Jesus in the blessed sacrament vs in the tabernacle

[Rosarydevotion]

I find sitting in front of the blessed sacrament incredibly edifying. However, I’m wondering if sitting in church in front of a closed tabernacle is the same? Is it basically the same spiritually to sit in church with Jesus behind the tabernacle? Or is there special graces for those who specifically sit in adoration and gaze at the blessed sacrament?

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I find sitting in front of the blessed sacrament incredibly edifying. However, I’m wondering if sitting in church in front of a closed tabernacle is the same? Is it basically the same spiritually to sit in church with Jesus behind the tabernacle? Or is there special graces for those who specifically sit in adoration and gaze at the blessed sacrament?

On the objective plane there is no difference. And in either case the graces received would depend on the disposition of the person offering adoration. However, if exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is available, one usually has to make a special effort to attend. Because of the added difficulty in coming at special hours, one might expect Our Lord to send more graces. But again that would depend on ones disposition. I think that is about all one can say.

Pax
Linus2nd

 

[Brandon_Cal]

Does one receive fewer graces for attending an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy that employs the use of the iconostasis compared to a Roman Rite Mass, during which the Host is visible to the laity for the entirety of it? Did Roman Rite Catholics receive fewer graces during Mass when rood screens were utilized compared to now? I’d imagine as an analogy the same could be said for adoration inside a monstrance versus inside a tabernacle.

 

[TimothyH]

There is more intimacy when adoring Jesus exposed rather than in the tabernacle. No one wants to talk to their lover through a locked door when they can be in the same room and physically see each other.

Many pastors would argue that perpetual adoration is one of the first things that should be established in any parish able to support it as it has a definite positive effect on the spiritual health of the parish, success of ministries, increase in vocations, etc.

-Tim-

 

[Rosarydevotion]

Thanks for the responses.

Timothy, this makes sense to me as I hear many vocations begin in adoration. There is something very special about it. And as I’m discerning a vocation myself I find myself attracted to orders that have daily adoration as part of their horarium.

 

[zab]

There is more intimacy when adoring Jesus exposed rather than in the tabernacle. No one wants to talk to their lover through a locked door when they can be in the same room and physically see each other.

Many pastors would argue that perpetual adoration is one of the first things that should be established in any parish able to support it as it has a definite positive effect on the spiritual health of the parish, success of ministries, increase in vocations, etc.

-Tim-

That depends. I don’t think it is the tabernacle that keeps Jesus from having an intimate relationship with anyone. Consider this: There are some who are present before our Eucharistic Lord exposed in the monstrance and there minds are wandering all over the place. And they make little if any effort to bring their focus back to Jesus, speaking to Him in their heart and asking for his advice on this or that. Then you have another person attending their hour with Jesus, who is locked in the tabernacle and he/she is truly focused on the Presence of the Lord in Eucharistic Form turning to Him for all of their concerns. Who is having a more intimate relationship with Jesus? But for our human condition and the need or desire to satisfy our senses, we do have some greater sense of feeling and awe when Jesus is Exposed.

 

[Faith1960]

That depends. I don’t think it is the tabernacle that keeps Jesus from having an intimate relationship with anyone. Consider this: There are some who are present nhj before our Eucharistic Lord exposed in the monstrance and there minds are wandering all over the place. And they make little if any effort to bring their focus back to Jesus, speaking to Him in their heart and asking for his advice on this or that. Then you have another person attending their hour with Jesus, who is locked in the tabernacle and he/she is truly focused on the Presence of the Lord in Eucharistic Form turning to Him for all of their concerns. Who is having a more intimate relationship with Jesus? But for our human condition and the need or desire to satisfy our senses, we do have some greater sense of feeling and awe when Jesus is Exposed.

I agree.and I do both. I like Adoration but my favorite place to pray is a nearby monastary, in front of white candles and the tabernacle.

 

[JakeWI]

I absolutely love to go to the Perpetual Adoration Chapel at our Parish. I have stopped there after work when having tough days to just pray and relax with God. I dedicate an hour a week there to spend with the Lord. It is really quite a peaceful and wonderful feeling to be able to do this, and I feel so blessed that this Parish I “stumbled upon” (by recommendation of my Uncle who doesn’t even go there… as I was in search of a Parish and he mentioned it) a little over two years ago ended up being exactly what I have been looking for in a Parish. Almost like God was guiding me there. So blessed, so blessed.

I have prayed in front of a Tabernacle at a Parish I once in a while go to confession at (they have a chapel it is located in). While it is peaceful, there is something more “personal” feeling in front of a Monstrance, at least in my own opinion…

 

[TimothyH]

That depends. I don’t think it is the tabernacle that keeps Jesus from having an intimate relationship with anyone. Consider this: There are some who are present before our Eucharistic Lord exposed in the monstrance and there minds are wandering all over the place. And they make little if any effort to bring their focus back to Jesus, speaking to Him in their heart and asking for his advice on this or that. Then you have another person attending their hour with Jesus, who is locked in the tabernacle and he/she is truly focused on the Presence of the Lord in Eucharistic Form turning to Him for all of their concerns. Who is having a more intimate relationship with Jesus? But for our human condition and the need or desire to satisfy our senses, we do have some greater sense of feeling and awe when Jesus is Exposed.

Okay… all things being equal, it is more intimate to be with Jesus exposed then Jesus in the tabernacle.

Someone not properly disposed to communion can receive Jesus into their very body and not feel intimacy, but that doesn’t take away the fact that adoring Jesus received in communion is the most intimate.

1. Adore Jesus Received
2. Adore Jesus Exposed
3. Adore Jesus Reposed
4. Adore Jesus from afar

In general, all things being equal, everyone properly disposed, mind not wandering, properly focused, not having had too much coffee…

Having said that, I have the option of visiting Jesus in the perpetual adoration chapel or the tabernacle in the Church after I drop my daughter off at school and I choose the tabernacle in the church very practical reasons. The adoration chapel is sometimes full and I have had people think I was the next hour’s committed adorer and just get up and leave when I entered leaving me stuck and late for work. So yeah… it does depend on the person and circumstances.

-Tim-

 

[PJM]

=Rosarydevotion;12637449]I find sitting in front of the blessed sacrament incredibly edifying. However, I’m wondering if sitting in church in front of a closed tabernacle is the same? Is it basically the same spiritually to sit in church with Jesus behind the tabernacle? Or is there special graces for those who specifically sit in adoration and gaze at the blessed sacrament?

Same Christ; Same Divine Presence:thumbsup:

God’s CONTINUED Blessings my friend,

Patrick

 

[Monica4316]

I think Adoration is special but we can still and should visit Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle… He is there too and often alone and forgotten! ‘The Prisoner of Love’ as He is called / referred to Himself

 

[Aran_Houlihan]

I fined who the blessed sacrament is exposed I find it more easiest to pay as you can focus on the and just reflect about Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament that is in the center of our hearts. It also helps me and maybe others that god has allows the visible miracles of the Eucharist to occur during the holy sacrifice of the mass during the consecration. Many such Eucharistic Miracles have occurred in various parts of the world and throughout the two millennia of Christian history and have been authenticated by the Church.

 

[commenter]

I think each person needs to answer for themselves, in terms of the effect on their own prayer life.

As someone who has kept an assigned hour at an adoration chapel, I can understand the preference for prayer with Jesus exposed in the monstrance. But I have mixed feelings about the growth of “adoration chapels”, once found only in convents but now in some parishes. In itself this is a good trend. It’s good to see, say, 20 people sign in for adoration during the day. But I remember a time when every Catholic church clearly was understood to house the Blessed Sacrament. Several hundred people on a weekend would come into church, most of whom would pray briefly before and after Mass, and the others would at least recognize Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament - not exposed, but still there.

In most parishes today that’s been lost. Before and after Mass people are talking loudly, oblivious to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. To make matters even worse, my former parish built a new, expanded Adoration chapel, then moved the Blessed Sacrament completely out of the Church, so it (or He) was ONLY in the Adoration Chapel. The end result was that a tiny percentage of people - the elderly, mainly - would pray often before the Blessed Sacrament, and the great majority, never; it became an “option” within the parish, an elective, where years ago it was a universal for Catholics. Young people growing up in that kind of parish would likely never consider prayer before the Blessed Sacrament part of normal spiritual life.

 

[fred_conty]

I think each person needs to answer for themselves, in terms of the effect on their own prayer life.

As someone who has kept an assigned hour at an adoration chapel, I can understand the preference for prayer with Jesus exposed in the monstrance. But I have mixed feelings about the growth of “adoration chapels”, once found only in convents but now in some parishes. In itself this is a good trend. It’s good to see, say, 20 people sign in for adoration during the day. But I remember a time when every Catholic church clearly was understood to house the Blessed Sacrament. Several hundred people on a weekend would come into church, most of whom would pray briefly before and after Mass, and the others would at least recognize Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament - not exposed, but still there.

In most parishes today that’s been lost. Before and after Mass people are talking loudly, oblivious to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. To make matters even worse, my former parish built a new, expanded Adoration chapel, then moved the Blessed Sacrament completely out of the Church, so it (or He) was ONLY in the Adoration Chapel. The end result was that a tiny percentage of people - the elderly, mainly - would pray often before the Blessed Sacrament, and the great majority, never; it became an “option” within the parish, an elective, where years ago it was a universal for Catholics. Young people growing up in that kind of parish would likely never consider prayer before the Blessed Sacrament part of normal spiritual life.

You bring back wonderful memories!!!