What do I do at adoration?

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Rutabaga said:
Thanks for all the tips everyone. With the help of your tips, I went to adoration feeling prepared and less anxious about messing up, which in turn allowed me to spend some quality time with the Lord. I enjoyed it so much that I stayed longer than I had originally planned. I can’t wait to go again!

I enjoyed reading about what others do at adoration so please don’t feel like you can’t post just because I’ve already went. I just wanted to take the time to thank and update those who have posted so far.

God Bless.
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That’s great!
 
Rutabaga said:
Hi all. I signed up for my first adoration for later this week. I’m really excited to go, but I realized this morning that I don’t know what to do when I get there. Do I just go to the alter and kneel in front of the Holy Eucharist the entire time? Or am I allowed to genuflect and then take a seat? Or a combination of both? Should I just do what the person before me is doing?
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The first rule of thumb when coming before the King is, if you are physically capable, to get on both knees and both your head deeply. This action is known as the Lesser Penance (metanoia mikra). This is the same gesture that is done whenever the Tabernacle door is opened. You also do this at holy Mass when the priest-man speaks in the First Person of Christ. Stay in that position and wait for the King to speak. Because of our fallen state normally you will not hear anything. Don’t go listening for it, but know that He is speaking. You are using your sense of hearing.

You are allowed to sit silently, but it is recommended that you continue to kneel comfortably gazing at the Eucharist. The purpose of this is use you sense of sight.

Sometimes you might notice a sweet odour. This is a grace and it is normal. Again, under normal circumstances you will not notice it, but the sweet odour of the Annointed One is there. Don’t go searching for it, just know that His Sweet Nard is there. This is your sense of smell and taste.

Begin to vocally pray. First, begin with formal prayers. I find reciting the parts of the holy Liturgy very effective (particularly the Confiteor, the Gloria, and the Credo). Even prayers formally external to the Liturgy but part of the approach to the Altar such as the Introibo is fantastic when kneeling before Him. The best prayers are those that directly address Jesus Christ Himself, and also His Mother. Properly speaking the Eucharist was Her Flesh until She gave the Perfect Yes to the Incarnation. She is always there. She is the Tabernacle. She is the Ciborium and the Chalice. When have sufficiently contemplated Mary and Jesus begin to beseech the many saints, and pray for the Faithfully Departed, especially for those Poor Souls whom have no-one to pray for them. They need prayers to ascend the Seven Storey Mountain and reach Carmel (The Garden of God, who is Mary). St. Joseph, the Most Chaste Spouse, holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Michael the Archangel, John the Baptists, and Father Abraham are all extremely pleasant saints to engage at Adortion of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

All-in-all remember that you are with the King of the Universe and there is a certain decorum that all kings, Jesus Christ included deserve. God does have expectations. I am compelled to re-iterate: Sometimes funny things happen. Spooky things even. Again, these things are not normally perceptible but there is a lot spiritually going on when in the presence of God. The rule of thumb is don’t go looking for them because the Devil is there too. He knows how to bait us with false assurances. Keep clear-headed and focused on Christ. Same the name of Jesus and Mary a lot in your prayers. The spot where the priest stands at the Altar, where he placed the Eucharist in the monstrance is called the Mar Tsaba (the Holy Sabbath). The commandment compels us to Keep the Sabbath (or in Latin languages to Stay or Stand at the Sabbath). It is our proximity that matters in this commandment. Performing adoration is an extension of exactly what goes on during the holy Liturgy. In the place between time and space, when you are at adoration you are back at the holy Mass. So, don’t forget to make your prayers plural as well as singular.

When all is said and done. If physically capable, perform a prostation. It is the greater penance (metanoia megale) which is called for when saying thank you to a king before leaving his immediate presence.

Have a blast! He is great.
 
Rutabaga said:
Hi all. I signed up for my first adoration for later this week. I’m really excited to go, but I realized this morning that I don’t know what to do when I get there. Do I just go to the alter and kneel in front of the Holy Eucharist the entire time? Or am I allowed to genuflect and then take a seat? Or a combination of both? Should I just do what the person before me is doing?
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We should always genuflect before the Eucharist. The rule is that we genuflect before the tabernacle because Christ is there. We bow before the altar when we cross it. When the Eucharist is not present, we can just walk right into the pews.

Adoration chapels usually have plenty of devotional prayer books to help you in your time of prayer. You can pray while sitting or kneeling. Kneeling is a greater sign of reverence. This will be a good time to learn how your posture becomes a part of your prayer. It’ll move you beyond just going through the movements of sitting, standing and kneeling because everyone else is doing it.
 
The last time I went to Adoration was at a perpetual chapel. Before entering, I silenced my cell phone, ensured I was dressed modestly, and I veiled also. I made sure I had my rosary and prayer book out of my handbag/purse before entering the chapel. They had holy water outside the chapel door to bless yourself too. The chapel also has in the back of the room for anyone who needs them & can be used while there: prayer books of various sizes, Catholic books, and rosaries.

Once there, I did genuflect and then knelt for a short time in silent prayer as kneeling for long periods of time hurts my knees. I then sat in the pew to silent pray and read for the rest of the hour. Before leaving, I genuflected, and quietly departed. The last few times I went was after a long stressful day at work and I felt at ease & relaxed after spending time in prayer & reading.
 
When I ,am in the present of my LORD, I kneel on both of my knees as I enter the church, then I kneel for awhile pray, than I sit in the pew and talk to my LORD. I some times stay thier for two hrs.As I leave I kneel on both of my knees, and bow before my LORD.
 
There is a downtown church that has Eucharistic Adoration daily until 5 PM, followed by Mass. Confessions are also heard between 4 and 5 PM. Believe me, only a middle aged sense of decorum peppered with a little arthritis prevents me from doing a couple of back flips and yelling, “Whoot! Whoot!” (apparently, the modern day version of “Hosanna!”)

I go to Adoration at least a couple of times a week after work, and stay for Mass. These are the times I can be assured of spending some time with Jesus and adore Him for His own sake, without interference from any one of a number of temporal demands.

I do the double genuflect, and go to my pew. I do my early evening Examen, ask His forgiveness for the venial junk sins that I manage to commit despite my efforts, and read vespers (silently) from the Liturgy of the Hours app I have on my phone. I might pray the rosary, or the chaplet of Divine Mercy. I entrust people who are dear to me to His guiding care, and pray for the Church Militant as well as the Church Suffering.

If circumstances seem to require it, I may go to confession and complete my penance before Mass. Also, if it has been a particularly stressful day, I tell Jesus all about it (silently, of course,) ask His advice and blessings, and ask Him to help me see the blessings in my life, the appreciation of which can sometimes elude me. I thank Him for His peace, His blessings, and His love, and ask Him to help me love Him more and more. I ask Him, at the end of my time, what He would have me do next. I try to listen for His voice in my heart.

By this time the priest has gone to the altar and is holding the monstrance, with which he makes the Sign of the Cross over all of us assembled. At this particular church it is a silent benediction, meaning we don’t sing Tantum Ergo, Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, or recite the Divine Praises. I’m considering making a couple of mp3s, and listening to them on my bluetooth (which wouldn’t disturb anyone else.) Mass starts a few minutes after this. I almost always stay for Mass, by the way, in fact, I can’t remember the last time I left right after Benediction, and the only reasons I leave after Mass is 1) the church closes after Mass, and 2) I have to get home and feed and let out the dog. Left to my own devices, and with the availability, I could easily see myself there for several hours.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and these times are the high point of my week. In very secular terms, I think of Adoration as happy hour with Jesus. And I feel downright cheated when something prevents me from getting there at least a couple of times during the week! I am deeply grateful that Adoration is available daily at this one particular church, which really is only a couple of miles out of my way on a fifty-mile round-trip commute. In fact, I feel downright spoiled!
 
I kneel and think about the traditional and scriptural stations of the cross. :bowdown: It helps me reflect on how blessed I am
 
I’m glad adoration went well. I usually do a rosary when I’m visiting Our Lord. It’s nice for me just to be quiet and listen, too.
 
odile53 said:
There is a downtown church that has Eucharistic Adoration daily until 5 PM, followed by Mass. Confessions are also heard between 4 and 5 PM. Believe me, only a middle aged sense of decorum peppered with a little arthritis prevents me from doing a couple of back flips and yelling, “Whoot! Whoot!” (apparently, the modern day version of “Hosanna!”)

I go to Adoration at least a couple of times a week after work, and stay for Mass. These are the times I can be assured of spending some time with Jesus and adore Him for His own sake, without interference from any one of a number of temporal demands.

I do the double genuflect, and go to my pew. I do my early evening Examen, ask His forgiveness for the venial junk sins that I manage to commit despite my efforts, and read vespers (silently) from the Liturgy of the Hours app I have on my phone. I might pray the rosary, or the chaplet of Divine Mercy. I entrust people who are dear to me to His guiding care, and pray for the Church Militant as well as the Church Suffering.

If circumstances seem to require it, I may go to confession and complete my penance before Mass. Also, if it has been a particularly stressful day, I tell Jesus all about it (silently, of course,) ask His advice and blessings, and ask Him to help me see the blessings in my life, the appreciation of which can sometimes elude me. I thank Him for His peace, His blessings, and His love, and ask Him to help me love Him more and more. I ask Him, at the end of my time, what He would have me do next. I try to listen for His voice in my heart.

By this time the priest has gone to the altar and is holding the monstrance, with which he makes the Sign of the Cross over all of us assembled. At this particular church it is a silent benediction, meaning we don’t sing Tantum Ergo, Holy God, We Praise Thy Name, or recite the Divine Praises. I’m considering making a couple of mp3s, and listening to them on my bluetooth (which wouldn’t disturb anyone else.) Mass starts a few minutes after this. I almost always stay for Mass, by the way, in fact, I can’t remember the last time I left right after Benediction, and the only reasons I leave after Mass is 1) the church closes after Mass, and 2) I have to get home and feed and let out the dog. Left to my own devices, and with the availability, I could easily see myself there for several hours.

I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and these times are the high point of my week. In very secular terms, I think of Adoration as happy hour with Jesus. And I feel downright cheated when something prevents me from getting there at least a couple of times during the week! I am deeply grateful that Adoration is available daily at this one particular church, which really is only a couple of miles out of my way on a fifty-mile round-trip commute. In fact, I feel downright spoiled!
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:thumbsup:Psalms, chapter 107 1“Give thanks to the LORD for he is good,
his mercy endures forever!”

remember us in your prayers
 
Adoration, a extension of the Holy Mass, affords us the opportunity to return that Love Our Lord has shown to us! A chance to stay an hour and pray with him, a chance to answer the task assigned to the Apostles." Could you not watch with me one hour?"
 
I remember a zen buddhist priest who followed me to Adoration. He loved it. Just his style - silence in the Face of the Highest. Do we need more?
 
janpeterotto said:
I remember a zen buddhist priest who followed me to Adoration. He loved it. Just his style - silence in the Face of the Highest. Do we need more?
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I can definitely see the similarities in outward form, though the interior experience could be a bit different and the theologies are quite different. Still, what a wonderful ecumenical moment!

Interesting to think of Adoration as a method for evangelizing Zen Buddhists. :cool:
 
I am blessed to belong to a parish with exposition at a Perpetual Adoration chapel.
I always make sure I bring along tissues because I never fail to cry.
I cry because of the nearness of Jesus.
I bring before him my many crosses and pray I am united with His suffering.
I am laid bare before Him and I never leave without feeling drained of human cares and woes yet filled with heavenly promises.

The very few times I was the only one left with Our Lord in exposition,I felt such privilege to hold watch with Him.
It is a sacred time.

May you find joy and happiness before His presence!
 
God bless you for your devotion! It’s the best hour of the week.

There’s a lot of great things about adoration. One thing, is that he is the very same Jesus – the same one – who walked the roads of Galilee. He’s there, all of him.

But the best thing is that, regardless of your state of mind and how distracted you might occasionally be, he is greater than you. The greater consumes and assimilates the lesser. While it is an extra bonus when you align yourself with the reality of his presence in devotion and prayer, a good adoration hour is not dependent on it. Every hour spent in the presence of the Son of Man is a good hour.
 
I usually start of by siting quietly, saying “hello” or “Oh God help me” - depending on the day 😃 Then I say a rosary or divine chaplet. Then I will relax and read something from the Bible or a spiritual book, try to get up close to the monstrance and tell Jesus my innermost prayer intentions and spend the rest of the time silently meditating and …just adoring.
 
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