An Urgent Prayer and Warning - Lest The Church Suffer Too Great A Darkness

Those who have visited here, read my book, I Thirst For Your Love, or frequent Harvesting The Fruits of Contemplation, know how much I value and promote the work of Father Mark and his community, The Benedictine Monks of Perpetual Adoration. Father Mark graciously consented to my including several of his reflections in I Thirst for Your Love.

While I find all his postings, particularly those on the Eucharist and Adoration must shares, the article that follows [that I share with his permission] is really one that deserves and needs widespread distribution. I share his increasing sense of urgency.

If, after reading it, you agree, would you pass it on to as many priests, religious and lay men and woman as possible?

O Come Let Us Adore Him While We Can!

Lest Thy Church suffer too great a darkness

Beloved Lord Jesus,
I adore Thee, who art present here,
with all the love of my heart.
Sinner that I am, I would offer Thee reparation
for all the irreverence, coldness, and ignorance
that surround Thee in the Sacrament of Thy Love.
Would that I could make the surpassing wonder of Thy real presence known
over the entire length and breadth of this land.
Not only art Thou hidden
— Vere tu es Deus absconditus —
Thou art also unknown.
Even those who frequent Thy churches are in darkness
concerning the miracle of Thy real presence.
Thou art forgotten.
Thou art treated as a thing, as an object of little worth.
To me, Thou art all,
and apart from Thee I want nothing on earth.

O reveal Thyself!
Give words to Thy priests
that they might proclaim this adorable Sacrament
and make known its wonders at every opportunity.
Inspire Thy priests to speak of Thee and, even more,
to give worthy example of faith, of adoration, of reverence,and of burning love.


Who are the guardians of Thy real presence if not Thy priests?
Who are the sentinels charged with keeping watch before Thee?
Who are Thy chosen friends called to linger in Thy presence
and to prefer Thy company to all else?
Who are the men set aside to handle Thy most pure Body
and to touch the chalice of Thy Precious Blood?

These, O Jesus, are Thy priests.
Send a penetrating light upon them.
Enkindle a fire of love in their hearts.
Increase their faith and grace them with an angelic reverence in Thy presence
lest, by treating Thee carelessly or with indifference, they scandalize the little ones
who look to them for an example of lively faith and of humble adoration.

The light of faith has grown dim;
the hearts of Thy people have grown cold.
Reveal, O Jesus, Thy Eucharistic Face!
Let the flames that escape from Thy Eucharistic Heart enkindle a multitude of adorers,
especially among Thine own priests,
lest Thy Church suffer too great a darkness,
too piercing a cold. Amen.