Pope Francis in speaking to a group of religious sisters last year, talked about Eucharistic Adoration in this way, “I urge you to especially devote yourselves to the prayer of adoration — this is important,…It is good to adore in silence before the Most Blessed Sacrament,” he said, “to be in the consoling presence of Jesus and there to draw the apostolic impetus to be instruments of goodness, tenderness and welcome in the community, the Church, and the world.” (from catholicnewsagency.com October 22 2022)

What we know and believe as Catholic Christians is how this advice is also meant for all of the faithful. It is a way and mode of prayer that can be fruitful to both the person in adoration and for the whole world. Believing we are called to be adorers of God has been a marker in our Judeo-Christian practice of faith and worship. We also believe prayer is effective in bringing God’s very presence into the individual life and the life of the community.
I was concelebrating Mass a few days ago. One of the great actions we participate in is during the consecration the priest, after praying the words of institution, lifts the host into for the people of God to gaze upon in “adoration”. As the celebrant places the Host on the altar and I bowed, what caught my eye was a young father holding his son and gazing at him in pure love. As we repeated this action at the consecration of the Precious Blood, I looked once more as the young man continued to gaze at his child.

Two things came to my mind after Mass as I thought more about this: first was St. Joseph and the second was the gaze of love in the Eucharist where Jesus looks at us in love and we are invited to return this same look of love.
First St. Joseph: there is a wonderful image of St. Joseph holding the newborn Jesus in his arms as Our Blessed Mother Mary sleeps in the background. Josephs head is bent as he looks upon the baby sleeping peacefully. The look of the all-consuming love of new life and the joy of this life envelops the image give to us. It becomes a timeless gaze where the seconds, minutes and hours disappear into a great moment of sharing a time of contemplative love. As I sat back and thought about that young man in the pews I saw this same look of hope and blessing consume him and his child.
“And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.” (Lk 22:61) The Gospel reminds us, that as Jesus is being condemned and as Peter denies him for the third time, Jesus looks at him with great love. In the memorial of the Mass we are called to, like Peter, see they eyes of our Lord Jesus look upon us with great love. In reverence and adoration we return the same look with love upon Jesus and offer our lives fully to Him.
The question that came to my mind was simply this: Do I gaze upon the Eucharist with the same passion and love as that young father gazed upon his infant son? Can I be more like the image of St. Joseph holding Jesus, in the Eucharist, with the same tenderness and care? That is a challenge we all must take up in prayer and contemplation of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Going back to our quote from Pope Francis above, this adoration and contemplation of the Eucharist does not take us out of the world but firmly plants us in the middle of the pain, suffering and problems surrounding us. The young father, looking upon his son with tenderness and love, is more firmly rooted in the world because of love of wife and family. Seeking to live with greater holiness and blessing the Gospel because he holds the gift of life in his arms. When we proclaim “Amen” we also take the gift of life, eternal life, into our arms where we seek with a gaze of love to bring Jesus to all people.
God Bless
Fr. Mark