The Catholic Defender: The Real Presence and Perpetual Adoration

https://deepertruthdon.podbean.com/e/the-real-presence-and-perpetual-adoration/

The Real Presence refers to the Catholic doctrine that Jesus Christ is truly, really, and substantially present (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity) in the Holy Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine. Perpetual Adoration is the 24/7 devotion of exposing this consecrated Host in a monstrance for continuous, uninterrupted adoration and prayer by the faithful. 

Transubstantiation: During Mass, the substance of bread and wine changes into the actual Body and Blood of Christ.

Permanent Presence: Christ's presence does not vanish after Mass; it remains as long as the appearances of bread exist, which is why consecrated hosts are kept in a tabernacle.

Faith-Based Understanding: While hidden from senses, the presence is perceived through faith, affirming that the same Jesus in heaven is present on the altar. 

It is a way to adore, thank, and converse with Jesus, fostering a deeper union with Him.

This practice gained significant popularity in 19th-century France and has spread globally, often seen as a necessary spiritual endeavor.

While Mass is a sacrifice, adoration is the contemplation of that sacrifice and the person of Jesus present in the Eucharist. 

The Real Presence is the doctrinal belief that after the consecration at Mass, the bread and wine are no longer merely symbols but have become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

Transubstantiation: This is the theological term for the change of the "substance" of bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood, while the "accidents" (outward appearance) remain.

Purpose: It allows the faithful to pray in the literal presence of Christ at any time. It is often described as a "foretaste of heaven" and a way to answer Christ’s question in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Could you not watch with me one hour?".

In a parish setting, volunteers commit to a specific hour each week (a "Holy Hour") to ensure that the Lord is never left alone while exposed in the monstrance.

While individual adoration is ancient, the first recorded instance of formal perpetual adoration began in Avignon, France, in 1226

Just like Peter, James, and John in the Garden of Gethsemane, many of us find spending a quiet hour with Jesus difficult at first. When making a holy hour, it helps to begin with five or 10 minutes and then work up to an hour. As a parish, we had the same strategy seven years ago. What began as an hour here and there, increased to 12 hours a day, four days each week. On Feb. 11, 2017, we began to hold Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration and our parishioners have stepped up to sustain this for seven years. 

Just as the graces from Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration have filled our parish, so do those graces fill the lives of those who give that time to Jesus.