The Power of Eucharistic Adoration

“Look to Him and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed” (Ps. 34:5)

During my Bible College experience at Divine Retreat Centre I have felt most blessed and privileged to be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament adored and exposed in several locations throughout the campus. I may have taken for granted His Presence filling my day and comforting my soul in the night. Over the holiday break I visited Orissa and there interviewed a sister who had lived through the horror of the 2008 Kandhamal persecution. Her testimony enabled me to gain a new appreciation for the power of intercession and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Sr. Mary P. of the Daughters of Charity narrated her story of being in their girls school when the destruction broke out. She, with 11 sisters, 35 girls and 3 priests took refuge in the hostel as the safest place to escape attack; at the same time they set up the Blessed Sacrament in one of the rooms for adoration/intercession. As they heard the nearby structures explode they continued to pray for deliverance before the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus throughout the night into the next day. The 3 priests decided to escape into hiding in the forest to protect the sisters and girls; meanwhile the vigil continued with the day and time scheduled for the destruction of the school and church given via telephone warning. Although the government forces were supposed to reach them before that time they could not advance through the tremendous road blocks put up by the opposition.

I lift my eyes to the hills–from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Ps. 121, 1-2)

All in all no one protected nor saved them but the Lord Himself as they clung to Him in vigil. Even though every sign of Christianity (churches, homes, etc.) had been destroyed in their town in Raika not a hair of their heads had been touched nor a brick of the Church, convent or school destroyed.

Because you have made the Lord your refuge, the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. (Ps. 91,9-10)

In fact, their whole complex was then used as a refugee camp where the sisters were able to show the love of God through their comforting presence to all the homeless, persecuted Christians. This story touched me very much; our Lord is a mighty God but one who chooses to remain hidden, simple and poor in the bread of the Eucharist.

It is most important that we understand the gift of Eucharist and how powerful it is when we truly pray and worship His Real Presence. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand…” (Jn. 4:22, N.A.B.). It is clear here that Jesus expects us to worship with intelligence and full understanding. Our year of study of His Word helps us to worship in this way.

Most of us are familiar with the Bible verses which refer to the Blessed Sacrament and hear them repeated in daily Mass. The Church’s teachings bring light and depth to our understanding of the mystery of Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. the other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. CCC 1324
…by this sacrifice he pours out the graces of salvation on his Body which is the Church. CCC 1407

In brief, the Eucharist is the sum and summary of our faith…CCC 1327

In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained. This presence is called ‘real’–by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be ‘real’ too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present. CCC 1211

When we come before the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel being adored we must recollect ourselves to know that Jesus it truly present there, as explained in the above passages. A Presence which cost him his life.

Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us “to the end,” even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love. CCC 1380

When we come before Jesus in his Eucharistic Presence to adore, love, spend time and thank Him we are affirming to Him that ‘yes’ we do believe what he said when he changed the bread into his body; we prove our deep faith by kneeling and bowing before the Eucharist.

St. John Chrysostom declares: It is not man that causes the things offered to become the Body and Blood of Christ, but he who was crucified for us, Christ himself. The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God’s. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered. CCC 1375

John Paul the II had a deep love for the Eucharist and devotion to this gift, the height and summit of our whole faith. He encouraged devotion to Eucharistic Adoration.

The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offense and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.

Simply spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is conducive to developing intimacy with Him. Are not intimate friends always happy to share quiet time together? Jesus calls his disciples to “be with Him” (Mk. 3:14) and so the serious disciple of Christ will expose mind and heart to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament–often!

When we come before Jesus in the Sacrament to intercede, worship and adore remember that story from Sr. Mary who actually witnessed her whole mission saved during their Adoration vigil. Believe that, besides the personal blessing, your prayer before Our Eucharistic Lord is also helping someone somewhere in the world in a similar struggle against evil.
Let our adoration never cease! JPII