It was my (John) second Lent after being received into full communion in the Catholic Church. I was looking for something to add, and I decided to sign up for a Holy Hour. I made it through Lent, and I ceased going to my morning hour. That is when it happened. I missed going to be with Jesus. This happened with a longing felt in my heart; I realized that something happened during Lent. A connection was made that was not there previously. My next step was to sign up for an official Holy Hour. It was not long after this that I heard God speaking to me through Scripture. In Exodus chapter 3, Moses is before the burning bush, and God is telling him to go back to Egypt. He starts making excuses, and God tells him that He is with him (Moses). I was struck to the core because I realized the same God that was with Moses is with me too. God doesn’t always speak so plainly, though.
Adoration has been a wonderful experience for my marriage. As my wife and I sit in the presence of Jesus Christ, the bond between us grows even stronger. There are no specific words expressed, but His presence makes our connection with each other resonate. Since God is love, it makes sense that being present to Our Lord would help us grow together in authentic sacrificial love. This is important for me as a husband and father; if I’m going to live a sacrificial life for my family truly, then I need to immerse myself in His presence.
As a wife and mother, it is a truly beautiful thing to leave Mass and have your preschooler want to say “hello” to Jesus before heading home. The fact that a five-year-old can recognize that Jesus is truly present in the chapel is a beautiful actualization of our Catholic faith. The truth is, He is there in times of both joy and consolation, and He waits for us there to give us a spiritual embrace and to listen to our hearts when we do not have the words to express our emotions aloud. - John and Tessa Williams
03/08/2020
I have recently been experiencing a deep longing for a time before the Eucharist. I found myself just wanting to be with Jesus all the time, but I also found myself getting frustrated; when you love someone, you want to touch them and be close to them. I felt distant from Jesus and just wanted to see His face and touch His hand. Then, unexpectedly, I came across this quote by St. John Chrysostom: “How many of you say: ‘I should like to see His face, His garments, His shoes’? You do see Him. You touch Him. You eat Him. He gives Himself to you, not only so you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment.”
It struck me hard. God wanted us to experience His love on a deep, intimate level, so He took on human flesh and gave Himself wholly to us. He continues to give us this gift in the Eucharist. Not only can we gaze at His face, but we can also take Him into our very being. I guess I had forgotten the magnitude of this gift. Now I make it a priority to go to daily mass and take time to be with my Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. I urge you to pray for a deeper love for Jesus Christ. And if you are not there yet, ask for the desire to love Him more. If you ask, He will give it to you. Trust me; I have experienced more growth and love than I ever could have imagined I would say this year as a high school student. He wants to give Himself to you so badly that He died so you could be more intimately in His love. That closeness can begin right now. He’s waiting, just as you are, for you to let Him in. - Holy Spirit Parishioner, Age 16
03/01/2020