Adoration

It is Sunday again, and I watched the Mass on YouTube participating as much as I am able from my living room. However, it is obviously not the same. I miss my Parish - the people, the clergy, the place itself and above all the Blessed Sacrament.

This afternoon, I went for Adoration. Of course, I could not enter the Church. I parked in the parking lot facing the church door - and beyond it the Tabernacle. I prayed the Evening Prayers from the Magnificat and just soaked in the presence of Jesus.

There is a misunderstanding among some that the Blessed Sacrament must be exposed in a Monstrance for Adoration. This may be due in part to the availability of perpetual adoration in so many churches now days. Perpetual adoration is a wonderful practice, but sometimes we forget that we can also adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament while he is hidden in the Tabernacle. In times passed, church doors were left unlocked around the clock and anyone could just drop in and visit and pray.

Unfortunately, in our present culture we are not able to leave the doors of churches open without the fear of theft or vandalism. Even the Perpetual Adoration Chapels are locked up tight and you have to have the key code to visit Jesus. And now, in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak, the churches and chapels are all locked up tight and never opened - we don't know for how long.

But Jesus is still there. The Blessed Sacrament is still there. I felt that while sitting in the parking lot parked cross wiles across the parking spaces so that I could face the Church. Although I could not see the Tabernacle or the Sanctuary Lamp, I knew Jesus was there. I got the image that the Church building itself was a bigger Tabernacle enclosing the Tabernacle enclosing the Sacrament. I hope to continue to visit at least once a week while the shut down lasts.