Last year, I took this practice a step further and set a goal to make a Holy Hour every week during Lent. I found it so profitable for my spiritual life that I decided to pray a Holy Hour at least once a month. I wish I could say that I kept that up, but my monthly Holy Hours were rather sporadic. To get back on track, I have renewed my weekly Lenten Holy Hour this year.
I usually spend my hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament after daily Mass, usually on a Friday. (I am blessed that our chapel is open most afternoons.) I bring prayer books, a rosary and my Bible. I try to offer up each Holy Hour for a special intention. I often pray the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, then spend some time just being in the presence of Christ. Occasionally I'll bring one of the booklets of Holy Hour prayers and meditations that I picked up in a Catholic gift shop.
I am almost always the only person in the chapel, and I enjoy the silence. Our chapel is nearly 100 years old and has a beautiful altar and stained glass windows. We are blessed to have a relic of the True Cross and St. Jude as well.
I have come to enjoy these weekly visits with Jesus. I rarely have any big moments of revelation or even an overwhelming feeling of the presence of Christ. That's fine because I know that He is there and that He appreciates my little visits. I leave with a sense of peace, ready to take up my cross again and follow Him.
2 comments:
my church built an Adoration chapel last year and I have been making a Holy Hour every week which I absolutley LOVE! I was on the schedule Fridays from 8-9. I've had to give it up right now though since my elderly mother has come to live with us and I don't always know if I can leave her alone for the time it takes. I miss it very much.
Hi Lyn,
How wonderful that your church has an Adoration chapel. Perpetual adoration is becoming more and more common, thank heaven. I'm sorry to hear that you have to give up your weekly Holy Hour, but you are doing so much good caring for your mother. Have you tried praying your Holy Hour at home? You could pray alone or with your mother. Perhaps you could set up a small table with a candle, a crucifix or statues. You can even display a monstrance on your computer screen! The website http://savior.org/ displays a live image of a monstrance and is designed for those who are homebound. I pray that you will be able to resume your Holy Hour at your chapel soon. God bless!
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