Adoration

 Adoration

Day 2, June 2, 2021

    I have kept the same adoration hour for nearly four years now. 11pm on Wednesdays you will find me sharing an hour with Jesus in our parish's adoration chapel. It is one of my favorite places on the planet. I feel very connected to the Lord when I am in that space. 

    Incase you do not know what an adoration chapel is, please let me explain. Some parishes have small chapels that are called Perpetual Adoration Chapels. In these small chapels the body of Christ, in the form of a consecrated host, is exposed. The host is placed in a monstrance, which has a glass window to show the body of Christ. Members of the parish are encourage to spend at least an hour a week in the presence of Jesus. Each hour is attended, so Jesus is never alone. Different people spend their hours in different ways. And for me it has depended on the season in my life.  I have done Bible study, journaled, read books about Saints and other Christian content, I have closed my eyes and listened to music, in times of extreme joy or sadness I have spent that hour praying harder than I knew I could. And when my father died, and I had my adoration hour the night of his visitation, I slept. I slept more soundly than I had in over a week. I found my rest in the Lord, and it was amazing!

    I had been curious about the adoration chapel, and what one did while there. But I was not sure it was for me. Then we had a new priest come to our parish. He had spoken about how an adoration chapel had changed his life. How he had not planned on becoming a priest, and at first he was frustrated with the early hour he had been assigned while working in youth ministry at a parish. But he came to know Christ in a new way during is time in the chapel and the desire to follow a path to the priesthood soon came to him.  The way he spoke about his time in the chapel made me sure I needed to dedicate an hour of my time, of myself, to the chapel. 

    Is it always easy to drag my butt to the church on cold nights, or when the day has been hard? Heck no! But those are the times I need it the most. 

    In the constant struggle in my mind and heart of do I stay or do I go, the chapel is always there. That is unchanging. I am not even sure if I were to change parishes that I would want to give up my hour. 

    I am actually heading there as soon as I am done typing this. During this month of being still, that hour of dedicated time with Jesus is more important than ever. So, off I go! So very thankful it isn't snowing, or raining, or below zero outside. 

 

Blessings Always, 

Shaunnessy