Adoration

[DesiringMore]

What does this word mean?? I hear my friends say they are going to Adoration...but i've never fully understood this, could you please explain?

[BLAZEr]

OK . . . cool.

You know that Catholics believe that at mass the bread and the wine become the ACTUAL Body and Blood of Jesus Christ right? We believe that the communion we receive is actually the Second Person of the Trinity and by virtue, God Himself.

Well, it has long been the practice to 'reserve' or 'save' some of the Eucharist for the sick and homebound who were not able to make it to mass but want to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord. Over the years it has changed where this is stored, but nowadays its in the Tabernacle (the gold box) that is (usually) behind the Altar in the front of the Church.

Well, about 1200 years ago it started to be common for people to go where the Eucharist was stored and offer prayers and petitions to God, who is present in the Eucharist. About 800 years ago it started to be common to expose the Eucharist for short periods of time so that people could go and Adore God present in the Eucharist.

About 400 years ago regular exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (the Eucharist) became a common fixture in the Church. Things called Monstrances were built which were beautiful gold stands with glass windows where the Eucharist could be viewed, and still protected. It became common for the Church to invite people to come and "Watch an hour" with their Lord.

Today, it is common for Churches to have time set aside each week where the Eucharist (which is usually kept in the tabernacle) is exposed in a Monstrance for the Adoration of the faithful.

So when you're friends say they are going to Adoration they mean that they are going to spend some time with the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, in the Blessed Sacrament. It's usually a silent time of prayer where you can meditate upon this mystery of God, and offer you love and prayer to God who is so humble that he makes himself present, truly present, through what used to be a piece of bread.

Hope that helps.

[Pontifex]

The reservation of the Blessed Sacrament and adoration, although not documented historically, probably goes back to the beginnings of the Church.

[cappie]

The rubric or rule of elevating or showing the Host to the people after the consecration and the custom of Eucharistic procession arose because of peoples desire to see the Host. They were inspired with awe at the humility of the Lord of glory, and they were filled with joy at the sight of this sacramental sign of his abiding presence. So began a rich development of various forms of public adoration.

For more information the site History of Adoration is very good.