Some Key Principles for HOW to Spend Time with Our Eucharistic Jesus

School of Prayer

SESSION THREE – Eucharistic Adoration:

Some Key principles for HOW to spend time with our Eucharistic Jesus

St. Mary’s, October 29, 2015

1) Understanding the Purpose of Eucharistic Adoration

-The END dictates the HOW: In order to know how to do something, you begin with the Purpose of a given activity...

- So what is the purpose of Eucharistic Adoration? If I know the purpose, I will then be in a position to know how to best spend time.

-Eucharistic Adoration ought to be understood as an extension of the Eucharistic Presence from Holy Mass.

***The Purpose of Eucharistic Adoration: Loving Jesus by acknowledging His Real Presence in spending time with Him in the Eucharist.

2) How to spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist?

-Overriding criteria for WHAT TO DO when in Jesus’ Presence in the Eucharist: Whatever we do, acknowledging Jesus who is HERE & NOW, being SENSITIVE to His REAL PRESENCE!

-Analogy of husband who takes his wife out to dinner. The Problem? He’s “doing” to the EXCLUSION of “being present”. The Lesson: ***Being Present to your Loved One means being receptive to the Gift of His/Her Presence.

Q&A

-What’s the role of activities such as reading Scripture, spiritual reading, saying devotionals and other vocal prayers, reciting the Rosary, journaling, etc? If these good, prayerful activities are done in such a way that they help me to be more attentive to Our Eucharistic Lord: they are good and appropriate means. If these activities – at any moment distract me, are a detriment to being receptive to the gift of Jesus’ Real Presence – then I need to re-think what I do and how I spend time before Our Eucharistic Lord.

A Practical Look @ how to spend time in Eucharistic Adoration

-2 forms of Eucharistic Adoration: 1) Adoring Jesus “hidden” in the tabernacle. 2) Adoring Jesus exposed for us to see (Eucharistic exposition).

3) HOW to be attentive to Jesus’ Presence in the Eucharist

3.1) Begin with INPUT: Why? Avoid distraction by allowing your mind to become recollected. What? Vocal prayer works well. St Teresa of Avila often used the "Our Father" to set the tone for prayer time.

3.2) Appropriate MEASURE of INPUT during Eucharistic Adoration: Reading/meditating on Scripture/spiritual book, saying devotionals and other vocal prayers during time. Advice based on St John of the Cross applied to Eucharistic Adoration: If I find myself distracted, have recourse to input. Otherwise, try to be receptive to the gift of Jesus’ Real Presence. Analogy: the role of seasoning on food compared to role of how much we read/say during prayer time. (Avoid “doing” to the EXCLUSION of “being present” to Jesus).

4) Suggestions for growing in Attentiveness to Eucharistic Presence

4.1) Growing in your knowledge of the Eucharistic Jesus: (Why? Can you have a relationship with someone you don’t know? The more you know about a Person, the better you’ll be able to relate to that Person and Love Him. Knowing more about the Eucharist will enable you to relate better with Jesus when you spend time with Him and remain less distracted) Being catechized in Eucharistic Theology through the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the encyclical on the Eucharist (ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA 2003) by John Paul II, etc.

4.2) Cultivate greater sensitivity to the Eucharistic Presence:

a) Practice Thanksgiving after receiving the Eucharist b) Genuflecting with intention c) Practice Reverent attitude, behavior at Mass (especially because Jesus is usually PRESENT in the tabernacle) d) Practice Spiritual Communions throughout the day.

***Homework for this week: Spend time in Eucharistic adoration implementing point #3 and practicing either 4.1 or 4.2.