Looking to LEVEL UP in your Faith, but aren’t sure what to do next? Challenge yourself to make time for Eucharistic Adoration. If you’re looking for a SOLID, yet simple prayer to bring to Jesus, this “Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament” is a great start!
What is Eucharistic Adoration?
Most Catholic churches (if not all) provide a time for Jesus to be fully present in the Eucharist in a monstrance: a beautiful gold receptacle that holds and displays a consecrated host for Christians to venerate and spend time with Jesus. The monstrance is placed on the altar, anywhere between one to twenty-four hours. There are even chapels that offer perpetual adoration, so the monstrance is available day and night for anyone who wants to worship. It’s a beautiful thing!
Why Should I Go?
Eucharistic adoration is a gift. The fact that Catholics can be with Jesus in this special, unique way is a blessing and we should try to go to spend time with Him as often as possible. Jesus humbled himself to the point of offering His body in this simple host, this simple bread. We may not know it now, but the graces that come with going to Eucharistic Adoration will unfold and bless us throughout our lives and even afterward!
Why a “Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament” is Great to Have Handy
In my youth, I never understood Eucharistic Adoration. It was difficult to “get in the zone,” if you will. I found it challenging to devote the reverence that the Church taught me I needed to show during this time. But as I have grown older, I have longed to grow in my Faith, especially as a wife and mother. However, I don’t always know what “to do” when I am there. Is it okay to just sit there? Is it okay to pray the prayers I know or to speak from my mind and heart, or are there specific prayers? In short, there aren’t rules when it comes to that. But if you need guidance, this prayer can be helpful to set the posture of your heart. It can be helpful to have a “script” so that you aren’t fixating on the “how,” but on the “why.”
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
If you’re a first-timer or you have not been to Eucharistic Adoration in a while, it can be intimidating. I’m here to relieve that concern! This website gives simple, clear guidance on what you can pray and do when you are there. I also like Amber Rose’s take on Adoration Etiquette. The silence and reverence of Eucharistic Adoration can leave people wondering if they are being as respectful as they need to be, so hearing some wisdom about best practices can be helpful!
Something Many People Don’t Think About
I want to take a moment to address something important: what you wear. What are you wearing when you visit Jesus? Are you in basketball shorts and an old t-shirt? Is your midriff showing? Is your clothing too tight and revealing? Do you have your baseball cap on? As a rule of thumb, I always like to encourage folks to dress as if you are attending Mass– in fact, if you have typically taken a more casual approach in the past, consider what you would wear to Christmas Mass or Easter Mass! Dress up a little nicer! It is pleasing to God when we make efforts in these areas, even when our culture has told us that it doesn’t matter.
Do I veil?
For whatever reason, it appears that veiling is controversial. I don’t see why it’s such a big deal. In fact, since I have veiled at Mass, I have felt a transformation of my heart. I plan to go into this in a later post, but for now, I want to encourage women to veil when the visit Jesus at Eucharistic Adoration. It is a beautiful way to show respect for God. It can serve as a way to show humility. I personally like to use my veil to hide more of myself so that others are not as focused on me at all. I also like to veil so that I can put “blinders” on, if you will. Believe it or not, it can help minimize the distractions because part of my peripheral vision is not available to me!
What to Do After Praying the “Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament”
Is it acceptable to just sit there? YES! Absolutely! Jesus loves when we simply visit with Him. He is happy that we are just there, spending time with Him. Think about some of the closest people in your life whom you love. I think about long road trips I have had with my husband. For hours, we could just sit in the car together, driving and holding hands. We don’t have to say much. It isn’t that we have nothing to say to each other or that we don’t feel like talking. Instead, we often find that we are so comfortable with each other that we don’t always need to talk. And I believe the same is the case with Jesus. We don’t always need to talk. There’s a lot He can tell us in the silence.
A Time to Challenge Yourself
Do you find it difficult to sit still? Are you realizing how dependent you are on noise around you, discovering that silence sometimes makes you feel uncomfortable? Use this time to become more self-aware and more humble in the silence. Consider it a mini silent retreat. Are there prayers you have always wanted to learn and memorize? I spent one of my hours in Eucharistic Adoration memorizing the Apostle’s Creed in Latin because I was determined to know how to say the entire Rosary in Latin. It felt wonderful when I accomplished my goal! Use this time to grow in your Faith, stretching yourself to do things you may not have done otherwise.
Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament
O Jesus,
I love and adore you with
my whole heart, my whole soul,
and my whole being. (Repeat 10 Times)
Empty me of me and fill me with you. (Repeat 3 times)
I pray that I may grow in humility and love each day.
Bring me to You in Heaven.
Envelop me in Your grace, Lord Jesus. (Repeat 10 times)
Unite me with the Father’s will.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Angel of God…
Blessed and praised be the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar: in Heaven, on earth, and everywhere. Amen. (Repeat 3 times)
FREE DOWNLOADABLE PDF: >>>>>>Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament – free printable PDF – life with the saints
Keep the Journey Going!
Looking for more ways to grow in Eucharistic Adoration and in your daily life? Memorize and pray this psalm, which is beautiful and well-known! How do you begin your day? Say this “Morning Prayer for Family” with your family every day! If you’ve read my story, you know how passionate I am about the power of prayer in helping you through daily life. It can be part of your every second. Can you pray while you’re in the elevator? While you’re washing your hands? When you’re at a stop light? Standing in line behind someone at the grocery store? Pray every day!
God bless you!
