Spending an hour or more in the Adoration Chapel can be quite daunting. We know it is a good idea, beneficial and fruitful but we doubt that we have the right stuff to do it. Hey, I am just a regular person, how can I pray for a whole hour?
One of the things I did when I came home on break from the seminary was to visit my grandmother. My mom encouraged me to visit. I had no doubt that it was the right thing to do, but I was not so eager to do it. I rather have been playing ball. For the most part Grandma was confined to a chair. She did not have a TV. Without my mom there, I quickly ran out of things to say. I would look at the clock to see if I were there long enough. I loved my Grandmother, but it was challenging to visit and occupy the time. I fretted about my meager time home and thought of other things I could be doing. Now looking back, I am so glad that I had that time with my grandmother. I may not have fully appreciated it at the time and went more out of duty, but I am so glad I had that time with her. I still remember her words of advice to me. I am the better for it.
So, it may feel with the adoration chapel. You know it is the right thing, but we run out of things to say and do during the hour. We check our watches to see if we put in enough time. Hopefully as with my visit with my grandmother, you will learn to appreciate and value the experience.
To help you spend time with Jesus, I put together some practices. They may be of some help. How you use it is up to you. Do not be surprised if you experience dry and restless moments. Just the desire to be with the Lord honors Him. He will bless you for it. No prayer is ever wasted.
Please call the Parish Office at (352) 245-2458 for further information or to sign up for a regular weekly time slot.
Father Tom Connery
“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the Sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us”. St. Alphonsus Liguori
