Adoration. It's where it's At

Besides bene-
diction my favorite devo-
tion has always been to just sit with the Blessed Sacrament. Friday night, I went to the vigil Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception at my "sometimes church" - St. Therese. It's not too far from my house. I go there for Holy Days of Obligation when I don't have an assigned Mass at my normal parish. St. Therese was built at the end of an era, and the beginning of the next. It's a "modern" parish church, but with lots of very pretty stained glass windows and you don't have to do a hunt-and-search for the tabernacle. Not centered, but just to the left still in the main sanctuary, and it's nice to be able to sit right in front of it while at Mass. Hate the lighting in the church over all, too much track style lighting in visible evidence, and the sanctuary isn't as "warm" as I'd like it to be. Walls too blank, save drapings in the correct liturgical color, and a big crucifix. They also had a huge advent wreath. If it's me, I'm putting cool paintings in there.

The pastor seems rather nice, a shade chummy, but still in the range of where it's not going to bother most people, including, overall, me. [Just don't do those weird introductions at the beginning of Mass "Today we celebrate...." - I KNOW Father, that's why I'm here. ] He got "snaps" for doing Eucharistic Prayer #4. The cantor did a superb and really moving Ave Maria post communion. They have both piano and organ, and a good musician. I don't know what people have against the piano at Mass - I like it for some things, and I think it was just the perfect accompaniment for the Ave.

The thing I like most about St. Therese is they have a little side room attached to the church where they have perpetual adoration 24/7. I usually find a lot of solace in taking advantage of this. There's always at least one person there. Quite frequently more. There's room for about 9 people or so. After Mass one boy, about 8 came in all on his own, and prayed on his knees right in front of the monstrance. So sweet. A mother brought in a different boy later, and they knelt right in front too. I could hear her whisper to him to be still and quiet. The boy whispered back "Is that Jesus in there?" [pointing every so gently at the monstrance] Mom assured him it was and they prayed for a bit. I was in there for close to an hour, the bulk of the time there were 3 men with me. One the "assigned guy" who had "relieved" another. Another fellow came in and prayed a rosary. It's nice to know that there are men out there who carry a rosary with them. I don't think people carry a rosary with them as often as they used to - and it's a pity, but it's nice to see people still do it.

It's always so peaceful in there. Time seems to stop, and generally people are so still and quiet in someone inhales deeply it sounds loud. From the descriptions of heaven in Revelations, heaven seems like a noisy busy busy place...almost like a cross between a holy airport, with comings and goings and arrivals and a musical jam session with angels and choirs carrying on. My hope is that my part of the garden is beside those restful waters from Psalm 23. At adoration I can sometimes "lose myself" pretty good in the Real Presence. I want to be able to lose myself entirely in God's will. Forever. I hope that's what heaven's like.

How do you Envision Heaven

Father Ray Blake of St. Mary Magdalene in Brighton asked us to share thoughts about what we think heaven will be like.

On the most serious level, I'd have to say that I try not to dwell on the physical aspects of heaven too much, because whatever I envision is likely to be wrong. If I am in heaven, then I'll have likely have been in purgatory. Having been there, my soul being purified, when I reach heaven I will have no enmity or pride and I will be able to do God's will 100% and as St. Therese said "love is all." [If I make it straight in the door with out any pits stops, I'll be amazed.]

I expect that God will want me to assist with the salvation of those on earth in being "a friend of the court" as the saints in heaven do today. Having yielded 100% to the will of God, I trust in God that I will be totally happy. After the final judgment of all (and before) I trust in God that I will have the eternal and uninterrupted feeling of peace that comes from being in a state of grace after having received Holy Communion and resting in front of the tabernacle. But this time without earthly cares or worries, or physical pain.

I pray God that my loved ones be also there. But I have utter faith that whatever heaven is like I trust it will be better than I ever could imagine.

I have often wondered why we would need a body after death, but as Jesus said there is a bodily resurrection, who am I to question? Perhaps it is that we are all masterworks, as "God doesn't make junk." And the Artist, having created does not destroy the work. The work may be transformed, but it is not destroyed. God loves physical matter, otherwise we'd have not been created. On a personal note, I hope there's no more cellulite. :-D On the "pet issue" I'd just like to ask God: "Is it okay if you bring them back just so we can see them and they can see us? You don't have to let them see the 'beatific vision' - but you made them too... just saying...." But I still trust Sister 1st grade on this one: "You will have ALL you need in heaven to make you happy."

I am glad God gave us all free will, but I have to say it bothers me that God made angels, and some of them, who were given all they needed, rejected God's eternal peace, love and happiness - and Hell was initially created for them. I guess God gave them a choice too. And it frightens me that creatures who were given all that on a platter threw it away. God came down to earth to die for me, and I don't want to throw eternal salvation and happiness away.

On another note, I have always accepted the Trinity, but I never knew why it was necessary for there to be God, the Holy Spirit. My priest had and gave the simplest and best answer: "God didn't decide to be - God just IS."