He Is Really Here! Come, Let Us Adore!

The late Father John A. Hardon, S.J. was a promoter of Eucharistic Adoration and founded The Real Presence Association, from where the following text is lifted.

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. In the many Churches that have this adoration, the Eucharist is displayed in a special holder called a monstrance, and people come to pray and worship Jesus continually throughout the day and often the night. Christ’s great love for us was shown when he was crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and give us eternal life. He loves us without limit, and offers Himself to us in the Holy sacrament of the Eucharist. Can we not give Jesus a few minutes of love and adoration in return?

If there is one mystery of our Faith that is being widely challenged today it is the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Pope John Paul II was deeply concerned about this weakening of belief in the cardinal truth of Catholic Christianity.

There is now Eucharistic Exposition and Adoration at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome during every weekday of the year. One of the hopes of John Paul II was that Eucharistic Adoration outside of the Mass be promoted throughout the world.

In his own language, the Pope identified the Eucharist as the Presence Sacrament. Christ is on earth. He wants to perform miracles of His grace, especially miracles of conversion in what is becoming a Christ-less age. The key to tapping the resources of His grace is our deep faith in Christ's living presence among us in the Blessed Sacrament.

It is hoped Bishops, priests, religious, and laity to open nothing less than a renaissance of adoring love of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Things to do:

1. Commit to one hour of Eucharist Adoration once a week.

2. Attend a forty-hour devotion organized by the local parish.

3. Bring your children to Holy Hour.

4. Organize a Children's Holy Hour.

(Source: Father Hardon's The Real Presence Association and image of the Child Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament courtesy of The Cukierski Family Apostolate)