Adoration of Jesus

Adoration, tonight, 7-8 pm, SAA Church
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Someone recently posted the following question: "Fr Greg, are you planning on increasing adoration at St. Andrews?" Thanks for the question, Anon, and for your interest in adoration. For now, we are aiming to increase participation in adoration. Thanks be to God, we are off to a good start here at St Andrew's, with a faithful crowd of adorers who attend just about every Friday night. Ultimately, yes, we would like to expand the hours of Adoration but we need more adorers. Please help by inviting family, friends, and parishioners to spend time with Jesus on Friday nights.

The following is a Christmas message given by Pope John Paul II in 2004. As we approach the celebration of the birth of our Savior, let us keep in mind the connection between the Adoration of the baby Jesus by those at the Nativity scene and Adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist.


"'Godhead here in hiding, whom I do adore.' On this Night, the opening words of this celebrated Eucharistic hymn echo in my heart. These words accompany me daily in this year dedicated to the Eucharist.

In the Son of the Virgin, 'wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger' (Lk 2:12), we acknowledge and adore 'the Bread which came down from heaven' (Jn 6:41, 51), the Redeemer who came among us in order to bring life to the world.

Bethlehem! The city where Jesus was born in fulfilment of the Scriptures, in Hebrew means 'house of bread.' It was there that the Messiah was to be born, the One who would say of himself: 'I am the bread of life' (Jn 6:35, 48).

In Bethehem was born the One who, under the sign of broken bread, would leave us the memorial of his Pasch. On this Holy Night, adoration of the Child Jesus becomes Eucharistic adoration.

We adore you, Lord, truly present in the Sacrament of the Altar, the living Bread which gives life to humanity. We acknowledge you as our one God, a little Child lying helpless in the manger! 'In the fullness of time, you became a man among men, to unite the end to the beginning, that is, man to God' (cf. Saint Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, IV, 20, 4).

You are born on this Night, our divine Redeemer, and, in our journey along the paths of time, you become for us the food of eternal life.

Look upon us, eternal Son of God, who took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary! All humanity, with its burden of trials and troubles, stands in need of you.

Stay with us, living Bread which came down from heaven for our salvation! Stay with us forever! Amen!"