"Recently, praying before the Blessed Sacrament, I observed an auxiliary bishop enter to pray before the tabernacle," writes Kathleen Beckman of California in a recent book. "When he sat down in the pew, he exhaled loudly and seemed to sink into the Presence of the Lord. After sitting for some time with his eyes closed, he proceeded to take up his breviary and read the Liturgy of the Hours. I closed my eyes and continued contemplating the Blessed Sacrament.

"When I opened my eyes to gaze at the tabernacle, I somehow saw two rays of light -- one red, one white -- coming from the tabernacle, radiating toward the bishop praying his breviary.

"The breviary was bathed in light. It appeared as if angels were supporting it for him. I have seen this bishop pray before the tabernacle on other occasions. He remains for a long time, and often prays with deep groaning. It is edifying to observe his devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Let us pray for all bishops. Please pray that priests pray!"

Indeed. Here is a real message for our time:

Pray that priests (and bishops, and cardinals) pray. Even the Vatican has noted the need for this.

But the germane point here: we see an image of what happens when we are in Adoration. Actual radiation.

Others have noted the same. Many are those who speak of unusual lights or a glow around the Host. Others have seen streams of light. These are little insights into the supernatural dynamic.

As Beckman and two co-authors, Dr. Elizabeth Kim and Dr. Inga Pak, point out in a book called Rekindle Eucharistic Amazement, Adoration is a form of contemplation that even has a physiological effect on our brainwaves -- slowing them to a more healthful rhythm (known as "alpha," as is true for contemplation and meditation in general). 

The alpha frequency is one at which healing occurs -- a remedy, says Beckman, that can heal the "inner child" as well as cure the body physically. She and her colleagues present examples and discuss what Archbishop Fulton Sheen had to say about holy hours; the general medical benefits of prayer (one of the authors is a medical doctor); how Adoration relates to spiritual warfare; and how to contemplate Jesus as Mary does.

It is time to rekindle devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and realize the real benefits!

It is amazing when we allow it to be amazing!

How should we pray?

"Frequently, only silence can express my prayer," St. Thérèse Lisieux is quoted as saying. "However, this Divine Guest of the tabernacle understands all, even the silence of a child's soul filled with gratitude. When I am before the tabernacle, I can say only one thing to Our Lord: 'My God, you know that I love you.' And I feel my prayer does not tire Jesus."

The prayer of St. Teresa of Avila:

"I cannot doubt at all Your Presence in the Eucharist. You have given me such a lively faith that when I hear others say they wish they had been living when you were on earth, I laugh to myself, for I know that I possess you as truly in the Blessed Sacrament as people did then, and I wonder what more anyone could possibly want."

There are litanies and a long prayer that was said before the Blessed Sacrament by St. Padre Pio [see below]. We might add a shorter one here, also said by that saint at various times during the day and known as a spiritual Communion:

"My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament," said the great Italian mystic. "I love You above all things and I desire to possess You within my soul. Since I am unable at this moment to receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.

"I embrace You as being already there, and unite myself wholly to You.

"Never permit me to be separated from You."

For separated from Him, we are separated from Power. Separated from Him, we are separated from Heaven!

[resources: Rekindle Eucharistic Amazement; give this book to your local pastor; and Secrets of the Eucharist]

Prayer of Padre Pio before the Blessed Sacrament: O my Lord Jesus Christ, who for the love you bear for mankind, remain night and day in this Sacrament, all full of tenderness and love, expecting, inviting and receiving all those who come to visit You. I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the altar; I adore You from the depths of my own nothingness and thank You for all the favors you have bestowed upon me, especially for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, and for giving Your most holy mother Mary as my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this church. I pay my homage this day to Your most loving Heart, and this I intend to do for three intentions: first, in thanksgiving for this great gift; secondly, in reparation for all the insults you have received from your enemies in this Sacrament; thirdly, by this visit I intend to adore You in all places upon the earth, where you are least adored and most neglected in Your Sacrament. My Jesus, I love you with my whole heart. I repent of having in the past so many times displeased your infinite goodness. I propose with the help of your grace never more to offend you in the future; and at this moment, wretched as I am, I consecrate myself wholly to you. I give to you and utterly renounce my entire will, all my affections, all my desires, and all that I possess. From this day forth do with me and with all that is mine whatever is pleasing in your sight. I ask and desire only your holy love, final perseverance, and the fulfillment of Your Will. I recommend to you the souls in Purgatory, especially those who were most devoted to this Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I commend to you in like manner all poor sinners. Finally my dear Savior, I unite all my affections with those of your most loving Heart, and thus united I offer them to your eternal Father and I pray Him in Your Name be gracious to accept and answer them for love of you. Amen.  (Chapter 12)

 St. John Bosco: Visits to the Blessed Sacrament protect from the devil. St. John Bosco wrote, “Do you want the Lord to give you many graces?  Visit him often.  Do you want Him to give you few graces?  Visit him rarely.  Do you want the devil to attack you?  Visit Jesus rarely in the Blessed Sacrament.  Do you want him to flee from you?  Visit Jesus often.  Do you want to conquer the devil?  Take refuge often at the feet of Jesus.  Do you want to be conquered by the devil?  Forget about visiting Jesus. My dear ones, the visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an extremely necessary way to conquer the devil.  Therefore, go often to visit Jesus and the devil will not come out victorious against you.” (Chapter 8)

John Paul II Gospel of Life Prayer: O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life; look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, Mother of the poor whose lives are made difficult, Mother of the men and women who are victims of brutal violence, Mother of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.  Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of Life with honesty and love to the people of our time.  Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and the glory of God, the Creator and the lover of life.  Amen. The Lamb who was slain is alive, bearing the marks of his Passion in the splendor of the Resurrection.  He alone is the master of all the events of history: he opens its “seals”. (cf Rev.5:1-10) and proclaims, in time and beyond, the power of life over death.   (This prayer will appear in the companion booklet of Eucharistic Meditations being published now in response to numerous requests. This pocket sized booklet will consist of Chapter 12 plus additional prayers for healing, spiritual warfare, for the virtues, for defense of life, purity of body, against addictions and the 7 capital sins and more.)

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