Adoration

of the Holy Eucharist 

The Divinity of His Body and Blood was the Lord's precious possession of His human incarnation.  Certainly, this was not something he would hand over to His enemies to destroy.  Hence, prior to His death on the cross, it was His earnest desire (His last Will and Testament) to pass this precious possession onto those whom He loved and who believed in Him.  Thus His real (Divine) Body and Blood, our due inheritance, has been passed on to us through the institution of the Eucharist at the last supper, to be received by us only in a state of Holiness; while His human body, carrying the sins of the humanity, was handed over to His enemies for His suffering and death on the cross as a sacrifice. 

      St.Paul tell us: "In Him you also, who have heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and have believe in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our Inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephes. 1:13-14). 

      We are members of His Divine body (Faith body-The Church).  Before His crucifixion and death, it was important for Jesus, that He hand over His Divine body and blood to us, believers, and assume the sins of the world on His human body.  His enemies were not able to touch His divine body, as this has already been transubstantiated in the form of Bread and Wine and distributed to His heirs.  It was only the humanity of His weak human body that yielded to the tortures, and thereby suffered, while the Divine-in His body gave Him the strength to suffer.  "An Angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him" (Luke 22:43). 
 

      It was only Jesus' human body, carrying the sins of the humanity that was crucified! 

      The divinity of His body has been transubstantiated and safely handed over to those who want to receive it in holiness. 

      Thus, to us, Christians, tacit as it may be, the adoration of the Holy Eucharist is a given mandate by the very nature of our Faith.  We are adoring our Lord of the Eucharist, in true faith of His presence per His own Words. 
      Adoration is an opportunity for an intimate conversation with the most caring person, who has a personal love for us.  It is a private counseling session, with the wisest of all counselors; one with compassion, empathy, respect and understanding for us.  That too, with a deep knowledge of our inner turmoil. 

      It is also an opportunity on our part for the expression of an act of humility, by adoring the King of Kings - Christ the King.  It is a response to a call for us, as "true worshipers to worship the Father in Spirit and Truth" (John 4:23).  It is an opportunity for us, to respond to the invitation for "Unceasing Prayer" (1 Thes. 5:17). 
      It is the highest form of thanksgiving, to be able to spend an hour alone, by us, the recipients, in sheer admiration and awe with the Provider, to effectively thank Him for His Mercy and Love.  It is an opportunity to reciprocate the highest form of love offering, the offering of Ones own Body and Blood, to save us. 
      As we pretend to be busy, entangled in our worldly lives, He is telling us, "Though I do not owe it to you, I am giving you twenty-four new hours as a gift each day.  "Could you not watch one hour with me?" (Mark 14:37). 
      When we sit in the adoration chapel, tired and falling asleep, He caringly asks us "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?" (Mark 14:41).  When we think we are at the "end of the rope," He lovingly invites us to persevere, by saying, "By your perseverance you will secure your lives" (Luke 21:19). 

      When we feel unloved, uncared and hurt, we can hear him tell us, don't worry, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).  He is always reassuring us by saying, "Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?  Even should she forget, I will never forget you.  See upon the palms of my hand I have written your name" (Is. 49:15-16). 

      Adoration is an hour of heart to heart conversation with the Lord.  It is an hour to share our burdens with the Lord, for He says to us "For my yoke is easy and my burden is Light (Mt. 11:30).   

      When, in the anxieties of daily life, we are seeking alcohol or drugs to help us forget our problems, He tells us, "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day will catch us by surprise, like a trap, and hence to be vigilant at all times and pray that we have the strength to escape the tribulations (Luke 21:36). 

      Adoration is not only an opportunity to spend time in the real presence of our Lord, it is also an opportunity to be empowered and guided by Him.  When we are sad or in sorrow, He wants to share our sadness and our sorrow with us saying, "My soul is sorrow even to death, remain here and keep watch" (Mark 14:34).  When we lose our hope and ask ourselves who can help us?, He pleads to the Father for us by saying help them, "Abba Father, all things are possible for you" (Mark 14:36). 

      During Adoration, Jesus invites us to share our burdens saying, "Come to me all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28).  As we struggle with making the right decisions in our daily lives, we may find ourselves not always strong in those moments when our spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak to follow His Will.  At such moments, we are assured that he prays for us, that we may not undergo the test.  He promises to send us a helper, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen us, to teach us the way and the Truth, and to convict our conscience, when we do wrong!  When we do not understand the Scriptures and the Mysteries of our faith, in adoration if we ask Him for help, He will send the Holy Spirit to open our minds to understand the Scripture (Luke 24:45). 

     When we do not know what God's plan is with our lives, in adoration, He speaks to us by saying, "I have a plan for you, plans for your welfare" (Jer.29:11).  When we find it difficult to stand by the Truth, and as we spent time with Him in adoration, He reminds us His Words, "You remain in my Word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free" (John 32).  When we find ourselves in a faith crisis, He strengthens us and engages us to renew others in Spirit.  He tells us "I have prayed that your own faith may not fail, and once you have turned back you must strengthen your brothers" (22:32). 

      When we feel abandoned by everyone, and we start to wonder how much longer can we hold on to our faith?-in adoration, we can hear Jesus telling us, "Behold, I am with you always until the end of the age" (Mathew 28:20). 

      In the hour that we spend in Adoration with the Lord, He will give us Hope, in our despair, telling us that, "The favours of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent.  They are renewed each morning" (Lament. 3:22-23). 

      When we do not understand what is happening to us, when we are afraid and sacred, He will console us by saying, "Do not be afraid, For I am with you" (John 6:20). 

      When we are sad due to death and departure of our beloved ones, He offers us hope with His Words: "I am the resurrection and life, whoever believes in me even if he dies will live" (John 11:25). 

      When we question the meaning and purpose of our very existence: He says to us, remember, "It was not you who chose me but I who chose you." 

      When we consider ourselves self-righteous, He will quickly remind us "If I had not come and spoken to you (my commandments) you would have no sin: but as it is you have no excuse for your sin" (John 15:22). 

      When we are in doubt about His promises, He reassures us saying, "Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away" (Luke 21:33). 

      Looking at our misled youth of today, He tells us, "Weep not over my suffering but weep for you and your children" (Luke 23:28). 

      When we are very desperate and also in a faith crisis, asking, "Is there a God?  Are you real?  Are you the Messiah?  Are you there for me?"  He answers us by telling "I am the real bread.  I am the Gate, I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Way, the Truth and Life." 

      Above all, in desperation when we ask the question "God are you there?  Are you for real?"-Jesus in the Eucharist answers us by saying "I Am" (John 13:19)