here was his thoughts on Adoration. Would you, if in the presence of the Pope, pick up a book and start reading it in front of him. How much more impolite is it to pick up a book and start reading it in front of the Lord. Well I paused at that thought and the next time I went to Adoration I brought nothing with me except the Catholic book of prayers that I have for prayers in front of the Holy Eucharist, (haven’t memorized them YET!!) I have to say it was really hard to just keep myself and my gaze fixed upon our Lord. I found my thoughts wandering and I became quite aggitated with myself. And then I thought, well I guess the Apostles couldn’t stay awake for an hour with our Lord, I’ve got some work to do. But as my mother always told me “practice makes perfect” I intend to get lots of practice

Maryj, I used to feel it was a “wasteful” use of my Holy Hour to read, but I do find that I get more insights from my spirtual reading when I do it in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Your quote also reminded me…when I was working on my annulment petition, the only place I could write without feeling intense pain was in our Adoration chapel. It also let me keep the anger out of my writing. My case sponsor said he was surprised I was able to keep the bitterness out of my petition, and I had to give all the credit to The Boss Man.

So, I’d suggest to everybody…gotta tough situation of any kind…get thee to the adoration chapel.

 

[mapleoak]

Now that a nearby parish set up perpetual Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I decided to have a weekly encounter with Our Lord there.

I’ve been to Adoration before and it was usually most blissful, but in these last couple of times since I started going there it’s been as dry as a desert. Actually, I’ve been through a rather dry period which got quite severe during Holy Week. I had hopes that the dryness would be gone by Easter, and I prayed at the feet of Jesus’ for it, but it’s not what He’s got in stock for me, it seems.

Anyways, what advices can you give me to make most of my time adoring the Lord?

The benefits of Adoration are not measureable by bodily standards of bliss or emotion. If such feelings are present, they may be assumed to be a gift from God of immediate, though temporary consolement. Be assured that the more religiously one remains faithful to such devotion, the less and less the immediate gratification that may be experienced. Although one can never fully understand God’s intentions, it may be that He slowly withdraws these feelings to test ones devotion and to offer far more meaningful reward, especially in a spiritual sense.
If one is faithful week after week, month after month, year after year, absent of the feelings of awe and emotion, one can only trust that God will not let such devotion go unrewarded. As a wise priest once said, God cannot be outdone in generosity.

In Christ - J.M.J.
Mapleoak

 

[maryj]

Maryj, I used to feel it was a “wasteful” use of my Holy Hour to read, but I do find that I get more insights from my spirtual reading when I do it in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Your quote also reminded me…when I was working on my annulment petition, the only place I could write without feeling intense pain was in our Adoration chapel. It also let me keep the anger out of my writing. My case sponsor said he was surprised I was able to keep the bitterness out of my petition, and I had to give all the credit to The Boss Man.

So, I’d suggest to everybody…gotta tough situation of any kind…get thee to the adoration chapel.

Me too. I’ve found meditation on one line in scripture to take up the majority of an hour.

 

[Biblioassistant]

Me too. I find that when I am in the presence of the Lord, my reading which is normally superfast slows down. I can absorb, think about and pray over what I am reading.

 

[Augustine]

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I seldom come to this forum, but I’m awed at the replies in this thread. There are many fine suggestions, but most of all a touching example of steadfast followers of Christ.

I still find myself in the desert, but actually surprised at being given the grace of persisting in prayer. As a matter of fact, talking to a spiritual director, I realized that I must embrace this dryness, if for any reason because it comes from Jesus. I must embrace anything He sends my way, sweet or bitter. After all, the vine needs pruning and the alternative is to wither. :bowdown2:

Unfortunately, I hadn’t time to adore Him this week. But I’m looking forward to meet Him and give myself to Him after your example.

 

[Augustine]

In the last couple of weeks I was able to spend a Holy Hour before Jesus cleverly disguised as a host.

Instead of dwelling in my dryness, waiting for something from Him, I turned the table and decided to not let Him waiting for something from me. I decided to give Him praise instead, so I picked up a hymnal and mentally sang hymns at random to Him (mentally not only works better around other adorers, but also because mentally my voice sounds beautifully and on key ).

These have been among the best Holy Hours I’ve had, and I believe that perhaps the best ones that Jesus spent with me.