Eucharistic Adoration--First-Timer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Miserys_Fence
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Miserys_Fence

Guest
I’d like to start going to Eucharistic Adoration, now that my work schedule has changed to permit it. I understand the basic concept of using this for prayer and contemplation, but what exactly should I be/not be doing?

Would it be poor manners to pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet (silently, of course)? Or should one’s prayers/meditations be focused more specifically on the Presence of Christ? If the Rosary/Divine Mercy are OK, is it acceptable to use beads?

Should one kneel the entire time, or is sitting permissible?

I was under the impression that this is a come-and-go-as-you-please service; is there any sort of formal prayer, homily, etc., that will be said, that I should make a point of sticking around for (or coming in early)?

Sorry for all the questions…newbie here. 😉

Thanks!
Miz
 
You may kneel or sit, use beads or prayer books, or do not use beads or books. At times I even brought a small notebook in case, during my meditation, a thought came to me that I could apply to my daily life.
I was at a three-day conference a few years ago, that had an adoration room down the hall. Some people were prostrate before the Presence of the Lord.

Eucharistic Adoration is so wonderful! We need to, so to speak, put a spotlight on the Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, because so many do not do so. Many blessings are given by our Lord through this devotion.
 
All the above are very appropriate. I say the rosary, or even just sit in the silence with Our Eucharistic Lord.

If I am doing a particular novena, I will say it there.
Our parish makes available prayers for vocations.
No you dont have to kneel the entire time. Most kneel when they first arrive and right before they leave.
 
Thank you both! I just didn’t know what to expect, but now I’m ready!! 🙂

Miz
 
One more thing: you genuflect with both knees rather than just the right, because the Eucharist is exposed.

I’m so excited for you!! You will L-O-V-E adoration 🙂 It’s basically you and the Lord gazing into each other’s eyes :heaven:
 
I just want to encourage you in persisting in Eucharistic Adoration. There will be times that I sit there and feel nothing (more often than not) and wonder if I am wasting my time and His. My intention is to be there with Him. He honors that.

Don’t expect ‘bells and whistles’, perse, but if they come, thank Him.

The greatest graces that come from Adoration are usually later, although they are within a short period of time, for me anyway.

Some of the graces you may expect are greater Faith, Hope and Love entering into your life both for Him and for other people.

And He will give you infused knowledge that He shares JUST with you alone; it may be something you may not be able to share with anyone else because you can’t explain it. If you are converting you probably already know what I mean by that. That doesn’t make you better than someone else; just special enough in His eyes to share that part of Himself with you.

Maybe others can share with you some of what they have received with Eucharistic Adoration?

As your initial prayers before the Blessed Sacrament, you might also wish to consider saying the prayers of the Guardian Angel at Fatima, and in addition the Divine Praises which are to be found in your church missalette, usually in the back of the book. The Divine Praises were a part of Eucharistic Adoration not so many years ago and still are said at the end of public Eucharistic Adoration in many churches, usually those that have senior priests conducting the services.

Prayer of the Guardian Angel at Fatima

Oh my God, I believe in You, I Hope in You,
I Love You and I Adore You.

I beg forgiveness for all those who do not believe in You,
who do not hope in You, do not love You, nor adore You.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly,
I offer You the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity
of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the world,
in reparation for the outrages, indifferences and sacrileges
by which He is most offended.

By the Infinite merits of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You
the conversion of all poor sinners.

Amen

The Divine Praises

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her Glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the Name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.

May the Heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament,
Be Praised, Adored and Loved, with grateful affection
At every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world,
even until the end of time.

Amen

God Bless,
dona
 
Welcome to adoration! As the other posters have said, you’ll love it.

A few observations from someone who has been an adorer for several years.

First above all: Be happy you’re there with Our Lord! Silent greetings, expressions of gratitude, and smiles directed to Him are always appropriate. Just breathing and looking at Him is wonderful, too. In addition to thanking Jesus, I like to include the chapel coordinator and priest in my ‘thank you’ prayers, too.

You may need special access if it’s a perpetual adoration chapel. This is usually a numeric code to enter into the lock on the chapel door. One chapel I frequent has an intercom and camera at the entrance and the scheduled adorer has to hit a “buzzer” to unlock the door and let you in. This is for security reasons. If you wish to visit a perpetual adoration chapel, it would help to call the parish office ahead of time, or else for your first time go with someone who knows how to get inside. I’ve pounded on outside doors in order to get inside a perpetual adoration chapel, and although Our Lord has always seen that I was able to enter eventually, it’s not the recommended method. 😃

As with any quiet and prayerful room, avoid doing things that might annoy others in the chapel. This includes loud or exessive body noises and talking. Whispering is fine, and moving about reverently is unavoidable.

All but one of the chapels I frequent have bookshelves with prayerbooks, the Bible, the Catechism, etc. These are for your use in the chapel, so help yourself while you’re there. Just remember to return the book or pamphlet before you leave. 😉

I leave my handmade Rosary Army rosaries at all the chapels I go to. The intent is for them to be used during adoration time at the chapel. If you were going to one of my chapels, I would let you know that if you’re drawn to keeping one of the rosaries, then it’s yours. That might not be the case at all adoration chapels, however. One chapel has a “free to a good home” box where people leave inexpensive rosaries, prayercards, etc. free to follow you home.

It’s nice to smile and nod to the scheduled adorer when you arrive and when you leave, but not necesssary. Sometimes when I visit a chapel outside my scheduled hour, I’ll offer to stay with the Blessed Sacrament while the adorer leaves to use the restroom or get a drink of water. That’s a considerate thing to offer if you notice the adorer having an obvious problem (a coughing fit, for example) or needs to replace the candles or water the flowers. The exposed Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance must never be left alone.

Some people unintentionally fall asleep during their Holy Hour. Unless they’re snoring really loudly, just let them sleep. Maybe they’re dreaming of Our Lord. If you fall asleep, don’t be embarrassed. It happens to every frequent adorer at some time.

Every Holy Hour is different. Just love every minute!!
 
Miserys_Fence said:
I’d like to start going to Eucharistic Adoration, now that my work schedule has changed to permit it. I understand the basic concept of using this for prayer and contemplation, but what exactly should I be/not be doing?

Would it be poor manners to pray the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet (silently, of course)? Or should one’s prayers/meditations be focused more specifically on the Presence of Christ? If the Rosary/Divine Mercy are OK, is it acceptable to use beads?

Should one kneel the entire time, or is sitting permissible?

I was under the impression that this is a come-and-go-as-you-please service; is there any sort of formal prayer, homily, etc., that will be said, that I should make a point of sticking around for (or coming in early)?

Sorry for all the questions…newbie here. 😉

Thanks!
Miz
Click to expand...
You can do anything you want, or do nothing but just sit in the presence of the Lord. There are no “rules”, except that we should be considerate of others and maintain silence. Also, we should not leave Our Lord alone. It is also customary to genuflect on both knees when entering and leaving, if that is possible.

If the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is not one of Perpetual Adoration, there will be an opening Benediction and then again when the period of Exposition ends and the Eucharist is reposed. These are formal prayers with hymns and incense. (I may not have all of the terms right). At times there may be novenas scheduled. For example, in my parish, Exposition begins at 9am on Fridays and closes at 9am Saturday mornings, and in the weeks preceding Easter, which covers Lent, the Divine Mercy Novena is said at 12 noon and 6pm on Fridays . So check with the parish to see if they have anything scheduled during the Exposition, and if you want to go to the Benediction, see what time Exposition starts.
 
First: I second what everyone else says. There are no real rules for Adoration except to be quiet and respectful.

Second: Adoration rocks hardcore!!! 🙂 You will find that your dealings with others become more charitable and that you’re more open to the way God works in your life.

You will not regret the time you spend at Adoration. It’s the best hour (or two) I spend all week.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top