At our parish we have a 24 hour Adoration Chapel, but it's not really 24 hours anymore, just not enough people to cover the hours. Attrition mostly, but also people don't like to commit to any certain time, they like to just stop by the Chapel for 10, 20 minutes, a half hour, whatever. And I understand that, it's a busy world we live in and everyone has stuff to do. But I'm here from 5-7 pm, and really not too many people show up during the supper hours. It's very quiet, just me and Him. It has been 1 hour, 30 min. and I'm still on my knees. I say this not for any gratification or show-offness, but to make a point. Sometimes people, myself included, would never in a million years sit during Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, but during their Chapel hour, will sit. Is He not the same God? For myself, I'm going to try to stay on my knees for however long I'm in the Chapel before the blessed Sacrament. It's good penance for me and our Lord knows I'm lazy when it comes to penance and sacrifice. I know not everyone is the same, bad knees, bad back, etc. This is just me talking and I feel the need to give God all the reverence that is due Him by me.
I made the 2 hours.
3 comments:
Bless you, kam, for your awareness of Who is present there, and why. Your post reminds me of the three hours I spent on my knees each night while in Medjugorje; suddenly I knew the truth. This is why I never use a kneeler at church; I always want to remind myself of that time in Yugoslavia, and the great blessing God gave to me.
That said, I must say that there are many forms of prayer. Adoration is certainly at the top and man must come to an awareness of his place before God, but the God in the adoration chapel is also the spirit of Jesus, and all He gave for us and taught us. And so at least at some times, there is a need for other forms of prayer in our relationship with Him.
While I deeply appreciate that He is always with me, still, there in the chapel I can see Him in the Host before me, and I need not only to adore Him, but converse with Him. Sometimes I feel so alone in my thoughts; I need Him there to respond in my heart, to awaken in me who I am and why I was created and what I am to do. And sometimes to explain to me my doubts.
In my hours in chapel each week, I do adore, but I also give thanks, I petition, and sometimes I just sit in His presence. I may read the writings of a saint or Scripture, and sometimes He explains things to me in ways I never saw before. Virtually every post I write on my blog was written with His help (and urging, I believe) there in the chapel, where He and I converse. And I learn.
Beautiful! Often times I like to remember that while we contemplate, love and adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament He gazes upon us with such immense love - thanks Kam for reminding us too of how to adore humbly.
I trust too you got my note granting permission of you to post anything from my blog at anytime as you wish.
Fr. Joseph
DNBA - thanks you much for your thoughtful comments. You always give me much to think about. H and I stopped using a kneeler about 6 years ago when we were in Jamaica on divine Mercy Sunday. Brother Michael had brought us down into Kingston to a 'whitey church' to celebrate that beautiful Sunday. I forget why he always knelt on the floor but I remember it struck us as the right thing to do for us. And so ever since that's been our bit of penance every time we bend our knees.
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