Last weekend, in beginning this series of reflections on traditional Lenten practices, I talked about how prayer is the most important thing, for it is communication with God, and that the most important prayer in the life of a Catholic is the Mass.  The Mass is the source from which all graces comes to us, and it is the summit towards which we should direct all our actions.  During the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the Last Supper and Calvary is made present for us once again.  It is not simply a re-enactment of the Last Supper, but a participation in the Last Supper.  At the Last Supper, in when He took the bread and the cup of wine, Jesus was looking forward to His sacrifice on Calvary so that the bread and the wine became His Body and Blood.  At the Mass we are looking back at Calvary in our reception of Jesus’ Body and Blood.  This is why St. Paul wrote, “When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord.”  It is one and the same sacrifice -- on the Cross and in the Mass.

    Jesus promised to remain with us always, and He chose to do so in a very special way.  While receiving Holy Communion at Mass, we always reserve some in the tabernacle.  We do so in order for us to bring Holy Communion to the sick and dying, but also so that we can adore Jesus -- His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity -- throughout the week.  As St. Teresa of Calcutta put it, “When we look at the cross, we know how much Jesus loved us.  When we look at the tabernacle, we know how much Jesus loves us NOW!”

    One of the great blessings that we have had here in Resurrection Parish -- for going on 25 years -- is the Perpetual Adoration of Our Lord.  At the Holy Name site we have a perpetual adoration chapel where 24/7 we have people spending time is private prayer and adoration of our Savior before the Blessed Sacrament.  While such time surely deepens the adorer’s personal relationship with Christ Jesus, it is never just a “me and Jesus” attitude.  That time is offered for so many others -- the mothers and children at Good Counsel Homes, for the sick of the parish, for those struggling with other difficulties.  I have received so many cards from adorers stating that they offered their holy hour for me.  The Adoration Chapel is one of the most treasured resources in our parish.

    Recently, however, there have been some rumors going around that I am looking to close the Adoration Chapel.  Let me say this is the clearest possible way:  I DO NOT WANT TO CLOSE THE ADORATION CHAPEL!  Clear?  However, the Adoration Chapel needs help.  So many of the adorers have been quietly spending hours there for years, praying for the parish.  I cannot thank them enough.  However, like all of us, they have been getting older.  Some have died, or moved away, or are now too sick to come.  While we have gotten new adorers, we really need more.

    Since the Eucharist is the most important thing we have in the Church -- since the Eucharist is Jesus Himself -- the Church has rules governing Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration.  When Jesus is exposed in a monstrance, He may never be left unattended, even for the briefest time.  The Church says that there must always be at least two adorers attending our Eucharistic Lord.

    Sadly, we have been falling far short of this important, and required discipline.  The Eucharist is exposed in our Chapel for 166 hours each week (we repose the Blessed Sacrament before both the 5 PM Mass on Saturday and the 10 AM Mass on Sunday, and re-expose Him after Mass).  Only for 69 of those 166 hours do we have at least two adorers.  That means for most of the time we are violating the rules of the Church concerning Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  This cannot continue.  So, what can we do?

    My first choice is to get more adorers so that we can fill all the time slots.  I am going to ask some of our adorers to volunteer to visit some of the surrounding parishes to talk about the effect of Adoration has had in their lives, with the hope that we can recruit adorers from those parishes.  I have arranged for Fr. Victor P. Warkulwiz, M.S.S, a priest from the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament, an Order whose apostolate is the promotion of Eucharistic Adoration, come to speak at all our Masses the weekend of April 7 & 8.  But of course it is going to be up to all of you to step forward.  

I spend hours each week before the Lord in the Eucharist, and I know just how He transforms my life during that time.  It is when I return His love for me and draw spiritual strength and nourishment, and encouragement from that love.  I need that encounter with God’s love, so that I can love my neighbor.

If we cannot fill all our hours, then we are going to have make some difficult decisions regarding how we can continue to offer perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in our parish.  I do not want to make those changes, but we must follow the rules of the Church in regard to the Blessed Sacrament.  Not to do so would be a grave abuse of our Lord.

PLEASE consider committing an hour a week to as St. John Vianney described Adoration, “I look at Him and He looks at me.”  Keeping that hour with the Lord will be the best hour of your week.