Eucharist: Exposed or un-Exposed?

[EsclavoDeCristo]

I am currently serving with as a missionary in Latin America. We have a communty holy hour every day with the Blessed Sacrament exposed. Recently someone posed the question of ‘Why must the Host be exposed for adoration, what is the difference if Jesus is inside the tabernacle where we can’t see Him or outside of it where we can see Him? In both cases aren’t we in Christ’s presence?’ Of course this has sparked all kinds of debates and side conversations in our community. Therefore I turn the discussion over to you. What do you think? Why do we have exposition instead of leaving Christ in the tabernacle?

 

[Todd_Easton]

What is the difference? If you went to a friend’s house, wouldn’t it be a more satisfying experience seeing him and talking to him face to face instead of talking to him through his door?

 

[EsclavoDeCristo]

Todd,

Thanks for the analogy but we are looking for more of a doctrinal/magesterial answer. Anyway, when we pray in the absence of the Blessed Sacrament are we talking to Christ through ‘his door’?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

EsclavoDeCristo:

Todd,

Thanks for the analogy but we are looking for more of a doctrinal/magesterial answer. Anyway, when we pray in the absence of the Blessed Sacrament are we talking to Christ through ‘his door’?

There is no Doctrinal difference. This is the same Christ, in the tabernacle or the monstrance.

 

[EsclavoDeCristo]

Br. Rich SFO:

There is no Doctrinal difference. This is the same Christ, in the tabernacle or the monstrance.

So then it is just for the benefit of the person praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament? So that we can involve more of our senses in adoring and praying to Christ?

 

[JimG]

EsclavoDeCristo:

So then it is just for the benefit of the person praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament? So that we can involve more of our senses in adoring and praying to Christ?

I would say yes. You can adore Christ in the tabernacle quietly in a church. But if the Eucharist is exposed in a monstrance for adoration, someone MUST be present at all times. Otherwise, the Eucharist must be reposed into the tabernacle.

 

[mrS4ntA]

The practice (of exposing the Blessed Sacrament) was actually derived from the Middle Ages.

People around Basilicas got so excited and were in ecstasy everytime the Host is consecrated and lifted up briely for adoration during Mass. They hungered for a glimpse of God.

So they wanted to prolong that ecstasy and voila. we have the Eucharistic Adoration, benediction, etc.

 

[Maccabees]

mrS4ntA:

The practice (of exposing the Blessed Sacrament) was actually derived from the Middle Ages.

People around Basilicas got so excited and were in ecstasy everytime the Host is consecrated and lifted up briely for adoration during Mass. They hungered for a glimpse of God.

So they wanted to prolong that ecstasy and voila. we have the Eucharistic Adoration, benediction, etc.

Exactly its for the beleivers benefit. Now it the believer doesn’t get a benefit than adoration in that parish most likley will be discontinued. Jesus is present either way but this conisidered to be a great honor to worship Jesus in an adoration that was an intimate setting as this.

 

[sparkle]

Quite frankly, I don’t understand the whole concept of “The Blessed Sacrament” to begin with.

Why does a Catholic even need to worship the “Blessed Sacrament” and have what they call “Eucharistic Adoration”? --instead of just praying to God? I don’t quite get it. Maybe I’ll learn this as I’m going along in RCIA. Hope so.

Anyway, I think the body and blood (host and wine) should be displayed by all means for this service instead of being locked away, if Jesus did indeed say “this is my body and my blood”—yes-----this is a thrill~

God Bless You in Latin America ~~ how awesome~~

 

[mrS4ntA]

sparkle:

Quite frankly, I don’t understand the whole concept of “The Blessed Sacrament” to begin with.

Why does a Catholic even need to worship the “Blessed Sacrament” and have what they call “Eucharistic Adoration”? --instead of just praying to God? I don’t quite get it. Maybe I’ll learn this as I’m going along in RCIA. Hope so.

Anyway, I think the body and blood (host and wine) should be displayed by all means for this service instead of being locked away, if Jesus did indeed say “this is my body and my blood”—yes-----this is a thrill~

God Bless You in Latin America ~~ how awesome~~

God bless you for an open mind, sparkle. I’ll try to establish several things:

1. God’s presence is everywhere; He is omnipresence. So He is right here with me as well as right there with you. k?
2. In the Blessed Sacrament, Christ’s “Real Presence” is there. His presence is in the fullest meaning of the word: in body and blood, soul and divinity. That means, He is there both spiritually and physically. That’s why it’s called “Real.”
3. Why worship the Blessed Sacrament? Because the Blessed Sacrament is Our Lord, pure and simple. Why have Eucharistic Adoration? I’ve answered it in my previous post.
4. Well, indeed the Blessed Sacrament (there is only the host within the tabernacle) is exposed during Eucharistic Adoration. But like the Holy of Holies of Ancient Jewish times, where they guarded the Ark of the Covenant (within which God is present), we have to guard the Blessed Sacrament within the tabernacle.

 

[EsclavoDeCristo]

We have a Holy Hour every day with Eucharist adoration. How awesome! My prayer life and relationship with Jesus has grown leaps and bounds…

Praise be to Jesus, now and forever!

 

[starrs0]

We have a Holy Hour every day with Eucharist adoration. How awesome! My prayer life and relationship with Jesus has grown leaps and bounds

Can Holy Hours be made with Christ in the Tabernacle or must he be exposed in teh Monstrance for it to be a Holy Hour?

 

[EsclavoDeCristo]

starrs0:

Can Holy Hours be made with Christ in the Tabernacle or must he be exposed in the Monstrance for it to be a Holy Hour?

I think it can be made with Christ in the tabernacle, but I could be wrong.