“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (Jn 6:54)

“In that little host is the solution to all the problems of the world.” (St. Pope John Paul II)

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: HEAVEN ON EARTH

Fr. Raymond T. Gawronski, S.J.

The Eucharist is a real, ongoing presence, not just a moment of communion, but an ongoing being with, and abiding, the eternal reality of the Incarnation, present “in every tabernacle of the world until the end of time,” as the prayer puts it. In our day, eucharistic adoration has become an ever more popular way to be in the presence of Jesus, to adore Him: a way to be in heaven while on earth.

The greatest peace, calm and joy comes from being in the presence of the “Bridegroom of our souls.” No one, certainly nothing else on this earth, will ultimately satisfy our deepest longings. In all creation, in all the beautiful things and people He has made, we see something of Him.

In the Eucharist, we seeHim. Not as we shall see Him when we leave this world, not as He wants to be known by us in eternity, but in the form in which He has chosen to come to us on our earthly journey. Someday, when this present darkness ends and God is “all in all,” we shall see His beloved face, and we shall be embraced by and love the One Who made us out of love, redeemed us, gave himself to darkest death for us.

For now, we gaze up at Him as our food encircled by light. The Eucharist we adore is the window to heaven, the true Body of Our Lord. He, and none other: here, if anywhere. “Oh come let us adore Him.”

HOLY COMMUNION PRAYER OF ST. PADRE PIO

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will. Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company. Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I wish it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love. Stay with me, Lord,Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes, death, judgement, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches. I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile! Stay with me tonight, Jesus in life with all its dangers, I need You. Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread, so that Eucharistic Communion be the light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love. Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but, the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You! Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for. Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more. With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen.

“Good friends find pleasure in one another's company. Let us know pleasure in the company of our best Friend, a Friend who can do everything for us, a friend who loves us beyond measure. Here in the Blessed Sacrament we can talk to him straight from the heart.” (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

“How would Christ solve modern problems if He were on earth today? For those of my faith there is only one answer. Christ is on earth today; alive on a thousand altars.” (G.K. Chesterton)

Most Precious Blood of Jesus—Feast, July 1

Daily, in breathless awe, we see the bread, the wine, Assume under this mystic veil a Majesty Divine! Most Precious Blood, Thou fount of life, our lowly homage take, Accept our prayers, our sighs, our tears for sinless Mary’s sake! Mother Immaculate! To thee our eyes we fondly raise! Grant us thine aid, and join us in our prayer of love and praise. In marble hall, on rocky path, at last on Calvary’s Hill, See, drop by drop, the Precious Blood, shed at the Saviour’s will! While pitiless, unloving eyes are raised to see Him die, “I thirst!” it rings around the world! The dying Saviour’s cry! The midnight hour, mysterious beneath the starry pall, Within the cloister we adore, by rapture held in thrall! Sweet Sacrament! Within the place where hallowed memories cling, Lives lost in Thee! Pure souls, free hearts, their loving tribute bring! (Sisters of the Precious Blood)

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Patron of World Youth Days, Italy (1901-1925)—Feast, July 4

“During a Corpus Christi procession when he was four years old, everyone was throwing flowers into the street to honor the Blessed Sacrament, so Pier Giorgio reached into his relative’s pocket and threw the golden pen into the street exclaiming, ‘This is for you, Jesus!’ From a very young age, he had a simple, beautiful devotion to God. (A. Hamilton)

St. Isabel, Wife, Mother, Patroness of 3^rdorder Franciscans, Queen of Portugal (1271-1336)—Feast, July 4

St. Isabel’s fervent devotion to the Blessed Sacrament led her to study the lives of Eucharistic saints, particularly St. Clare. Following the death of her husband, St. Isabel spent her life in a convent, praying in Eucharistic Adoration.

St. Maria Goretti, Martyr, Patroness of Youth and Children of Mary, Italy (1890-1902)—Feast, July 6

“Maria, may your love for this sacrament instill in me that same strong desire to receive the Holy Eucharist as frequently as possible.Never allow me to take this sacrament for granted.Pray that I might always strive to properly prepare myself for this sacrament, so that my heart will be ready to receive Jesus.Help me to understand that from a love of the Eucharist, I can expect to find the strength to overcome daily temptations, obtain refreshment and peace from my troubles and confidence in His presence at the time of my death.” (Novena to St. Maria Goretti)

St. Benedict, Priest, Benedictine founder, Ptn of Europe & kidney disease, Italy (c.480-547)—Feast, July 11 The blessed medal of St. Benedict is a powerful means of protection.The medal has power over evil: storms, poisons, pestilence, the devil, etc. St. Benedict died at the chapel at Montecassino while standing with his arms raised to heaven, and supported by the brethren, shortly after receiving Holy Communion.St. Benedict, pray for us that we may take refuge in Jesus Eucharistic and the cross of Christ!

St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Consecrated Virgin, Ptn of Native Americans, N. America(1656-1680)—Feast, July 14

St. Kateri, “the princess of the Eucharist,” rose before dawn, walked to the chapel, and spent as much time as possible in Eucharistic Adoration, even in the severe cold of winter. Fed by His love, she cared for the poor and sick.

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel—Feast, July 16: Wear the Scapular! Pray the Rosary! Honor Our Lady!

Act of Consecration:O Mary, Queen and Mother of Carmel, I come today to consecrate myself to you, for my whole life is but a small return for the many graces and blessings that have come from God to me through your hands. Since you look with special kindness on those who wear your Scapular, I implore you to strengthen my weakness with your power, to enlighten the darkness of my mind with your wisdom, and to increase in me Faith, Hope and Charity that I may repay each day my debt of humble homage to you. May your Scapular bring me your special protection in my daily struggle to be faithful to your Divine Son and to you.May it separate me from all that is sinful in life and remind me constantly of my duty to imitate your virtues.From now on, I shall strive to live in God’s Presence, and offer all to Jesus through you. Dearest Mother, support me by your never-failing love and lead me to paradise through the merits of Christ and your own intercession.Amen.

Sts. Joachim & Anne, Parents of the Bl. Virgin Mary, Patrons of parents & grandparents—Feast, July 26 Sts. Anne & Joachim, pray for us, to love Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest, Founder of Jesuits, Spain (1491-1556)—Feast, July 31

“To withdraw from creatures and repose with Jesus in the Tabernacle is my delight; there I can hide myself and seek rest. There I find a life which I cannot describe, a joy which I cannot make others comprehend, a peace such as is found only under the hospitable roof of our best Friend.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest, Apostle of the Eucharist, France (1811-1868)—Feast, Aug. 2

“The great evil of our time is that people do not go to Jesus Christ as to their very Saviour and God. They abandon the only foundation, the only law, the only grace of salvation... What is to be done then? We must return to the fountain of life, and not just to the historical Jesus nor to the Jesus glorified in heaven, but rather to Jesus in the Eucharist. It is necessary to bring him out from the shadows so that he can once again take his place at the head of Christian society.”

St. John Vianney, Cure of Ars, Patron of Priests, France (1786-1859)—Feast, Aug. 4

“Our Lord is hidden there in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting for us to come and visit Him, and make our requests to Him.” (St. John Vianney)

The Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast, Aug. 6

“Adore Me here as much as you can … I have brought you here to school you in adoration, to fill you with those graces that I have held for so long in My Heart for you and for no other. Seek Me out. Remain before My Face. Stay close to My wounded Heart in the Sacrament of My love, and I will do for you what I, and no one else, can do. Trust Me.” (In Sine Jesus: When Heart Speaks to Heart: The Journal of a Priest at Prayer, A Benedictine Monk)

St. Teresa Benedicta,Doctor of the Church, Carmelite Nun, Martyr, Germany (1891-1942)—Feast, Aug. 9

“The Lord is present in the tabernacle in his divinity and in his humanity. He is not present for his own sake but for ours: it is his delight to be with the ‘children of men.’ He knows, too, that, being what we are, we need his personal nearness. In consequence, every thoughtful and sensitive person will feel attracted and will be there as often and as long as possible. And the practice of the Church, which has instituted perpetual adoration, is just as clear.”

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Patron of Deacons, Cooks, and the Poor, Rome (d. 258)—Feast, Aug. 10

St. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of Rome, responsible for providing for the poor. He was martyred under the persecution of Valerian. According to a tradition, St. Lawrence saved the Holy Grail (the chalice used by Jesus at the last supper) and sent it to his parents in Aragon, Spain. This chalice was said to be used by St. Lawrence when he distributed the Precious Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.

St. Clare of Assisi, Nun, Ptn of Communications, Eyes, & Embroidery, Italy (1193-1253)—Feast, Aug. 11

“I come, O Lord, unto Thy sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul. As I hope in Thee, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Thy holy mountain. Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to Thee, that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Thy majesty; that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thine infinite love; that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries here renewed every day, and that the sacrifice of my whole being may accompany Thine.” (St. Clare of Assisi, Foundress of the Poor Clares)

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest, Martyr, Poland, (1894-1941)—Feast, Aug. 14

“Let us not forget to visit . . . Jesus. Let us tell Him we love Him. We might ask Him what He wants of us, what are His wishes. Sometimes we might ask Jesus something for ourselves and something for others. One can speak to Jesus as brother to brother, as friend to friend, more so, since it often happens that men do not understand us, whereas Jesus understands each of us always.” (St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe)

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (1 Cor 2:9)—Solemnity, August 15

“Help us, through all sadness, to hold to what is good,-/Until, assumed into heaven, with thee and thy Son adored,

We, too may feel the rapture......that is Christ the Lord!” (“Our Lady’s Assumption,” Carolyn R. Doran)

St. Pius X, Pope of the Blessed Sacrament, Italy (1835-1914)—Feast, Aug. 21

“Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament is the devotion which surpasses all others.” (Pope St. Pius X)

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast, August 22:

“We all exist only for the glory of our Lord. So it is no dishonor to have passed by the hands of Mary to serve Jesus more directly, to come from Nazareth to the Cenacle, or better, to honor Mary as Mother and Queen of the Eucharistic Cenacle.^” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

St. Rose of Lima, First Saint and Patroness of the Americas (1586-1617)—Feast, Aug. 23

St. Rose spent hours in Eucharistic Adoration during 40 hours, without any food or drink. Her great love was Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and she started Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in her village.

St. Bartholomew(Nathanael)the Apostle, Martyr (d. 71)—Feast, Aug. 24 Bertrand, a paralyzed and mute 12 year old, was brought to the Church of St. Bartholomew in La Rochelle, France, in 1461. When he received Holy Communion, he was miraculously and completely healed by the Real Presence of Jesus!

St. Monica, Wife, Mother, North Africa, (332-387), Feast, Aug. 27 St. Monica prayed unceasingly for her son, St. Augustine’s, conversion. She attended daily Mass and visited the Blessed Sacrament twice daily. After many years, her prayers were answered!

St. Augustine, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, N. Africa, (354-430)—Feast, Aug. 28

“It is our duty to adore the Blessed Sacrament. No one receives the Blessed Sacrament unless he adores it...and not only do we not sin by adoring, we do sin by not adoring.” (St. Augustine)

St. Teresa of Calcutta, Rel. founder, Ptn of the Gutters & World Youth Day, Albania (1910-1997)—Sept. 5:

Words of Wisdom from St. Mother Teresa: “Eucharistic Adoration helps to bring everlasting peace to earth.” “What will convert America and save the world? My answer is prayer. What we need is for every parish to come before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in Holy Hours of prayer.” “My TV is the tabernacle.”

Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Sept. 8:

“Another woman is now given thee in place of the first, a prudent and humble Eve instead of the proud and foolish one, an Eve who shall offer thee, not the tree of death but the Bread of Life, and who shall yield thee, not the poisoned fruit of bitterness but the delicious fruit of immortality. Change thou, therefore, the wicked words of self-excuse into the voice of praise and thanksgiving, and say to the Lord, ‘The woman whom Thou gavest me, gave me of the tree of life and I did eat; and it has become in my mouth sweeter than honey, because in it Thou hast given me life.’ Behold here the purpose for which the Angel was sent from God to the Virgin. O Virgin, worthy of all admiration, deserving of all honour! O most wonderful of women and venerable over all”(St. Bernard).

The Most Holy Name of Mary: “Blessed be her most holy name!”—Feast, September 12:

“Keep seeking Jesus in the Eucharist, and you will live with Him as the Most Holy Virgin did in Nazareth.” (St. Teresa of the Andes)

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross—September 14

“Above all else, I rejoice in the Lord that you may often find yourself plunged and immersed in the Sacred Passion of Jesus and in the great furnace of His Eucharistic Presence, that here you may drink torrents of burning love and be adorned with the treasures of divine grace and virtue.” (St. Paul of the Cross)

Our Lady of Sorrows: “Behold your Mother!” (Jn 19:27)—Feast, September 15

Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows, pray for Priests, your special sons. Strengthen their faith and love of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, so that they may turn to Him for the grace they need to live a life faithful to their calling. Bring comfort, consolation and courage to those who are suffering under the weight of the Cross. Give them the love of your Son and zeal for the honor and glory of God, and the salvation of souls.Amen.

St. Vincent De Paul, Priest, Servant, France (1581-1660)—Feast, September 27 Benedict XVI spoke of Saints “who from the Eucharist drew the strength for active and not infrequently heroic charity.… St. Vincent de Paul ... used to affirm: ‘What joy to serve the person of Christ in His poor limbs!’”

Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Saints—Feast, Sept. 29

St. John Chrysostom wrote:“When Mass is being celebrated, the Sanctuary is filled with countless Angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar.” These Heavenly messengers constantly intercede for us as they behold the face of God, in unceasing Adoration.

St. Michael,“Who is like God,” is the great defender of the Holy Eucharist and Our Lady, and the champion of the faithful in their battle with the powers of evil (Rev 12:7-8).This prince of all the heavenly armies of angels is the safeguard of Christians and protector of the Catholic Church. At the request of Pope Leo XIII, the prayer to St. Michael was said after all the Masses. St. Michael the Archangel is the patron of the police, the military, the sick and the dying.

St. Gabriel,“strength of God,” announced the time of the coming of the Messiah, according to the prophet Daniel. Gabriel, the Angel of the Incarnation, proclaimed the good news that Mary would be the Mother of Jesus, the first tabernacle (Lk 1:26-35), and prayed the “Hail Mary.”Archangel Gabriel, angel of consolation and mercy, is the patron of communication workers.

St. Raphael,“medicine of God,” cured Tobit’s eyes (Tob 3:17),protected Tobias in his travels, and led him to Sarah for marriage.Raphael said: “Praise God and give thanks to him in the presence of all the living for what he has done for you” (Tob 12:6).Archangel Raphael, angel of love and joy, is the patron of physicians, travelers and young people discerning vocations.

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