Encountering Jesus

I find myself praying the rosary a lot more often in recent times. And as I was praying the rosary one morning, something about the second joyful mystery caught my attention. It was in spending some time pondering “The Visitation,” I came across a reflection. I was particularly reflecting on how the mystery of “The Visitation” is similar to my visits to Eucharistic Adoration. It is true but first, let us take a look at this beautiful mystery in Sacred Scripture.

When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, ‘Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled (Luke 1:41-45).

It is in these verses that I notice a few things. The first thing is that receiving a visit from the Lord makes John the Baptist leap with joy. I know visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament always makes my heart leap for joy because it is in His true presence where I can be myself and where we can always have heart-to-hearts. Secondly, Elizabeth becomes filled with the Holy Spirit and even cries out in a loud voice. I know my visits with the Eucharist God continually fills me with the Holy Spirit and abundant graces for God never stops working powerful miracles in what is unseen.

Lastly, when Elizabeth talks about how “blessed” Mary is for believing in His promises tells me how holy I can become with my faith in Jesus in the Eucharist. In other words, by my visits in Adoration, giving Him my whole heart while offering up my intentions, I can trust in God that He will hear and answer all my prayers in the best way as a loving Father would.

I can honestly say that Eucharistic Adoration has been very life changing for me. I try to go as often as I can and stay as long as I can. Then, on days when they do not have it, do livestream Adoration. I know many people may not prefer livestream Adoration, but I can truthfully say that it can be just as fruitful. It is in those still quiet moments before His very presence where He places His beautiful gaze on my soul despite its flaws and wretchedness.

And with that beautiful gaze, He tells me He loves me and plunges my soul in the ocean of mercy. It
is in this sacred time, like I stated above, where I can truly be myself and ask Him to make me become a better person. This is the very place where I can ask Him to make me become a saint.

Now I know every time you go to Adoration will not be noticeably life changing, but I assure you that God works within the heart. I highly encourage Adoration if your soul is seeking more which the world cannot satisfy. That means your soul is longing to worship its Creator and you should let it. It’s time to encounter Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and be transformed.

To wrap up this article, here are a few inspiring quotes on the Blessed Sacrament. I hope reading these quotes in turn calls you to action to visit Him. Spend time with Him, as little as five minutes, and see where the Lord is leading you today.

When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now. This is why you should ask your parish priest to have perpetual adoration in your parish. I beg the Blessed Mother to touch the hearts of all parish priests that they may have perpetual Eucharistic adoration in their
parishes, and that it may spread throughout the entire world (Saint Mother Teresa).

Jesus is not an idea, a sentiment, a memory! Jesus is a ‘person,’ always alive and present with us! Love Jesus present in the Eucharist. He is present in a sacrificial way in holy Mass, which renews the sacrifice of the cross. To go to Mass means going to Calvary to meet him, our Redeemer. He comes to us in Holy Communion and remains present in the tabernacles of our churches, for he is our friend (Saint John Paul II).

There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us (Saint John Vianney).