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LITURGY AND MASS
Eucharistic Adoration
A special devotion and
means of spiritual growth and grace for us as in our name we
reverence the Blessed Sacrament.
Eucharistic Adoration Schedule at
Blessed Sacrament is held every Friday following the 8:30 a.m. Mass
through 8:45 p.m. (unless otherwise noted).
Nocturnal Adoration Society meets
at St. Mary's Catholic Church (310 South Royal Street, Old Town,
Virginia) every month from 9 p.m. on the first Friday to 6 a.m. on
the first Saturday. Blessed Sacrament Parishioners' assigned
hour varies each month. Please see the bulletin on the preceding
week for the assigned time.
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Eucharistic Adoration is an
expression of our love for Jesus, who loves us so much that He never
wants to leave us and so stays with us day and night in the Blessed
Sacrament. For He says: "Behold I am with you
always," because "I have loved you with an
everlasting love. And constant is my affection for you,"
(Mt 28:20; Jer 31:3).
Pope John Paul II, in the Evangelium
Vitae, (The Gospel of Life) states,
"Furthermore,
Christ's blood reveals to man that his greatness, and therefore his
vocation, consists in the sincere gift of self. Precisely because it
is poured out as the gift of life, the blood of Christ is no longer
a sign of death, of definitive separation from the brethren, but the
instrument of a communion which is richness of life for all. Whoever
in the Sacrament of the Eucharist drinks this blood and abides in
Jesus (cf. Jn 6:56) is drawn into the dynamism of his love and gift
of life, in order to bring to its fullness the original vocation of
love which belongs to everyone" (cf. Gen 1:27; 2:18-24).
Spend a Specific Hour Each Week
with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Jesus "waits for us in this
Sacrament of Love," where He appeals to each one of us:
"Could you not watch one hour with me?," (Mt. 6:40).
This hour that Jesus wants you to
spend with Him is spent any way you want to: reading the Holy
Bible; praying the Holy Rosary; with your favorite prayer book;
speaking to Jesus heart to Heart, as one does with a friend; you may
be so tired or troubled or worn out, that you may just want to sit,
and relax, and enjoy the sweet peace that comes from simply being
with the One who loves you the most, Jesus in the Most Blessed
Sacrament.
Eucharistic Thought:
Grace and Truth
"God taught the people of the
old covenant how to celebrate the ritual offered to him in atonement
for the sins of men. But you have come to Christ, the true high
priest. Through his blood he has made God turn to you in mercy and
has reconciled you with the Father. You must not think simply of
ordinary blood but you must learn to recognize instead the blood of
the Word. Listen to him as he tells you: This is my blood, which
will be shed for you for the forgiveness of sins." (Origen)
Perpetual
Adoration Prayer
Heavenly Father,
increase our faith in the Real Presence of Your Son Jesus Christ in
the Holy Eucharist. We are obliged to adore Him, to give Him
thanks and to make reparation for sins. We need your peace in
our hearts and among nations. We need conversion from our sins
and the mercy of Your forgiveness. May we attain this through
prayer and our union with the Eucharistic Lord. Please send
down the Holy Spirit upon all peoples to give them the love,
courage, strength and willingness to respond to the invitation to
Eucharistic Adoration. We beseech You to spread Perpetual
Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament in parishes around the
world. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. AMEN
Our Lady of the Most
Blessed Sacrament help us to spread the glory of Your Son through
Perpetual Adoration. (Corpus Christi Institute,
March 1986)
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