AMDG
Dear OSJ Family,
“What is old, is new” or so the old adage says. With that, I write this week to invite you to join us for something new to OSJ (at least recently), yet steeped in the ancient beauty of our Catholic faith – A Eucharistic Holy Hour.
As your pastor, I am constantly open to ways to draw us in to prayer and spiritual growth and in this case it is by restoring a Holy Hour to our repertoire of spiritual activities at OSJ. It is my hope to reintroduce this beautiful liturgy of the Church that has long been practiced at “the little church in the alley.”
A Holy Hour is an opportunity to spend time in contemplative prayer and reflection that features Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Based upon Jesus’ invitation to the disciples to sit with him in the Garden of Gethsemane in the Gospel of Matthew, Holy Hour is an opportunity for quiet prayer and reflection on your faith. In a deeper sense, it involves “the contemplation of the Mystery of Christ truly present before us”.
Saint John Vianney, the great and beloved parish priest of Ars, a small village in France, spent hours each day ministering to his parish in a time of crisis for the Church and his country. He devotedly spent hours each day in the confessional listening to the pains and burdens of his people and whenever he was finished he would take time for silent prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. When asked why he would sit in the pew and stare at the Blessed Sacrament reserved on the altar, Saint John responded, “I look at Jesus and he looks at me, and that is enough”. In short, Eucharistic Adoration is “Christ and God’s people reaching out for each other, at the same time!” Because, as Catholics, we believe that Christ is truly and substantially present in the Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament is given the same adoration and devotion that is accorded to Christ.
Our Holy Hour at OSJ will be a simple liturgy (a liturgy is not always Mass but is any public act of worship that is honored in the Church’s tradition), one hour including Scripture readings, hymns, prayers and time for silent adoration before the Lord exposed on the altar. The liturgy will end with “benediction” or a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament. You are welcome to come for all or only a part of the Holy Hour. Interestingly, a Holy Hour is a complete liturgical service in its own right and is to be celebrated with reverence and dignity as such.
OSJ, please try to join us this Advent season as we celebrate our Holy Hour on WEDNESDAY DEC 2nd at 7:30pm in the Church. Hopefully we can make this a regular activity at OSJ. So please join us, and please invite family and friends! Jesus waits for us at Holy Hour. He waits for our little acts of faith, adoration, love, thanksgiving, and service that we can offer Him as we contemplate – Christ’s loving presence — in the Blessed Sacrament.
Have a blessed Week!
With my prayers and esteem,
©2015 Fr. Phil Florio, S.J.
