Word from Adoration

Every Saturday morning I am scheduled in for an hour at our diocesan adoration chapel. My time is from 06:00 to 07:00.

This morning I was up early, so I headed out pretty much right away. I ended up spending an hour and forty minutes with the Lord today.

His word to me was, "I love you John. I love you so very much that I am here for you. I am always waiting for you."

It was important for me to hear Him say that because my time spent with Him was mostly filled with struggles and distractions. It seemed like for every moment I was able to focus on Him and make an effort to open myself, there were a hundred moments more where I was lost in some thought or distraction.

This struggle at times brings out the realization of just how hungry I am to have the Lord fill those places within me that do not belong to Him yet. I so very much want to be completely filled by Him, to be permeated by Him, to reach the point where, "...it is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me". (Galatians 2:20)

From a different perspective, I want to be consumed by the Living Flame of Love! (St. John of the Cross). St. John of the Cross is my favourite saint. And it is he, along with Saint John Marie Vianney - whose name I took when I became Catholic, and St. Therese of Lisieux that are role models for learning how to let go and be consumed!

St. John of the Cross, teach me to abandon myself to the Living Flame of Love. St. John Marie Vianney, teach me to embrace the person that I am and help me to learn to love myself. St. Therese, help me to learn to focus on the little things and help me to do them well for love of our Lord!

Our Lady, Queen of Good Counsel, teach me to share in the gift of discernment that you used when the Angel Gabriel appeared before you. Teach me also to abandon myself to the will of the Father just as you did when you said, "Yes!" to the request to conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank You Jesus for the gift of Your time this morning. Thank You for Your Presence in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar!

Pax vobis,

J.E.

An online Adoration "Chapel" can be found here.