Not This Time Buddy!
I am ashamed to admit how easily
I fall prey to the “blues.” God has immensely blessed me in this life and I
have no real reason for ever feeling down and discouraged. But, of course, I am human and prone to such
disorders.
“That will change in time,” I say to myself.
“You can tell them of the
benefits of an Hour of Adoration till your blue in the face,” my invisible
adversary blurts out in response. “They won’t come, visit and spend anytime
with Him. Why should they? Many of their own priests don’t. You’re wasting your
time.”
“What’s the problem?
Who is in charge of this devotion? - You or me?
“You are Lord,” I whisper sheepishly.
“Then act like it. I was the one
who called a handful of souls to ask their pastor to establish Perpetual Eucharistic
Adoration here. I was the one who opened his heart to be receptive to that
request. I was the one who provided and continues to provide the adorers needed
to keep me company 24 hours a day. Not you. If I want this sacred place to
remain open, no one will be able to stop Me. So don’t be discouraged! Trust me! Keep inviting
others to come. I will do the rest!”
In reflecting (many times) on
what might set me off on this non-productive path, I discovered a number of
culprits, these being the “big three” - thinking I can actually accomplish
anything of value by myself and without God’s grace and assistance; being
self-centered and self-absorbed; and not being present and helpful to others.
The solution then seems so
obvious: allow God to be God and use me as His instrument, put others before
myself, and do something concrete to help someone.
Inevitably, the “blues” evaporate
whenever I stop thinking of myself and focus on God and my neighbor.
But lately, these demons, like
vultures circling their prey, have refused to leave. They
have used my love for our Eucharistic Lord and passion for Eucharistic Adoration, to imbed
their claws into my weak soul.
Instead of being astonished and
grateful that God has permitted our Perpetual Adoration chapel to complete its
tenth year, I fret over the lack of interest from the majority of my fellow
Catholics and from the general unwillingness of far too many priests to promote
and participate in this vital devotion.
Ever ready to thwart this
devotion, I hear the evil one whispering in my ear, “You’re wasting your time. Most
Catholics don’t believe He is really and substantially present Body, Blood, Soul
and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament anymore.”
Smelling the stench of
discouragement trying to take root in my mind, his unrelenting assault continues:
“You’re foolish to think you can keep this Adoration chapel open perpetually. You
won’t fill the empty slots – look how long they have been vacant. You can’t expect
the same people to pick up extra hours just to keep the chapel open. You would
be better off just opening it for a few hours a day.”
On and on he goes. Enough! I must
stop listening to him! Discouragement never comes from God, leads to nothing
good and impedes the work He asks us to do for Him.
I reflected on these truths when
I next filled in for an absent adorer and imagined this conversation taking place.
As if on cue, at varying intervals
during the rest of that hour and for different lengths of time, one visitor
after another came to be with Him – first a family of four, then an elderly and
crippled woman, followed by seven other individuals. I had no idea so many were stopping in for brief visits. He was letting me see the pool of potential
adorers from which He would be drawing!
And just yesterday, as an added and
unsolicited blessing, He had a friend send this unique picture taken during the
Pope’s recent visit to Mexico