The Eucharist

1374. "The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the EUCHARIST above all the sacraments as 'the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.'[St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 73, 3c.] In the most blessed sacrament of the EUCHARIST 'the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.'[Council of Trent (1551): DS 1651.] 'This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present.'[Paul VI, MF 39.]"

1384. "The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the EUCHARIST: 'Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.'[Jn 6:53 .]"

1403. "At the Last Supper the Lord himself directed his disciples' attention toward the fulfillment of the Passover in the kingdom of God: 'I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.'[Mt 26:29 ; cf. Lk 22:18 ; Mk 14 25 .] Whenever the Church celebrates the EUCHARIST she remembers this promise and turns her gaze 'to him who is to come.' In her prayer she calls for his coming: 'Maranatha!' 'Come, Lord Jesus!'[Rev 1:4; Rev 22 20; 1 Cor 16 22 .] 'May your grace come and this world pass away!'[Didache 10, 6: SCh 248,180.]"

1404. "The Church knows that the Lord comes even now in his EUCHARIST and that he is there in our midst. However, his presence is veiled. Therefore we celebrate the EUCHARIST 'awaiting the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ,'[Roman Missal 126, embolism after the Our Father: expectantes beatam spem et adventum Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi; cf. Titus 2:13 .] asking 'to share in your glory when every tear will be wiped away. On that day we shall see you, our God, as you are. We shall become like you and praise you for ever through Christ our Lord.'[EP III 116: prayer for the dead.]"

(Excerpts from Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 English translation)
 

Adoration

1378. "Worship of the EUCHARIST. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. 'The Catholic Church has always offered and still offers to the sacrament of the EUCHARIST the cult of adoration, not only during Mass, but also outside of it, reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession.'[Paul VI, MF 56.]"

1379. "The tabernacle was first intended for the reservation of the EUCHARIST in a worthy place so that it could be brought to the sick and those absent outside of Mass. As faith in the real presence of Christ in his EUCHARIST deepened, the Church became conscious of the meaning of silent adoration of the Lord present under the Eucharistic species. It is for this reason that the tabernacle should be located in an especially worthy place in the church and should be constructed in such a way that it emphasizes and manifests the truth of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament."

(Excerpts from Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 English translation)
 
 

What is the Eucharist?

The Eucharist is nothing less than Jesus’ complete and Personal gift of
Himself to us — Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity — under the appearances
of bread and wine in the consecrated Host. He hides His immense glory,
beauty and dignity in the Blessed Sacrament because He wants us to come to Him
in faith that we may love Him for Himself.

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 his first encyclical letter, Redemptor Hominis,
says that Eucharistic adoration is the most fundamental duty in the life of
the Christian and that liturgical celebration of the Eucharist and private
worship of the Eucharist complement each other.  He states: “Our
communal worship at Mass must go together with our personal worship of Jesus in
Eucharist adoration in order that our love may be complete.”

What is Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is simply our response to Jesus’ love
for us, whereby each of us is willing to spend a quiet holy hour of prayer in
His Eucharistic Presence once a week on a regular basis that we may have
perpetual (seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day) exposition of
the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is never left alone, and the chapel is always
open for anyone to visit Him.

Why Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?

JESUS WANTS IT!!!
Because Jesus loves you infinitely, unlimited is the joy you bring to
His Sacred Heart when you come to spend an hour with Him in the Blessed
Sacrament. Jesus spoke these moving words to St. Margaret Mary
Alacoque: “I have a burning thirst to be honored by men in the Blessed Sacrament.”

JESUS GIVES US HIS GRACES!!!
Jesus stays with us day and night in the Blessed Sacrament, calling out
to each one of us:“Come to me all of you who are weary and find life
burdensome and I will refresh you,” (Mt 11:28). Jesus stays with us in the
Blessed Sacrament to refresh us in mind and heart and spirit by lavishing on us
those graces that encourage us, console us, strengthen us, guide us and
inspire us to place all of our trust in His Sacred Heart, so that the power of His
love may cast out every fear, doubt, worry and anxiety that we have.

THE HOLY FATHER ASKS FOR IT!!!
In Dominicae Cenae, Pope John Paul II says: “The encouragement and the
deepening of Eucharistic worship are proofs of that authentic renewal
which the Council set itself as an aim and of which they are the central
point.  The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship.
Jesus waits for us in this  Sacrament of Love.  Let us be generous with our
time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation... May our
adoration never cease.”  This is what Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is:
Adoration that never ceases!

EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE!!!
Everyone can participate because everyone can find at least one hour a
week to spend with Jesus.  And whatever hour you choose is most pleasing to
the Lord.  But He is especially pleased with the sacrifices made by those
who keep Him company in the middle of the night so that perpetual adoration
may be a reality.

WAY TO A TRULY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!!!
Perpetual adoration helps people to be more personally involved with
Christ because it makes the Eucharist more central in the lives of people.  By
spending time with Jesus in the Eucharist, one is able to establish a
truly personal relationship with Him.

IT BUILDS COMMUNITY!!!
Perpetual adoration builds community because the Eucharist is the
Sacrament of Unity.  As one person unites to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,
Jesus unites everyone closer together through the bond of His Divine Love.

IT BRINGS PEACE!!!
Pope John Paul II said that the best, the most effective, and the
surest way of bringing lasting peace on earth is through the great power of
Eucharistic adoration.  Only Jesus has the power and love to redirect the course of
history back to the path of peace, which He promised. The Eucharist
brings peace to all hearts.  And peaceful hearts make a peaceful world.

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,or 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.

When you pray the Rosary in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament, you
love Jesus with the Heart of Mary and offer to Jesus the perfect adoration
of Mary.  Jesus receives your holy hour as if Mary herself were making it.
 Mary encloses you in her Heart and Jesus accepts your hour with Him as
coming directly from the Heart of His very own Mother.  The Heart of Mary
makes up for what is lacking in our own hearts.