Spending time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament--a devotion that has been present in some form since the first century--is an important Catholic practice that honors the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Ave Guide to Eucharistic Adoration offers a rich array of prayers, devotions, meditations, and Church teachings to read during your quiet time with the Lord, whether you have fifteen minutes or an entire holy hour. The book includes elegant, vintage lithographs and engravings taken from traditional prayer books, psalters, and Bibles and presented in a contemporary design.
In Matthew's Gospel, when Jesus goes to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his death, he asks his disciples to "remain here and keep watch with me . . . watch and pray" (26: 38, 41). This is what our Lord invites us to do during Eucharistic Adoration.
The Ave Guide to Eucharistic Adoration is perfect for someone new to the practice, as well as seasoned veterans looking for a unique way to pray during their time with the Lord. Because Eucharistic Adoration is considered an extension of the Mass, the book is organized around the four parts of the liturgy:
- Penance
- Scripture
- Sacrifice
- Service
In addition to traditional prayers and devotions, the reflection material includes profiles and writings of saints, encyclicals, writings of the Church fathers, short Bible passages from the New American Bible (the translation used in the Mass), and explanations of Church teachings. Each reading is accompanied by questions for reflection and is designed for fifteen minutes of personal time before the Blessed Sacrament. four readings make up an hour of adoration.
The Ave Guide to Eucharistic Adoration also includes helpful information on the history of the devotion, reflections on what the Church teaches about it, and general steps and options for making a Holy Hour based on the book's contents.