1 Kings 19: 9-13 Psalm 131 Luke 2:19
“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” - St. Francis de Sales
I think the hardest part about being in Mass and going to Adoration is that we often want to rush things. I’ve said before that when we receive the Eucharist in the Mass and when we are in Jesus’s presence, we ought to do so with reverence, silence, and love. It’s not an easy thing, though, because we are always in a rush. We rush through traffic to get to work. We grumble when we have to wait in a line. We fast forward through pre-recorded programs of our favorite shows.
What we actually make time for says a lot about what we love. We may wish for the Mass to be short, but we’d gladly sit and watch a football game for however long it lasts or watch the Oscars as they drag on past the four-hour allotted time and heck, even watch the red carpet before the awards start. So why is it so hard for us to give our time to the creator of time?
If you’re anything like me, you’re probably impatient. You want the problem solved right away and not have to deal with unwanted annoyances like traffic jams and co-workers that get on your nerves. Not too long ago, however, things weren’t as automatic as they are now. In a lot of ways, though, things have also become too stressful as well. We let the little things irritate us until we explode with anger and anxiety.
One of the graces we receive when we go to Mass or Adoration is that there’s a sense of peace and stillness. It sets us off-guard at first and our souls detox from the noises of the outside world. The stresses that we carried are now taken on the Lord’s shoulders. Although we may not get that peace right away or it may not as last as long as we want it to, the Eucharist is at least a balm within the storms and deserts of our lives.
I often serve as a staff member for young adult retreats in my diocese. While I love serving, one retreat put me through a serious emotional roller coaster. I felt left out, even when I was with my fellow staff members. I never got enough sleep because I would be working through the night. Worst of all, during this particular retreat, I was nursing a broken heart. Throughout the retreat, however, I spent a lot of time in Adoration. I cried inside the chapel and confided in Jesus and a close friend about my sadness. Like Mary, I pondered many things in my heart as I sat in the presence of my Lord. By the end of the retreat, I felt a sense of peace and relief. I gained some new friends as well as a lot of wisdom and emotional maturity.
If you get the chance to go to Adoration today, talk to Jesus about your problems. Let the silence of the chapel relax you. Let go of the busy-ness in your life and let God come in. He will speak to you in the silence of your heart, in a still small voice. It may not be easy to recognize at first, but He is there with you and in you.
God bless, dearest sisters in Christ!
