What is Adoration? What do you do?

[erazo]

Not sure exactly what adoration is. Can someone please explain it in detail.

thanks

 

[PhilotheaZ]

When we go to adoration, we kneel (or sit) in the presence of Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament (the host was consecrated at a Mass), and spend time praying to Him, worshiping Him, **adoring **Him (thus the name “adoration”).

Some people spend their adoration time saying prayers of their choosing (Rosary, Divine Mercy chaplet, etc.). Some like to read from a Bible or spiritual book. Some like to just gaze at Jesus and love Him without words. Some people do a combination of these things. When you spend about an hour in adoration, it is called a “holy hour.” Some churches have the Blessed Sacrament exposed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and people take turns keeping Jesus company in prayer. This is called “perpetual adoration.”

The Host is displayed in a vessel called a “monstrance,” pictured below.

If your church does not regularly display Our Lord in the monstrance, you can do the same thing by going to a pew near the tabernacle and praying to Him there. (The tabernacle is the box, usually gold, where the Blessed Sacrament is kept after Masses so it is available to take to those who are sick.)
http://lasalette-shrine.org/Graphics/monstrance.jpg

 

[erazo]

So if I go to church (not during mass) sit and pray the rosary or novena…can I say that is my time of adoration? What if I just meditate on scripture?

Is there a time slated for adoration? Certain prayers I should pray? What about time limits?

thanks, I need all the help.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

So if I go to church (not during mass) sit and pray the rosary or novena…can I say that is my time of adoration? What if I just meditate on scripture?

Is there a time slated for adoration? Certain prayers I should pray? What about time limits?

thanks, I need all the help.

Yes, certainly you can do that. Remember that you are adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, so you would want to sit near the tabernacle so you can be mindful of His presence. Whatever prayers you pray or spiritual reading you do, do it with the awareness that Jesus is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

You can pray before the tabernacle whenever the church is open or unlocked. As for times the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in a monstrance, you would have to ask your priest or someone in your parish office when that is done. Some churches have it “perpetually” as described in my previous post. Some do it once a month, or weekly, or for an hour or so once a day. But the tabernacle is always there.

You pray any way you like. Say anything to Jesus that you would say if He was sitting right there with you. (He truly is!) If you are reading scripture, read it slowly, pause and listen to what Jesus is saying to your heart.

As for time limits, this is limited only by the amount of time you have available to spend. Some people like to make a holy hour once a day, or once a week. Remember, though, that as much as Jesus loves you to spend time with Him in adoration, He would not want you to neglect your other duties (e.g., your job, studies, family time, etc.).

 

[erazo]

Thank you, I understand it now. I appreciate your patience. God bless!

 

[GAHere]

So if I go to church (not during mass) sit and pray the rosary or novena…can I say that is my time of adoration? What if I just meditate on scripture?

Is there a time slated for adoration? Certain prayers I should pray? What about time limits?

thanks, I need all the help.

Adoration is an interesting devotion and concept, isn’t it? I remember my first exposure to it, looking around in the silence trying to figure out what was going on and such, so I do understand your questions.

Once you grasp that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist several Catholic practices and rituals make sense. We genuflect before the tabernacle upon entering the church because Jesus, the King, is present in that tabernacle. It is customary to bow in the king’s presence and so we do.

After mass, Jesus is still in the tabernacle, so if you want to be close to him, be by his side, for comfort or praise or worship or just to rest you can do so at any time (provided your church is open 24/7).

During official Eucharistic Adoration the Real Presence is exposed in the monstrance. Those are usually scheduled in hour segments, 24 hour segments, weekend segments or some parishes are blessed with perpetual adoration.

Your participation is the same with either method (closed in the tabernacle or exposed) because the bottom line is you are in the presence of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, so all reverence due to him is expected and required. There are no time limits imposed except practical ones by your particular parish. Even if Exposition is only for an hour, once he is returned to the tabernacle, you can still stay longer to continue your visit with him.

I suppose one can look at the tabernacle as Jesus in his room and us just outside the door, but in the Monstrance he comes out to be with us one on one, if that helps. One key difference with Exposition is that we are never to leave Jesus alone when he comes out to be with us, it would be rude, disrespectful and dishonorable, as he is our King and Savior. The scripture passage which comes to mind is Matthew 26:36-41.

For Jesus’ part, He desires that we come to him. He wants us to pass our burdens and troubles to him. He wants to walk beside us, even carry us, if need be. But it is up to us to accept that invitation and adoration is one way we do that.

We come to be with him. We can praise and honor Him in our silent prayers or songs. We can pray devotional prayers before him. We can speak to him in silence as a friend, brother, with words of our own choosing. Then we sit in total silence, emptying our minds of all other thoughts so that we may ‘hear’ His response. Meditating on scripture is a great practice before him, since he is the Word made flesh, and it is one of the ways he may choose to respond to your petitions.

For some, a sense of peace surrounds them, some are moved to tears, some are filled with joy, some ‘know’ what to do next as it is revealed to them in that session - without real words, without visions - they just ‘know’. Some walk away having felt nothing, but that’s ok, because the point of the practice is to physically, intellectually and spiritually acknowledge that God is still with us on this earth, in this moment, for anyone to come visit him at any time. The key is to return frequently. At some point you will ‘hear’ his message for you. It’s quite powerful in it’s simplicity.

 

[erazo]

Thank you…this is exactly what I need…I need Him to guide me through my troubles. I will make it a point to visit Him…so I can hear His words.

Thank you!