The following is excerpted from an article in last month’s issue of “Columbia” by Archbishop Lori:
“St John Paul II once wrote: “The Church and the world have great need for eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go and meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.” (cf Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1380)
Once we have welcomed the eucharistic Lord into the depths of our hearts, nothing remains the same. Christianity becomes not a sideline but a way of life. What we say and do, the choices we make, the way we treat others – most especially the poor and the troubled- all are shaped by our repeated encounters with the Lord. United deeply to Christ our life, we commit ourselves to the Church’s mission of spreading the Gospel. We see the Church not merely as an institution but as the Body of Christ, of which we are living members. We want everyone to know Jesus and to welcome him into their hearts. We want the Church to be strong and unified so that others may believe.
Who knows what graces will be ours as we unite in prayer before Jesus in the Eucharist? How many hearts will be touched with the truth and beauty of the Gospel? How many vocations to the priesthood and religious life will be fostered? How many sinners will be converted? How many sins atoned for? How many bodies and souls healed of physical and spiritual infirmities? How many lukewarm Christians converted into ardent followers of Christ? ”
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will continue throughout the summer months on Mondays from 2pm – 6:45pm.
There will also be a special 12 hour prayer vigil before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for the release of Josh and Caitlin Boyle, prisoners of the Taliban in Afghanistan for four years. The vigil runs from 7pm on Saturday July 8th to 7am on Sunday July 9th.