I’m currently in a Bible study with video lectures from Jeff Cavin where he talks about God’s deep love for us. He says when we have these thoughts of “I really need to pray more” or “I’ve gotta get back to adoration”- make no mistake about it… God is wooing us. He loves us more than we’ll ever know, and he woos us all the time.
Well, the other day, I happened to be on the side of town where our church is, and had a thought I would have earlier defined as “random”, but actually, I’m now aware it was a calling. I was being wooed to adoration. I pulled right into our church parking lot, let myself into the chapel, and I was able to adore for over an hour.
At this current stage of my life, I have 4 children ages 7 and under. My husband works totally bizarre shifts as a police officer, and because of the way his schedule changes, there is literally no way for me to sign up for an hour in our adoration chapel. The only reason I can ever attend adoration is because it is perpetually open at our church, and I can pop in any time, which is so convenient.
As I was praying in adoration, I was aware of the only other lady in the chapel. This was her hour- the hour in which it is her responsibility to make sure the host is not left alone. I realized that she is the reason why I was able to pop in on this day.
Post continues after this brief information about the Catholic Icing Monthly Membership
Monthly Liturgical Membership
Perpetual adoration is a ministry that is provided by each and every man and woman that signs up for a time slot to be in the chapel. There are 168 hours in 1 week, so it takes a lot of people to keep adoration perpetual, but it is a worthy ministry. If something goes wrong in my life, or I need to be with the Lord, or if I can even escape from my house to leave the chaos behind me and have a quiet hour in prayer at adoration, I owe a thank you to 168 men and women keeping that ministry available in my town morning, noon, and night. What devotion. What beauty. What a gift.
So thank you to adorers everywhere! You are working a worthwhile ministry that blesses Catholic everywhere, and it wouldn’t be possible without you!
*Updated to Say*… I have had many requests to reprint this article in bulletins and such for adorers, and I am happy if you can use it! Just be sure to site the source of the article as being from catholicicing.com. I don’t give permission for all of my articles to be republished in this way, but I’m making an exception for this one. Thanks for reading!
Adoration/Monstrance Crafts for Kids:
- Doily Monstrance Craft
- Pool Noodle Monstrance Craft
- Handprint Monstrance Craft
- Paper cut Monstrance Craft
ha! You’re husband’s a cop too??? If I would have known that while we were up in KC at the home school conference boy I would have loved to have talked to some more! (ex-cop here too) but that’s pretty darn ironic. Next time your in KC we’ll have to chat some more. Hard to find good home schooling catholic cop families…as you know. (this is Shannon from Wichita, I believe it was Friday afternoon/evening I met you- my sister mom and I were the Wichita trio- Mary was tall and prego- had a picture with you from her blog, “happily a house wife”. I think she put your photo up btw.
I just had a funny thought, do your kids know their ten codes yet? Have they figured any out yet? We talk in code sometimes mostly due to both of us being in the profession but now it’s because there are some things we dont want them to hear. The oldest is getting one up on us and trying to figure them out. When we were doing the alphabet my husband would use the phonetics from the job…haha funny to me.
Adoration is my calling. Thanks for posting this! It’s often unrecognized or unrealized…but those who go- know it’s power and beauty!
Love this, Lacy! Every time I’m in the small town my sister-in-law lives in (population: 600…I think), I’m always so envious of the fact that people can walk to their church any time they want, and it’s always open. Our church is in the middle of downtown, and we have some, um, questionable characters that drop in, so our church has to be locked up. We also don’t have a 24 hour adoration chapel, so I think it’s so nice when people DO have that around them. Loved the post!
You’re welcome! I’ve done perpetual adoration at our church for almost 3 years. What I want to say is how good my body feels as I exit the chapel. You know how after a good workout, you just feel good all over? That is the exact feeling I experience after my hour with Jesus. I feel refreshed, renewed and ready to tackle the day and any obstacles that satan may throw my way. With that said, the closer I get to God, the more I am aware of satan’s attacks, but the better prepared I am to handle them. What a blessing that our church has perpetual adoration.
God is great and I stand strong in Him!
Blessings,
Nancy
Dear Lacy-
This is such a beautiful article. Thank you so much! I love your website. I have 4 children as well – the eldest one just turned 5! We live in Ireland. We are praying at the moment to discern if it is God s will for us to homeschool. I am so worried about becoming overwhelmed with all the little ones. Thank you for your website. God bless.
Wow. This really blessed my heart today. I am not Catholic and I have never heard of this ministry, but I have always loved that Catholic churches are usually open most days. I have spent some beautiful times with my Lord in one such sacred atmosphere.
How lovely that the Lord is wooing you to times of intimacy and adoration. Tears prick at my eyes and hunger stirs in my own heart for such sweet communion with my Lord.
Bless you for sharing your heart and telling about this wonderful ministry. I would like to share this on my Facebook if that is okay with you.
Hugs,
Teresa
Sorry for the late reply but I’ve been away for several weeks on holiday.
Lacy, you are so right, that we are sometimes just “pulled” or “drawn” into a place of adoration. It can be anywhere — it our own parish, in some other church, on a mountain, in the home of a friend who has welcomed us. When we recognize this and “give in” to it we gain such spiritual enrichment. I recently stayed with a friend while traveling, and found her home to be a place where heaven met earth — much as Abraham experienced in this week’s OT reading from Gen. 18!
God Bless all who read this!