what to do at Adoration

[xAlisonx]

monica, i have a strong feeling that this idea of making a Holy Hour occurred to you because God is leading you into a deeper relationship with Himself. if you feel that this is what He is impressing upon your heart, then definitely do all that you can to follow through. i definitely want to start having a quiet time with Jesus each day before i start my morning by just spending an hour meditating on His Agony, offering up myself and my day to Him completely and then listening for His Voice to see what He might want to say to me, which i hope and pray will help to deepen my spiritual life and my love relationship with Him. i’m afraid that i don’t quite know how to go about this, either, but i do agree that it seems like an absolutely beautiful thing to go through. i’m afraid that i don’t have any advice to offer you, as i will be looking for resources that give suggestions on how to meditate on Jesus’ Passion as well, but if i find any good ones, i’d be more than happy to share them with you. i will also definitely be keeping you in my constant thoughts and prayers, that you are able to find what you need to start this Holy Hour, and that it brings you closer to the Lord. i will also pray that you soon find a spiritual director who can give you help and advice in the spiritual life.

i’m afraid that i can’t answer your question, as i’m looking for a lot of answers myself. i love reparation prayers as well, and i definitely think that you could offer your Adoration time not only for love of Jesus, but as reparation for sin and all the terrible ways that the Eucharist is dishonored that break my heart. i feel that doing the Holy Hour could be both a form of reparation and a form of meditation like the Rosary. i will look for some resources on the Holy Hour, however, and if i find any, i will definitely share them with you.

this was an absolutely beautiful thread, monica, that i definitely enjoyed being a part of. thank you so much for posting it. please know that i will be keeping you in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers. stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourself. God bless you!

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I did a holy hour today thx to your post. My printer didn’t work so I couldn’t copy St Gemmas system. But I will. I;ll remember all my family here on CAF. Thx for this and all the great advice/comments. God bless all.

 

[Monica4316]

I did a holy hour today thx to your post. My printer didn’t work so I couldn’t copy St Gemmas system. But I will. I;ll remember all my family here on CAF. Thx for this and all the great advice/comments. God bless all.

that’s great to hear!! I think that this devotion really pleases our Lord. I’m planning to do a Holy Hour tomorrow when I go to Adoration.

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

m o n i c a.
i think that this is a great idea—i find Eucharistic Adoration to be such a beautiful experience, and think that it would be a great topic to discuss.

i’m relatively new to Adoration, so i have a lot to learn, try out and experience as well. over the past year, i’ve gone to a few incredible worship nights where i’ve spent an hour and a half in peaceful Adoration, and all of my experiences with it have been absolutely amazing. i always am filled to overflowing with such an incredible sense of peace, love and strength, and even if i don’t hear Jesus’ Voice directly, i always experience His loving Presence in amazing, real ways, which is definitely good enough for me. i have had some absolutely mind-blowing experiences during Adoration, though. on may 18, 2008, during one of these worship nights, i was kneeling down before the altar with my head bowed, just caught up in loving Jesus, when i heard very clearly, deep within my heart: “I love you, alison.” it literally reduced me to tears. at the end of that night, i was so filled with the Spirit that i couldn’t stop smiling, and could barely walk. but the most incredible experience i’ve ever had with Adoration took place on august 21, 2008, during another worship night, when we heard from God very clearly. first He spoke through a woman, who told us that He had a message for all of the girls in the room. the message was simply that He thought each of us was beautiful, but it was still amazing to hear. the most incredible part of the night was when a woman walked up to the altar and told all of us that for the past half hour, she had literally seen Jesus walking around the room(!), touching every single person on the shoulder and looking at each person with so much Love that it warmed her heart. i have never forgotten that night, and doubt that i will ever experience anything nearly as amazing.

i am definitely deeply in love with Eucharistic Adoration. even though i don’t always hear from Jesus, just to spend time with Him and pour out my love is enough for me. just to experience that peace, that warmth, that feeling of intense safety and acceptance is enough for me. i always find myself strengthened and encouraged after Adoration, and if i’m in need of healing, i always receive it. i don’t remember the first time that i went to Adoration, but i do remember that over time, it’s become so precious and beautiful to me. just spending that time in such close intimacy with Jesus—i can think of nothing more amazing that we could ever experience here on earth. it’s very hard for me to silence my mind and to become still before God, but even if i don’t hear Jesus speak to me directly, i always feel His Love very close to me and experience so much hope and strength within me. it’s hard for me to concentrate as well, but just to enjoy His Presence is enough, and i wish that i had the opportunity to spend hours before Him. when i grow older, i plan to attend Adoration daily, for at least an hour each day. it is definitely God that drew you to return to Adoration, and i’m so glad beyond words, monica, that you’ve grown to enjoy it so much. i definitely know what you mean when you say that you believed in the Real Presence in your mind but not in your heart. that’s how it’s been for me believing that God loves me for so long, although i’m slowly but surely learning to believe in the deepest parts of my being that i am loved by God. i’m so glad that you’ve been able to experience the Real Presence for yourself, for it truly is incredible, and i can think of no other way to be so intimate with Jesus, and experience His Love so fully and beautifully. =)

thank you for your beautiful post Alison!! =) aw that is so amazing and encouraging to hear how the Lord has been showing you His love during Adoration. That is awesome!! =) praise God! I can relate to what you said, because often when I go to Adoration I can’t even bring myself to leave sometimes lol because I feel His love so strongly there. I’m sure this happens to me only because of His mercy and with these experiences He has encouraged me so much to love Him more. Now I want to love Him with all my heart. Adoration is such a gift. When I was a Protestant I always wanted to be close to God but didn’t know how, and this has been my answer!! I think the best thing that’s ever happened to me at Adoration is when I felt that Jesus is in me spiritually and it’s like He was embracing my heart. I can’t really describe it. It was so powerful and I couldn’t believe it’s possible to be so close to Him. But ever since then I’ve really wanted to receive the Eucharist cause that’s what actually happens when we take Communion. I can’t yet, but I really can’t wait.

When I go to Adoration I always try to be in the first row because since Jesus is physically present there, I think the closer we are to the Eucharist the closer we are to Him. And His graces flow from the Blessed Sacrament into our souls when we’re kneeling before Him. I’ve found that Adoration really helps to appreciate the Mass as well!!! Because if it’s so amazing just to be in His presence, how much greater it is to actually receive Him into your heart in Communion. wow

I’m so excited I’m planning to go to Adoration tomorrow =D

There have also been times when I didn’t really feel anything at all, but then I remembered something that St Therese said:

“I desire no sensible consolation in loving; provided Jesus feel my love that is enough for me. Oh! to love Him and to make Him loved…how sweet it is…”

=D

God bless you

 

[Monica4316]

I want to post something from St Ligouri’s book “Visits to the Blessed Sacrament”

which is available online btw!!
freewebs.com/wallmell/LiguoriVisits.htm

Our holy faith teaches us, and we are bound to believe, that in the consecrated Host, Jesus Christ is really present under the species of bread. But we must also understand that He is thus present on our altars as on a throne of love and mercy, to dispense graces, and there to show us the love which He bears us, by being pleased to dwell night and day hidden in the midst of us. It is well known that the Holy Church instituted the Festival of Corpus Christi with a solemn octave, and that she celebrates it with the many usual processions, and such frequent expositions of this Most Holy Sacrament, that men may thereby be moved gratefully to acknowledge and honor this loving presence and dwelling of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar, by their devotions, thanksgivings, and the tender affections of their souls. O God! how many insults and outrages has not this amiable Redeemer had, and has He not daily, to endure in this Sacrament on the part of those very men for whose love He remains upon their altars on earth! Of this He indeed complained to His dear servant Sister Margaret Alacoque, as the author of the Book of the Devotion to the Heart of Jesus relates. One day, as she was in prayer before the Most Holy Sacrament, Jesus showed her His Heart on a throne of flames, crowned with thorns, and surmounted by a cross, and thus addressed her: “Behold that Heart which has loved men so much, and which has spared Itself nothing; and has even gone so far as to consume Itself, thereby to show them Its love; but in return the greater part of men only show Me ingratitude, and this by the irreverences, tepidity, sacrileges, and contempt which they offer Me in this sacrament of Love; and that which I feel the most acutely is, that they are hearts consecrated to me.” Jesus then expressed His wish, that the first Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi should be dedicated as a particular festival in honor of His adorable Heart; and that on that day all souls who loved Him should endeavor, by their homage, and by the affections of their souls, to make amends for the insults which men have offered Him in this Sacrament of the Altar; and at the same time He promised abundant graces to all who should thus honour Him.

(to be continued)

 

[Monica4316]

We can thus understand what our Lord said of old by His prophet, that His delight is to be with the children of men; since He is unable to tear Himself from them, even when they abandon and despise Him. This also shows us how agreeable all those souls are to the Heart of Jesus who frequently visit Him, and remain in His company in the churches in which he is under the sacramental species. He desired St. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi to visit Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament thirty-three times a day; and this beloved Spouse of His faithfully obeyed Him, and in all her visits to the altar approached it as near as she possibly could, as we read in her life. But let all those devout souls who often go and spend their time with the Most Blessed Sacrament speak: let them tell us the gifts, the inspirations which they have received, the flames of love which are there enkindled in their souls, the paradise which they enjoy in the presence of this hidden God. The servant of God and great Sicilian missionary-father, Louis La Nusa, was, even in his youth and as a layman, so enamoured of Jesus Christ, that he seemed unable to tear himself from the presence of his beloved Lord; and such were the joys which he there experienced, that his director, having commanded him, in virtue of obedience, not to remain there for more than an hour; when that time had elapsed, he showed in obeying (says the author of his life), that in tearing himself from the bosom of Jesus Christ, he had to do himself just such violence as a child which has to detach itself from its mother’s breast in the very moment in which it is satiating itself with the utmost avidity; and when he had to do this, we are told that he remained standing with his eyes cast on the altar, making repeated inclinations, as if he knew not how to quit his Lord, whose presence was so sweet and gracious to him. St. Aloysius was also forbidden to remain in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament; and as he used to pass before it, finding himself drawn, so to say, by the sweet attractions of his Lord, and almost forced to remain there, he would, with the greatest effort, tear himself away, saying, with an excess of love: Depart from me, O Lord, depart! There it was also that St. Francis Xavier found refreshment in the midst of his many labors in India; for he employed his days in toiling for souls, and his nights in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament. St. John Francis Regis did the same thing: and sometimes finding the church closed, he endeavored to satisfy his longings by remaining on his knees outside the door, exposed to the rain and cold, that at least at a distance he might attend upon his Comforter concealed under the sacramental species. St. Francis of Assisi used to go and communicate all his labors and undertakings to Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament. But tender indeed was the devotion of St. Wenceslaus, duke of Bohemia, to the Most Holy Sacrament. This holy king was so enamoured of Jesus there present, that he not only gathered the wheat and grapes, and made the hosts and wine with his own hands, and then gave them to be used in the Holy Sacrifice, but moreover, he used, even during the winter, to go at night to visit the church in which the Blessed Sacrament was kept; and these visits enkindled in his beautiful soul such flames of Divine love, that their ardour imparted itself even to his body, and took from the snow on which he walked its wonted cold; for it is related, that the servant who accompanied him in there nightly excursions having to walk through the snow, suffered much from the cold. The holy king, on perceiving it, was moved to compassion, and commanded him to follow him, and only to step in his footmarks: he did so, and never afterwards felt the cold.

(to be continued)

 

[Monica4316]

In the visits you will read other examples of the tender affection with which souls inflamed with the love of God loved to dwell in the presence of the Most Holy Sacrament. But you will find that all the Saints were enamoured of this most sweet devotion; since, indeed, it is impossible to find on earth a more precious gem, or a treasure more worthy of all our love, than Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament. Certainly amongst all devotions, adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament holds the first place, is the most pleasing to God, and the most useful to ourselves. Be not then loth, devout soul, now to begin; and forsaking the conversations of men, dwell each day, from this time forward, for at least half or quarter of an hour, in some church, in the presence of Jesus Christ under the sacramental species. “Taste, and see how sweet is the Lord.” Only try this devotion, and by experience you will see the great benefit that you will derive from it. Be assured that the time you will thus spend with devotion before this Most Divine Sacrament, will be the most profitable to you in life, and the source of your greatest consolations in death and in eternity. You must also be aware, that in a quarter of an hour’s prayer spent in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, you will perhaps gain more than in all the other spiritual exercises of the day. It is true, that in every place God graciously hears the petitions of those who pray to Him, having promised to do so: “Ask, and you shall receive;” yet the disciple tells us that Jesus dispenses His graces in greater abundance to those who visit Him in the Most Holy Sacrament. Blessed Henry Suso used to also say, that Jesus Christ hears the prayers of the faithful more graciously in the Sacrament of the Altar than elsewhere. And where, indeed, did holy souls make their most beautiful resolutions, but prostrate before the Most Holy Sacrament? Who knows but that you also may one day, in the presence of a tabernacle, make the resolution to give yourself entirely to God? In this little book I feel myself bound, at least out of gratitude to my Jesus in the Holy Sacrament to declare, that through the means of this devotion of visiting the Most Blessed Sacrament, which I practiced, though with so much tepidity and in so imperfect an manner, I abandoned the world, in which, for my misfortune, I lived until I was six-and-twenty years of age. Fortunate indeed will you be if you can detach yourself from it at an earlier period, and give yourself without reserve to that Lord who has given Himself without reserve to you. I repeat it, that indeed you will be blessed, not only in eternity, but even in this life. Believe me, all is folly: feasts, theatres, parties, excursions, – these are the pleasures of this world, but pleasures which are filled with bitterness of gall and with sharp thorns. Believe me, who have experienced it, and now weep over it. Be also assured that Jesus Christ finds means to console a soul which remains with a recollected spirit before the Most Blessed Sacrament, far beyond what the world can do with all its feasts and pastimes. Oh, how sweet a joy it is, to remain with faith and tender devotion before an altar, and converse familiarly with Jesus Christ, who is there for the express purpose of listening to and graciously hearing those who pray to Him; to ask His pardon for the displeasures which we have caused Him; to represent our wants to Him, as a friend does to a friend in whom he places all his confidence; to ask Him for His graces, for His love, and for His kingdom; but above all, oh, what a heaven is it there to remain making acts of love towards that Lord who is on the very altar, praying to the Eternal Father for us, and is there burning with love for us; since indeed that love it is which detains Him there, thus hidden and unknown, and when He is even despised by ungrateful souls! But why should we say more? “Taste and see”

 

[Monica4316]

This is a great prayer to say at Adoration

Jesus appeared to one of the Saints… I’m sorry I can’t remember her name but He showed her two vessels, one was gold with her Communions, and the other silver holding all her Spiritual Communions. So it’s pretty much the next best thing

ACT FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNION.

My Jesus, I believe that Thou are truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Since I am unable to now to receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace Thee as being already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee; never permit me to be separated from Thee.

 

[Monica4316]

My Lord Jesus Christ, who for the love which Thou bearest to men, remainest night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, awaiting, calling, and welcoming all who come to visit Thee; I believe that Thou art present in the Sacrament of the Altar; I adore Thee from the abyss of my nothingness, and I thank Thee for all the graces which Thou hast bestowed upon me, and in particular for having given me Thyself in this Sacrament, for having given me Thy most holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit Thee in this church. I now salute Thy most loving Heart; and this for three ends: 1. in thanksgiving for this great gift; 2. to make amends to Thee for all the outrages which thou receivedst in this Sacrament from all Thine enemies; 3. I intend by this visit to adore Thee in all the places on earth in which Thou art present in this Sacrament, and which Thou are the least revered and the most abandoned. My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. I grieve for having hitherto so many times offended Thy infinite goodness. I purpose by Thy grace never more to offend Thee for the time to come; and now, miserable and unworthy though I be, I consecrate myself to Thee without reserve; I give Thee and renounce my entire will, my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. From henceforward do Thou dispose of me and of all that I have as Thou pleasest. All that I ask of Thee and desire is thy holy love, final perseverance, and the prefect accomplishment of Thy will. I recommend to Thee the souls in purgatory; but especially those who had the greatest devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to Thee all the poor sinners. In fine, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Thy most loving Heart; and I offer them, thus united, to Thy Eternal Father, and beseech Him in Thy Name to vouchsafe, for Thy love, to accept and grant them.

(St Liguori)

 

[Monica4316]

your Adoration experience sounds absolutely beautiful. at my church, it’s simply a group gathering, but of course it’s still a great experience. i’m so glad that you have the opportunity to enjoy Adoration so beautifully and so fully. i’m also so glad beyond words that God has been teaching you and reaching out to you in Love during your experiences. it’s so amazing to realize that God truly is present not only within us, but physically among us, in the pure beauty and Love of the Blessed Sacrament. i have also been taught by God during Adoration, to experience His Love and share it with others, and also to realize that i don’t always have to be serving Him and doing thngs with Him, but that it’s also okay to just rest with Him and soak in His Presence and let myself love Him, and allow Him to love me.

definitely that is very true!! it’s like the story about Martha and Mary. I’ve found that the more we just rest in His love the easier it gets to love our neighbour and even our enemies and to love God above all.

I’m so glad He’s been showing you that!

i can think of nothing more peaceful, nothing closer to Heaven, than experiencing the depth and beauty of that intense Love during Adoration.

indeed, the Eucharist is our Heaven on earth!! it’s soo amazing that Jesus would humble Himself so much to come to us in the Blessed Sacrament… because He hides His glory for our sake, and we only see bread. But He is definitely there and His Sacred Heart is so full of love for each of us. I believe that He is so happy when we come to visit Him in the Eucharist and we console His Heart in this way.

the Eucharist truly is alive, and i can’t believe that there are people who don’t believe this. i definitely plan to keep them all in my prayers, that they will soon experience the miracle and beauty of the Real Presence. even when i was a nondenominational evangelical Christian, something kept me believing in the Real Presence, and something drew me back to Catholicism to be able to appreciate it fully once more. i have no doubt that it was God who brought me back to the Truth completely.

I agree!! I was a non denom Protestant too and sometimes I really wondered if the Eucharist was true after all, even though everyone at church told me it’s not. But God has been so good to me to show the truth of the Real Presence later on. I can’t believe I’ve been missing this all those years!! Definitely it was God who brought us both back. I pray for my Protestant friends that they would discover this great gift too. I don’t understand why He showed me all this but not them, because IMO they are better Christians than I am… but maybe hopefully He will use me to help bring them to the Church as well. Even if it’s just through my prayers. I also ask our Blessed Mother to pray for them as well because she is so good at leading people to the Church of Her Son.

I see what you mean when you say the Eucharist is alive. Sadly there are people who still treat Him like a ‘dead object’ =( but I think it’s soo important to ask God for faith in this case, so that we would believe He is present there despite the appearance of bread. It is really our LIVING Lord present there, it is His same Body that He rose from the dead from!! And I think when we’re before the Eucharist we’re participating in the worship of Heaven because He is physically present there as well!! God is everywhere spiritually, but Christ’s Body is only in Heaven and in the Blessed Sacrament. IMO. I don’t know if this is official Church teaching. But the Church DOES teach that Jesus is physically present there

because Adoration is such an intensely personal experience, i don’t think that there’s one thing you need to do every time you go to Adoration. for me, it’s meaningful even if i don’t hear His Voice, simply resting in His Presence and letting His Love fill me to overflowing—and i have a feeling that’s what He wants me to experience, that it’s okay just to enjoy Him and let Him be close to me.

wow so true!! actually this really helps to hear that!!

so if you’d like to just rest with Jesus and allow Him to fill you with His Love, without having to strive to hear His Voice or to speak with Him, that’s perfectly fine. that’s what i do a lot of the time, and it’s extremely fulfilling, filling me with so much overflowing hope, strength and peace. there are also so many other ways to make Adoration meaningful. in my opinion, it all depends on what Jesus leads you to do, and what He impresses upon your heart. i also feel that it would be best if you bring a Rosary and Bible with you to Adoration each time, just in case He asks you to read and remember something, or to pray in a certain way. during my future Adorations, i definitely plan to do this, so that i can experience Jesus more fully by obeying Him completely.

thanks for the advice!! =) that’s great! I agree. I like the idea of bringing a Bible and Rosary. There have been times when I’ve been lead to pray for someone at Adoration or to pray the Divine Mercy chaplet for sinners.

 

[Monica4316]

you’re right that feelings don’t matter all that much, and the fact that you’ve been going through a lot of dark nights recently shows that God is definitely working in your life—through suffering—to sanctify your soul, bring you to holiness and draw you very close to Himself in Love. during the past, when God would withdraw from me and grow silent, i would completely fall apart—i have a feeling that He allowed me to fail so that i would rely completely on His grace and no longer on my own efforts.

that definitely makes a lot of sense!! Good insight! =) I’ll keep that in mind.

more recently, there have been times when i have felt His Presence extremely strongly in beautiful, intense ways, and other times when i’ve wondered why He abandoned me to suffer so deeply. i realize now that He is teaching me how to love Him without experiencing the consolation of His Presence, and i love Him so much for it.

I think that is probably the greatest type of love… sacrificial love… when we love Him with all our hearts even though we are not receiving consolations in return. It is a really great gift cause it means that God is teaching you how to love Him more than ever before. I’m so thankful that He has been giving me the grace to love Him because this is what I always pray for and what I want to accomplish in life; to learn to love Jesus with all my heart and others for His sake.

I think that love involves suffering and sacrifice, and that is what makes it beautiful. Jesus Himself suffered so much out of love for us.

i have grown so much more during these past couple of months since i’ve returned to Catholicism than i ever did when i was a nondenominational evangelical Christian.

AMEN!!! I could have written that lol!! the funny thing is that I actually thought in becoming Catholic I’d have to leave my relationship with God altogether and the only reason I obeyed is because I was so sure it’s His will. i felt like He wanted me to choose the Eucharist above my relationship with HIm lol!! But now I see so clearly that my relationship with Him in fact grew, and BECAUSE OF the Eucharist and everything else I’ve found in the Church. =)

a friend of mine recently told me a cool story… about a girl, and her dad gave her a plastic pearl necklace. She loved it soo much but then one day he asked for it back. And she couldn’t understand why he would ask her to return his present, and was so upset. But she did give it back. And in return, he gave her a real pearl necklace =)

that is how I view my conversion.

i’ve been given so many more crosses (what gifts and blessings crosses are, and what signs of God’s deep and incredible Love! ) and learned and grown so much more. i know that God drew me back to the Truth completely, and has been bringing me closer to Himself, and allowing me to suffer so deeply so that He can bring beauty and goodness from pain, and i completely trust that He is doing the same for you. even during our darkest nights, God never truly abandons us—He simply withdraws the consolation of His Presence so that we can learn to love Him and trust Him more purely without expecting anything in return, which is truly a sign of how deeply He loves and trusts us, and wants to bring us closer to Himself. even if you’re not absolutely perfect at ignoring your own feelings and submitting to His will, please know that you are far from alone in all that you go through, and that i am far from perfect as well. but God has been teaching me and helping me to grow and become stronger, and i know that He is doing the same for you in your own life, in His Own time and way. it will take time to learn how to completely submit to His Will, but please know that over the past year, i have grown so much and learned how to submit to Him much more completely and love Him much more passionately, so please give yourself time, and be sure not to grow disappointed or discouraged. God is incredibly patient with us—in the end, what He truly wants is our hearts and our love. everything else—obedience, trust, etc.—is a result of that love. so even though you’re not perfect at submitting to God’s will, know that i am not, either, but i am much further along than i am a year ago, which just shows how God is working in my life and in yours. please don’t give up—i know that you have the beauty and purity of heart, courage, strength, hope, devotion, commitment and bravery to persevere, and to truly become all that God wants, needs and calls you to be.

I can see that God is definitely working in your life sister. And I’m glad for that. God bless you =) I’m glad He’s been teaching you about suffering.

Did you know St Teresa of Avila appeared to one of her nuns after her death, and told her that the treasures she received in Heaven were not for her works but for her patience during trials.

God bless!!

 

[Monica4316]

i absolutely adore that beautiful quote by St. Therese—it’s so true! i definitely feel the same way. i love God more now that He’s begun to test me than i ever did when i was a month-old believer and all i experienced was His constant comfort and the Love of His Presence.

I find that we truly learn to love God when it is difficult to love Him when it costs us something.

i definitely know the feeling of spiritual dryness, only for me it’s a struggle to force myself to pray despite the lack of feeling involved. that’s something i have to work on, though i trust that God will help me. the fact that you force yourself to pray despite your occasional spiritual dryness truly shows how deeply you love God and how devoted you are to Him, and i just know that He is incredibly pleased with you for it.

it is REALLY difficult at times to keep on praying. I definitely see why you struggle with that. It’s just an act of the will, you force yourself to pray and offer all the ‘dryness’ you feel to God.

i love the way God tests us—it may be painful while it is going on, but in the end, it’s so true that all things work for the good of those who love Him. even the darkest, most painful nights will become glorious and beautiful in the end, completely transformed by His Love.

YES. =) I think that in Heaven we will praise God for our earthly trials. But souls in hell will curse Him for it =( that is so sad, but I think that suffering can either lead us to heaven or to hell. It sounds like you’re definitely approaching it in the right way though and I’m sure God is using it to sanctify you. Especially how you thank Him for trials, that is beautiful and I’m sure it pleases His Heart. I think He always smiles when we do this. I’ve decided recently to thank God for suffering as well as joy. What a defeat for the enemy that is!!! CS Lewis said, when a person looks around at a world from which God seems to have disappeared, asks why he has been abandoned, yet still obeys, the devil loses a big battle.

I want to recommend a website to you that helped me soo much with this. It’s quotes by St Padre Pio.
padrepiodevotions.org/index.asp?pagename=wordsoffaith

i don’t feel that you have a weak faith at all! the fact that you care so deeply about your sins (as i read in your other post), and that you force yourself to pray even through spiritual dryness, and that you persevere even through the dark nights of the soul that you experience, are testaments to your extremely strong faith, beautiful heart and soul and pure love for God! you definitely do not have a weak faith, monica—you are truly beautiful, and such a wonderful, inspiring person.

aw sister thank you for your kind words hugs I do really feel that my faith is so insignificant though. i think maybe that God is allowing this just to humble me. Cause I fall into pride very easily. But I thank God for helping me with everything and giving me more faith. It is definitely all by His grace.

 

[Monica4316]

i know exactly what you mean when you speak of feeling His Presence extremely powerfully. i have felt this as well, and it’s the most beautiful thing i’ve ever experienced. for a few months after the night that Jesus literally walked among us and touched us so powerfully, i sought experience more than i sought Jesus Himself, and found myself disappointed when nothing ‘exciting’ happened, i’m ashamed to say.

haha I’ve been there too!!! that’s a very common mistake we make at first. We get ‘attached’ to experiences. That’s maybe why God allows us to feel far from Him later and removes consolations. Cause then we start seeking after HIM.

thankfully, i’ve completely recovered from that shamefulness, and now i go to Adoration just to spend time with Jesus and love Him, and finally i’ve learned how to let Him love me in return, and just hold me. one of the prayers that i say every night during my few hours with Him is the Spiritual Communion prayer, and many times i have truly felt Him within me as well, and it’s just so beautiful.

=D I love that prayer too!!

i definitely don’t feel that you’re bragging in any way when you talk about staying at Adoration for many hours. if only my parents would allow me! but in a year and a half, i’ll be at St. Francis College (hopefully), and will be able to attend daily Adoration.

aw that is wonderful and I hope you’ll get to do this!!! =D I see what you mean about parents. My parents have been sort of skeptical about me going to Adoration a lot at first. But I tried talking to them about it and I think now it’s better. When I don’t go for a while I start really longing for it. But that is good too cause it increases love for God =)

i completely trust that God is helping you, and i’m so glad beyond words that He is helping you to experience Adoration so deeply and beautifully and powerfully, because monica, you definitely do deserve it.

i think that the way you are experiencing Adoration right now is not only perfectly fine, but absolutely beautiful, and i just know that Jesus loves so much to spend this time with you. i would definitely suggest a mixture of formulaic prayers, the Rosary, chaplets and your own prayers and intercession if you want to make Adoration especially powerful and meaningful. but again, definitely come prepared to go wherever Jesus leads you. whatever He impresses upon your heart, do it—He has so many loving plans for you that will lead you to experience His Love even more fully. the way that you are spending Adoration sounds perfect to me, especially when you simply spend time with Our Lord in a silence that can be even more profound and beautiful than mental or vocal prayer.

thank you for the advice!!! =)

and thanks so much for all your posts, you are a very encouraging person, and I’m truly touched by your sincere love for Our Lord.

love and prayers

monica

 

[Monica4316]

monica, i have a strong feeling that this idea of making a Holy Hour occurred to you because God is leading you into a deeper relationship with Himself. if you feel that this is what He is impressing upon your heart, then definitely do all that you can to follow through.

I agree. For a while now I’ve felt that God wants me to think more about His suffering on the Cross and to meditate on His Passion. Unfortunately often I feel that I don’t have the concentration for that. But I’ll try at Adoration, because it is a beautiful devotion and really helps us grow too.

i definitely want to start having a quiet time with Jesus each day before i start my morning by just spending an hour meditating on His Agony, offering up myself and my day to Him completely and then listening for His Voice to see what He might want to say to me, which i hope and pray will help to deepen my spiritual life and my love relationship with Him.

it definitely will!! I think it’s a great idea to offer your day to Him. Do you know the Morning Offering prayer? ewtn.com/Devotionals/prayers/morning2.htm it only takes a minute and it’s so good to say when you begin your day.

i’m afraid that i don’t quite know how to go about this, either, but i do agree that it seems like an absolutely beautiful thing to go through. i’m afraid that i don’t have any advice to offer you, as i will be looking for resources that give suggestions on how to meditate on Jesus’ Passion as well, but if i find any good ones, i’d be more than happy to share them with you. =) i will also definitely be keeping you in my constant thoughts and prayers, that you are able to find what you need to start this Holy Hour, and that it brings you closer to the Lord. i will also pray that you soon find a spiritual director who can give you help and advice in the spiritual life. =)

thank you so much!!! =) I will pray for you too and I’ll pray for you at Adoration tomorrow.

i’m afraid that i can’t answer your question, as i’m looking for a lot of answers myself. i love reparation prayers as well, and i definitely think that you could offer your Adoration time not only for love of Jesus, but as reparation for sin and all the terrible ways that the Eucharist is dishonored that break my heart.

reparation is really powerful. it breaks my heart too how the Eucharist is dishonoured =(

i feel that doing the Holy Hour could be both a form of reparation and a form of meditation like the Rosary. i will look for some resources on the Holy Hour, however, and if i find any, i will definitely share them with you.

hmm that is a good idea! =) and thanks!

this was an absolutely beautiful thread, monica, that i definitely enjoyed being a part of. thank you so much for posting it. please know that i will be keeping you in my constant thoughts and deepest prayers. stay strong, stay safe and take care of yourself. God bless you!

love,
in the peace and love of Christ,
alison

thank you and God bless you too dear sister!! =) thank you for posting! hugs