{"id":2267,"date":"2017-09-20T19:39:32","date_gmt":"2017-09-20T23:39:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=2267"},"modified":"2017-09-20T19:39:32","modified_gmt":"2017-09-20T23:39:32","slug":"homily-why-are-we-here-for-adoration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/homily-why-are-we-here-for-adoration\/","title":{"rendered":"Homily – Why are We Here for Adoration?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Homily for September 2017 \u2013 Year of the Eucharist
\nJoshua 3:1-13<\/a>
\nPsalm 63:2, 3-4, 7-8, 8-9<\/a>
\n1 Corinthians 11:23-29<\/a>
\nMatthew 26:36-46<\/a><\/p>\n

In encouraging people to come, I have been saying that tonight would include Exposition.\u00a0 We have Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance on the altar.\u00a0 I said this hour would include scripture.\u00a0 We just listened to readings from scripture.\u00a0 We began with music and will have more.<\/p>\n

I have also been saying our holy hours would include a talk by me on the Eucharist and here it is.\u00a0 In one sense this might seem simple to do.\u00a0 In another, there is so much <\/em>to the Eucharist where does one begin.\u00a0 After all, as Bishop Matano said in his pastoral letter<\/a>, and can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church<\/a>, <\/em>the Code of Canon Law<\/em><\/a>, and the documents of the Second Vatican Council<\/a>, specifically Lumen Gentium<\/em><\/a>, \u00a0the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Catholic faith.<\/p>\n

In selecting a starting point I would like to look at the title I have given to tonight.\u00a0 On the front cover of the program you will see the title \u201cWhy Are We Here for Adoration?\u201d<\/p>\n

Why are we here?<\/p>\n

I suspect this might be the first time some of you have ever attended a holy hour with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.\u00a0 Maybe you are just curious.\u00a0 After all, we have our diocesan Year of the Eucharist going on and maybe you want to see what it is all about.<\/p>\n

If you are thinking this way, you might think we are having these holy hours because<\/em> of the Year of the Eucharist.\u00a0 While the timing is related, this is something I have been thinking about since I came last year.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been thinking about it for two reasons.\u00a0 First, a couple of parishioners have asked about having holy hours.\u00a0 They have experienced it before and desire it again.<\/p>\n

Secondly, my own experience with holy hours prior to coming here is somewhat extended.\u00a0 I want to share my experience with you to help you understand why holy hours are important to me.<\/p>\n

The last parish I was in had a long tradition of monthly holy hours and I was happy to keep the tradition going.\u00a0 The holy hours included readings, psalms, a reflection, and quiet time.<\/p>\n

Prior to that the other parishes I served in did not have holy hours but in seminary I attended a weekly holy hour but even that was not my first experience with holy hours.<\/p>\n

The parish I attended almost twenty years ago had a long tradition of monthly exposition ending with a communal holy hour.\u00a0 I was intrigued by the thought of sitting before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.\u00a0 I found the holy hours \u201cpacked with prayers.\u201d\u00a0 By packed, I mean they said prayers continuously for an hour and said them quickly.\u00a0 That was great for them<\/em> but it wasn\u2019t affecting me<\/em> the way I expected.<\/p>\n

I was seeking God for as our psalm response says, \u201cMy soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 There\u2019s also the words in our opening prayer that come from the writings of St. Augustine, \u201cour hearts are restless until they rest in you.\u201d<\/p>\n

I was looking for the presence of God in my life.\u00a0 We have many forms of prayer.\u00a0 After trying the communal holy hour, I tried some private time before the Blessed Sacrament where I could pray in a way that suited me.\u00a0 Quite honestly, I sat there expecting<\/em> to be \u201covercome with grace\u201d but nothing seemed to happen.<\/p>\n

When I went to seminary and found out there was the opportunity to go to a weekly hour, I found myself skeptical based on my prior experiences.\u00a0 The last fifteen minutes of the hour was Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours but the first 45 minutes was mostly quiet time.\u00a0 The first time or two I went, I continued expecting<\/em> to be \u201covercome.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t.\u00a0 I knew my soul was thirsting for God.\u00a0 Jesus was right there in the Blessed Sacrament.\u00a0 Why didn\u2019t something amazing happen?<\/p>\n

So, I went one more time.\u00a0 I say to God this was my last try.\u00a0 If nothing happened, I won\u2019t go again.\u00a0 I went not expecting<\/em> anything.\u00a0 That meant I relaxed and opened myself to God in a new way.\u00a0 I let God be God<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It ended up being the best prayer experience I had in months.\u00a0 I had always gone with my expectations<\/em> instead of just being open to God.<\/p>\n

We can find God in many different forms of prayers and devotion.\u00a0 That\u2019s why tonight includes readings from the Bible, music, \u00a0and a reflection.\u00a0 To give us different opportunities to let God in, to be aware of God\u2019s presence in his Word, in me as the preacher, in our music, and in the Eucharist present on the altar.<\/p>\n

Tonight is about being in the presence of God.<\/p>\n

We know God is present everywhere.\u00a0 We also know that sometimes it is very hard to be aware of his presence in the ordinary moments of our lives.\u00a0 This is nothing new. \u00a0This is why we have churches as places dedicated to the presence of God.<\/p>\n

As Moses led the Israelites through the desert for forty years, there were no \u201cchurches.\u201d\u00a0 For them, the central point of experiencing God\u2019s presence among them was the Ark of the Covenant.\u00a0 The Ark contained the two stone tablets with the Ten Commandments inscribed on them.\u00a0 The Commandments were the basis of the covenant between God and the Israelites. \u00a0The Ark was a very holy object symbolizing God\u2019s presence.<\/p>\n

The first reading I selected tonight symbolizes what the Ark of the Covenant meant to them.\u00a0 Moses has died and the Israelites are preparing to enter the Promised Land with Joshua as their leader.<\/p>\n

To enter they had to cross the Jordan River.\u00a0 That meant crossing the water.\u00a0 God gave Joshua very specific instructions how this would happen.\u00a0 Priests were to lead the way carrying the Ark of the Covenant.\u00a0 As soon as their feet touched the waters it ceased to flow, halting in a single heap.\u00a0 This signified God\u2019s presence and that he was the one who halted the waters.<\/p>\n

Over time, the Israelites fell away from the practice of their faith and the Ark of the Covenant was lost.\u00a0 Only God knows where it is today.<\/p>\n

The Ark is lost but we continue to feel, as we sang in our first song, \u201cOur foes press on from every side.\u201d\u00a0 Where do we turn to receive God\u2019s aid and strength?<\/p>\n

What did I say was the source and summit of our faith?<\/p>\n

What is before us in the monstrance on the altar?<\/p>\n

The Eucharist.<\/p>\n

It exists in the form of bread but it is not just bread.\u00a0 It is Jesus.<\/p>\n

How can this be?\u00a0 It looks like bread.\u00a0 It certainly doesn\u2019t look like a person.\u00a0 From our statues, our crucifixes, and paintings, we know Jesus was a human being like us.\u00a0 How could it be Jesus in the monstrance?<\/p>\n

Not all Christians believe it is Jesus.\u00a0 Those who don\u2019t think that Catholics have corrupted the faith.\u00a0 Those who are Christian but do NOT believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist often stress the importance of the Bible.\u00a0 They will tell you that you must read the Bible.<\/p>\n

They are right about the Bible.\u00a0 YOU MUST READ THE BIBLE.\u00a0 It is God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 It is what we call \u201cSalvation History,\u201d the story of how God has been present to his people.<\/p>\n

You have to read the Bible because it is in the Bible<\/em><\/strong> that we learn the bread and wine become the Body of Blood of Jesus.\u00a0 Our second reading this evening comes from Paul\u2019s first letter to the Corinthians where Paul tells them that the Eucharist is a tradition he received from Jesus.<\/p>\n

Jesus said, \u201cThis is my body\u2026This cup is the new covenant in my blood<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t refer to it as bread and wine.\u00a0 We don\u2019t know how it is changed but it is.<\/p>\n

As we will sing in a song later (\u201cTantum Ergo\u201d), \u201cFaith declares what none dare fathom; Faith reveals what none may see.\u201d\u00a0 We cannot fathom how the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus but we can believe from the Bible, not just here in Paul\u2019s letter but also in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as they recall what Jesus did at the Last Supper.\u00a0 There\u2019s also the Bread of Life discourse in John\u2019s Gospel identifies himself as the Bread of Life.<\/p>\n

Jesus also said, \u201cDo this in remembrance of me<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 We celebrate the Eucharist over and over because Jesus tells us to.\u00a0 Remember, it\u2019s in the Bible<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 We come to pray before the Eucharist tonight because Jesus tells us it is his Body.<\/p>\n

It is Jesus.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 It is the Lord for whom our souls thirst.\u00a0 It is Jesus who we are created for.\u00a0 We keep watch for this one hour with Jesus.<\/p>\n

Wow!\u00a0 It is a lot to reflect on.<\/p>\n

In a moment (but not yet) I will stop talking and allow for some quiet time.\u00a0 The quiet time is intentional for each of you to be able to pray in your own way.\u00a0 I could have added more that we would all do together but I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Honestly, this is partially because I am being selfish with the quiet time.\u00a0 By \u201cselfish\u201d I mean that I want the quiet time for myself.\u00a0 Yet, I also do it realizing that we each have a favorite way of praying.\u00a0 I plan to use the quiet time for myself to simply to try and be quiet to hear what God wants to say to me.<\/p>\n

You might choose to do the same or you can choose to read over the Bible readings we heard earlier.\u00a0 They are writing down for you in the program.\u00a0 You might choose to pray a rosary.\u00a0 You might choose to open up a hymnal to your favorite song and think about what the words mean for you.\u00a0 You might think about what the Eucharist means to you. It is your choice<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Then, at about quarter of, I will invite us to all stand for our intentions.\u00a0 Then, we will say the Lord\u2019s Prayer together followed by Benediction.\u00a0 The high point of that is when I will lift up the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and bless you, making the Sign of the Cross to which you make the Sign of the Cross as you would at Mass.<\/p>\n

We will end with a hymn and then everyone is invited downstairs for a light reception.\u00a0 At the reception I encourage you to share your experiences of tonight or the Eucharist in general and I will be there if you want to ask me questions.<\/p>\n

For now, we quietly pray on our own.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Homily for September 2017 \u2013 Year of the Eucharist Joshua 3:1-13 Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 7-8, 8-9 1 Corinthians 11:23-29 Matthew 26:36-46 In encouraging people to come, I have been saying that tonight would include Exposition.\u00a0 We have Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament in the Monstrance on the altar.\u00a0 I said this hour would include …<\/p>\n

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