An encouragement to the men of our parishes—the Men’s Conference is coming up next week, the 16th . Take this time to invest in your relationship with God. I see guys who go
individually, but also many times fathers and sons together. A powerful way that parents can help pass down the faith to their kids is through a common, shared experience like the Men’s Conference provides. The best thing I hear from men who go is that they don’t come back the same as they left. Here is a link to an invite from our own Fr. Joe Krupp:
Click here to register: https://www.acceptthechallenge.org/
At Sacred Heart we are adding some Adoration time on the First Fridays of the month. Friday is the day Jesus died for us, and so as Christians, Friday has always been a special day of prayer—in a particular way during Lent but also throughout the year. When Jesus revealed His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alocoque, He invited her to emphasize the devotion of First Fridays.
Starting on April 5th , on first Fridays we will have Eucharistic Adoration immediately following the morning Mass until Noon. (During the school year our students will stay for a short time of prayer during which we will have a Eucharistic procession. Our Friday school Masses are such a joy and this will be a great
addition.)
During the week we have two regularly scheduled times of Adoration: Tuesdays at Sacred Heart from 4:45pm to 5:45, immediately followed by Mass, and Thursdays at St. Mary on the Lake at 8:15am till 9:15 immediately followed by Mass. This will be a third monthly option if you are able to come and pray.
What do we do during Adoration? We simply sit in the presence of Jesus. What happens there will be as varied as the unique places we are all in. In that place we pour out our hearts; we pray for those we love; we give Him space where we listen for His voice; we thank Him for blessings and prayers answered. The monstrance we have is designed in the form you probably see the most, which is that of the sun. Christ is in the center and the rays of his love flood outward. Someone once asked Mother Teresa how to become holy. She responded by saying exactly the same way you get a sun tan. You need to sit in the presence of the sun.
Adoration is a place of encounter. We go to Jesus and we allow Jesus to come to us. What happens in the Gospels begins to happen to us. There is the story of Peter, who, falling to his knees, asks Jesus to get away from him because of his sins. Jesus raises him up and calls him to follow Him. There is the story of a woman overcome with sorrow and regret because of her sins, who goes to see Jesus at a dinner. He forgives her and unburdens her heart. There is the story of the Leper who comes to Jesus, unafraid to show Him his disease, and he is healed. There is the story of the woman who had been sick for 12 years and stretched out her hand just to touch the edge of His cloak, and is healed.
Adoration is where these encounters happen. There we can let Jesus take our burdens, heal our wounds, and speak truth to the despair we might have over our failures and sins. It won’t be others’ stories, it will be ours.
God Bless,