How much time do you actually spend adoring?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Maria-Pia
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Maria-Pia

Guest
I found a website the other day about Adoration and it gave me some food for thought. *How much time do I actually spend in adoration? *

Usually I will pray the Rosary, read the days readings, spend some time asking for help with my own problems, pray for others, read some spiritual material and also spend a few minutes just sitting in silence.

I was shocked to discover that most of my time seems to be in asking for things. The website suggested we break our time at Adoration into four quarters.

The first quarter is spent in adoration. One need only say “I adore you, I adore you…” or even “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…” or something along those lines.

The next quarter is spent asking for the grace to love God. We can put in a few personal petitions then.

The third quarter is spent in reparation - we resign ourseves to God’s will and unite ourselves with Him.

The fourth stage is love. We thank God for all the good in our lives.

My Holy Hour is going to be a lot different now. Last night I was thinking about this a bit so when I did go to Adoration I spent the time reading psalms that praise God - not petitioning Him.

Any thoughts/comments?
 
I am a very immature Adorer. I go infrequently, although I am a Substitute for our Adoration teams. My favorite time to go is in the middle of the night, when it is still and quiet and I am alone with Him.

Much of the hour I spend simply looking at Him. Sometimes I take a hymnal and sing hymns of praise and worship (like Adoro Te and Panis Angelicus) I might also read something that inspires a sense of worship

I may take a look in the chapel’s prayer record, offer up some petitions, but somehow the time I am there is not so much for other people (although I’ll “pop in” for a few minutes when a need presses in to my heart) but simply to be close to Him.
 
I have to say I am really bad at adoration.

The closest I’ve ever gotten was when I wasn’t even at Adoration.

I was in my truck for work, when I realised how offensive my sins were to God, and I cried (and drove) and when I dried out a little, I started to think, “Wow” and that was about all I could think, “Wow”

In Him, through her,
Pio Magnus
 
So Pio - you’ve got the reparation thing down. That’s great!
 
I usually spend almost all the hour of adoration in adoring. I am blessed with several small devotional aids which are filled with prayers of adoration. I also like to use the hymns of old, like panis angelicus or Tantum Ergo, and just mediatate on the words.

My biggest problem in Eucharistic Adoratioin is the other people in the Tabernacle Chapel. Some rustle papers, some sigh and move frequently from kneeling to sitting, some come in and go out five minutes later, and one woman just sobs and weeps and murmurs pretty loudly in Spanish the entire time. 😦 Very distracting. I wish (selfish!!) I could go alone more often, but there’s usually five to ten others in there, and the chapel only seats 15 total. I am glad there are so many wanting to dwell with Our Lord-- I just need to get over my selfishness. :rolleyes:
 
40.png
Makerteacher:
. I wish (selfish!!) I could go alone more often, but there’s usually five to ten others in there, and the chapel only seats 15 total. I am glad there are so many wanting to dwell with Our Lord-- I just need to get over my selfishness. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
You’re not selfish, Makerteacher. It’s hard to give God all of our attention, when we are being distracted. At our Perpetual Adoration, only 1 or 2 go at a time for an hour and then 1 or 2 come for the next hour etc. I am blessed to be able to be in the chapel alone for an hour every week.

Annie
 
I visit the adoration chapel most days. During the week I visit in the evening, and on the weekend I have a scheduled hour on Saturday and on Sunday, both in the morning. I have a slightly different pattern than the one you suggest, but I do agree that it is important to think about how we spend the time.
My visits are pretty much as follows.
  • I begin by simply coming to rest. I would classify this as adoration, because I am simply focused on the Lord, as I try to rid my mind of all else. When I am ready, I begin with a prayer of my own in which I praise God as Trinity, I ask forgiveness, and I thank God for all the graces and gifts he has bestowed on me.
  • Then I pray the evening prayers (the version found in Magnificat). These prayers begin with praise, including a Psalm, followed by a short scripture reading. Then there are suggested Intercessions. I never intercede on my on behalf at this point. Recently I realized that Psalm 63 seems to be very well suited to Adoration, so now I include it as well.
  • Next I say the prayers of the Legion of Mary followed by a rosary if I haven’t said on earlier in the day, and sometimes even if I have. This is where I make my Intercessions.
  • Depending on time and timing I read from Scripture
  • I try to finish with a prayer for the grace to know God’s will, and the strength and courage to follow it.
On balance I think that most of my time is spent in Praise and Thanksgiving with less spent in Petition.

The assigned “hours” are always and hour long, sometimes a little more. The daily visits that I make may be as short as 20 or 25 minutes or as long as 90 minutes or more.

Charliemac

**“The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament … will help bring about an everlasting peace on earth.” (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) **
**St. Augustine asserts that, “No one eats that flesh, without first adoring it,” and he adds that “not only do we not commit a sin by adoring it, but that we do sin by not adoring it.” **
 
40.png
Maria-Pia:
I was shocked to discover that most of my time seems to be in asking for things.
Click to expand...
Maria-Pia,
I shared the same shock recently as to how much time I spent in Adoration asking for things, and simply praying for my needs. Then I realized that I was also praying the same way in my daily prayers as well.

About 2 months ago I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to STOP praying for my self and really focus on others needs and intentions.

Oh my goodness! I realized the Holy Spirit had just convicted me of how selfish my prayer time was. As soon as I obeyed and devoted prayers for the intentions of others, I immediately received some awesome breakthroughs I had been waiting for ( and praying for).

I like to say my rosary at Adoration then finish up with the Stations of the Cross.
 
40.png
Makerteacher:
I
My biggest problem in Eucharistic Adoratioin is the other people in the Tabernacle Chapel. Some rustle papers, some sigh and move frequently from kneeling to sitting, some come in and go out five minutes later, and one woman just sobs and weeps and murmurs pretty loudly in Spanish the entire time. 😦 Very distracting. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Oh Makerteacher, I am afraid you would not like me at your Adoration Chapel. I bring my 2 boys once a week and they are a bit distracting as they move around and do all the things you mentioned - get up, get a prayer book, rustle it, etc.

I almost stopped bringing them for that very reason that I felt they were distracting others. Then I decided that Jesus wants the little kids there to see and spend time with Him too. I do understand how difficult it is to pray and meditate when there is noise and people moving about.

Maybe you can ask Jesus to help with your focus and take away all distractions that you notice. I do think there is a real spirit of distraction that tries to steal our focus and set our mind on to anything other than prayer.
 
please anyone who answers this thread, which means you are a regular adorer, don’t do or say anything to discourage parents from bringing their children to the chapel or church. They have to learn from their parents here, just like at Mass, and there is no other way to teach them. What a beautiful gift of parents to their children to let them see you pray, to experience the sacred silence. I suggest a little chat with the kidlets before you come in the door (just like you would at the library) so you don’t do a lot of shushing and explaining inside. Come prepared with a book or rosary for them so there is less fumbling around. Get them (and yourself) used to the idea that you don’t even need a book, it is enough just to sit quietly loving Jesus, looking at Him, and let Him love you. That is all the little ones need to know. The rest they will learn from Jesus Himself, the Great Teacher. Jesus said Suffer the little children to come to Me. Sometimes it is an annoyance to have your meditation time broken by others, but remember, it is not my private hour with the Lord. Always, even here, we worship in a community and as a community. When you do get an hour alone, treat it as a gift, not as a right. Thank you, keep coming. This is the source of renewal for our battered Church.
 
40.png
puzzleannie:
please anyone who answers this thread, which means you are a regular adorer, don’t do or say anything to discourage parents from bringing their children to the chapel or church. They have to learn from their parents here, just like at Mass, and there is no other way to teach them. What a beautiful gift of parents to their children to let them see you pray, to experience the sacred silence. I suggest a little chat with the kidlets before you come in the door (just like you would at the library) so you don’t do a lot of shushing and explaining inside. Come prepared with a book or rosary for them so there is less fumbling around. Get them (and yourself) used to the idea that you don’t even need a book, it is enough just to sit quietly loving Jesus, looking at Him, and let Him love you. That is all the little ones need to know. The rest they will learn from Jesus Himself, the Great Teacher. Jesus said Suffer the little children to come to Me. Sometimes it is an annoyance to have your meditation time broken by others, but remember, it is not my private hour with the Lord. Always, even here, we worship in a community and as a community. When you do get an hour alone, treat it as a gift, not as a right. Thank you, keep coming. This is the source of renewal for our battered Church.
Click to expand...
Excellent point. Adoration is for everyone. Not just for people who want to play at Trappist monasticism for an hour.

Scott
 
40.png
puzzleannie:
please anyone who answers this thread, which means you are a regular adorer, don’t do or say anything to discourage parents from bringing their children to the chapel or church. They have to learn from their parents here, just like at Mass, and there is no other way to teach them. What a beautiful gift of parents to their children to let them see you pray, to experience the sacred silence.
Click to expand...
You are a blessing Puzzleannie! Thanks for your understanding!
 
I give 10% [2.4hrs] of my day in prayer. Its all about a relationship with our Lord. The closer you get to Him the closer the Lord will get to you. 👍
 
40.png
SPOKENWORD:
I give 10% [2.4hrs] of my day in prayer. Its all about a relationship with our Lord. The closer you get to Him the closer the Lord will get to you. 👍
Click to expand...
wow - that is a great tithe of your time.
 
40.png
jrabs:
wow - that is a great tithe of your time.
Click to expand...
Time ,Talent ,and Treasure. Its all about falling in love with Jesus and getting real. 👍
 
I love making Holy Hours.

I was an evangelical Christian for 40 years, and in that culture, a “quiet time,” or “daily devotions,” or “morning watch” (never a “night watch”), are considered of paramount importance. Over the years, I’ve heard so many people say that their whole day just goes down the drain if they skip their QT.

In fact, I found that this time had been elevated almost to the point of “lucky charm” or “talisman” by some Christians. I think this is one reason I had a hard time with it.

But the main reason I had a hard time with it is because I felt like I was talking to empty air. Intellectually I knew that God was everywhere, but practically, He wasn’t.

The first time I ever saw the Blessed Sacrament exposed, I knew that Jesus was in the room with us. From then on, I craved seeing Him, sitting with Him, being with Him.

I am a big “fan” of several movie stars, so I know how to ADORE! I can spend hours on the computer just staring at pictures of my favorite actor (Robert Patrick). When I was a kid, I made up scrapbooks of my heartthrobs! My locker at work and refrigerator are covered with pictures of actors that I like. (My kids say, “You’re the only mother we know that has pictures of hunks hanging up around the house.”)

(My husband doesn’t mind, BTW.

So yes, I have learned over the years how to adore, how to simply sit and stare and say, “Wow, you’re beautiful!”

I love it when the Adoration Chapel is full.

My regularly scheduled Holy Hour is Friday at 5 A.M. The same little group of people always come; there are about fourteen of us. It’s so neat; it’s like a little “congregation” of worshippers.

I try to go everyday at many different hours. The best time to go for complete silence seems to be 5 PM, dinner hour. No one is there, usually.

I love it when people bring in children. I can almost see Jesus looking at them, loving them. The whole room seems happier. Please bring your children. Mine are grown, so it’s nice to at least help a little with your children. I try to smile and show the children that I love Jesus and love to be with Him, so that they will learn from my example, not just their parents.

And I love it when people whisper their way through their prayers. It’s mainly old people who do this; it’s so neat to think that they are still faithful after so many years.

I wonder if I don’t mind all the distractions because I was raised in Protestant churches where noise and conversation are the norm before a church service.

I am very fortunate to be able to go to Holy Hour on many days. I don’t have small children at home, and I don’t have a “busy” schedule since my kids are at college. I think that young parents and others should not worry about the fact that they can only go once a week and only stay for a little while. Their time will come. Even St. Paul ended his letters by “making mention” of people in his prayers, so you don’t have to pray for a long time for Jesus to hear you!

Anyway, what I have been doing is a few minutes of just sitting and adoring, followed by a slow Rosary (I don’t rush), and about 10-15 minutes of prayers written by saints. I am trying to memorize many prayers, which is hard for me, so I spend some of my Hour just memorizing prayers like the Memorare.

I also go to Holy Hour to read the Bible. We were kicked out of our Protestant church, and the pastors and deacons used the Bible as their justification. For almost a year, I wouldn’t touch the Bible or read it because I was afraid that I would come to the same false interpretations that these men had come to, that I would be led astray. But when I started doing Holy Hours with Jesus, I knew that He would never allow me to receive a wrong interpretation. So I study my Bible and catechism during some of my Holy Hours, and I’m not afraid any more.
 
Great stuff on adoration, although I voted for the first choice after reading all the posts at my Saturday holy hour I am guilty of some of the other things mentioned asking praying the rosary etc. adoring, well I do that alot during the week when I bring my students to the chapel every period we sit and talk to Jesus and it is the easiest time for me to look up and adore.

As far as the statements on children they can be frustrating but there is nothing more beautiful than seeing a child at the foot of Jesus. So bring those children it is a great early lesson in life and they will always remember that in their lives.

But thank you all for the tips when I do my holy hour this afternoon I will read all your thoughts again. Great thoughts great ideas. 🙂
 
Dear friends

ALL day is prayer, LIFE is prayer to me. All our work , all our rest, all our sleep, all our play and all time spent infront of Jesus at church. If you cannot make an hour before the Blessed Sacrament, send your Guardian Angel with prayers you wish to say and adore Him this way, if you can spare sometime, anytime is better than none before Him. He is ALWAYS with you, you as Mary did, can adore Him and contemplate Him in your heart ANYTIME and ANY PLACE. Of course I spend time in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament also.

If in the reality of your day you cannot get to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament, don’t be down hearted…keep offering every minute of every day to Him as prayer. If you know someone who is able to go before the Blessed Sacrament, ask them to pray for your intentions and praise and adore Him for you there. You are in Him and He is in you.
John 13 23 ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’ and John 15 4 ’ Abide in me, and I in you.’

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
Every Friday night here in Cincinnati at a beautiful Church downtown (Old St. Mary’s) they have a a Sorrowful Mother novena (7:30-8:00 PM): the prayers are from an old prayerbook. At 8:00, there is a Latin Mass and after Mass the Eucharist is exposed for an all-night vigil. From 4-5 AM there is a holy hour followed by Benediction. At 5:15 AM there is another Latin Mass followed by Matins and Lauds. The hour is ordered according to the contents of an older prayerbook (1st copyright: 1945) called: “Holy Hour of Reparation.” It is awesome. While the book is more suited to prayer groups I find it very helpful in making private holy hours. I would recommend to all of you. You can order it off of the web or from a good Catholic bookstore. It has definitely brought me even closer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
 
to be honest iam very bad. i pray with my three year old at nite and basically is the same prayer.is the only one i know in spanish. when i go to mass on sunday,i guess is the time i truly pray at least i give thank to the things i got during the week,and ask god to help me with all the things i need to accomplish the next week. also i ask for my son and my family. then when the mass is over i go visit the virgin an say a prayer to her.let my son touch her an then i go home. :blessyou:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top