Hour of Eucharistic Adoration

The Scriptures, Word of Faith

As background, play softly "Behold the Lamb" by Martin Willett; if possible, simply play as an instrumental, rather than play a recording.

Leader: Proclaim Jn. 1:1, 14, 16-17

"Christians, should turn with renewed interest to the Bible, 'whether it be through the liturgy, rich in the divine word, or through devotional reading, or through instructions....' In the revealed text it is the Heavenly Father himself who comes to us in love and who dwells with us, disclosing to us the nature of his only-begotten Son and his plan of salvation for humanity...." (TMA, 40, 42)

Song Suggestion: "Behold the Lamb," vv. 1 and 2. Pause generously for silent prayer after the song.

Leader: It is the Spirit who draws us today to "Jesus Christ, the one Savior of the world, yesterday, today and forever," whom we will contemplate in his Word. It is the Spirit who invites us to draw the waters of life with joy from the fountain of grace Christ has given us through the Church. Let us ask the Spirit for those gifts of grace we feel the deepest need of, and let us open ourselves to the gifts the Spirit most desires to fulfill in us. (Pause generously; those who wish to may express their prayer aloud.)

Leader: Let us invite the Word of God, Christ our Master present here in word and sacrament, to teach us and in the power of the Spirit to remind us of all that he told us.

All: May you be blessed, Divine Master, for you have promised and have sent from the Father, the Holy Spirit to enlighten and sanctify the Church. In this living and Holy Spirit, may we be taken into the fullness of your life and love, guided by the Word entrusted to your Church.

Participants take turns proclaiming: Ps. 119:97-104; Heb. 4:12; 1Pt. 1:23-25. After each selection, there should be a long pause for reflection and personal application.

Reader: CCC, nn. 101, 102 para. 1, 103, 104, 109, 111 para. 2, 112 para. 1, 113-114, 131, 133. (Silent reflection)

All: Jesus, power and wisdom of God,
inspire in us a love for sacred Scripture
in which is heard the voice of the Father
which enlightens, inflames, nourishes and consoles.
Word of the living God,
renew missionary zeal in the Church
that all peoples may come to know you,
true Son of God and true Son of Man,
the one mediator between humanity and God. (From the official prayer for 1997)

Song Suggestion: "Word of the Father" (use the melody "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow").

Leader: In 1961, Venerable Father James Alberione, Founder of the Pauline Family, commented, "At times piety is a bit empty, but one who reads the Bible never has an empty piety: [he or] she always has a prayer life that is nourished and well fed. Therefore, in reading the Bible, keep in mind three goals: an increase of faith and fidelity, that is, docility to God; love for one's vocation; and love of God, of Jesus, and a desire for paradise" Union of faith and life with the entire Church and a vibrant spirituality which supports us in our daily walk is the fruit of prayer founded on the Scriptures. If something is lacking in our life and in our relationship with Jesus Christ, can we find its source in our attitude toward the Word of God? (Allow about 5 minutes of silence.)

All: Ps. 119:25-32

Song Suggestion: "Thy Word" (by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith).

Reader: Father Alberione wrote, "Read Sacred Scripture, keeping in mind these four fruits:
1. Learn the truths which the Lord willed to reveal to human beings.
2. Learn virtue, the virtues, observance of the commandments.
3. Learn the liturgy, that is, prayer. Learn how to pray, the
dispositions for prayer, and the graces to ask of the Lord in prayer.
4. Learn the apostolate, considering how the divine Book is presented to us. For one who does the apostolate, the divine Book is...the true rule of all."

Leader: Let us pause to ask Jesus through his mother, the Queen of Apostles, to open our hearts to the call to be new evangelizers, apostles alive in the word of God; and to open to us doors of opportunity to evangelize and the grace to recognize them as such. (Silent prayer.)

Pray these two mysteries of the Rosary:

1. Annunciation to Mary and Incarnation of the Word
2. Descent of the Spirit. The Word is "incarnated" anew in the Church, the body of Christ, and the Word is sown throughout the world in teaching, witness and liturgy.

"Litany of the History of Salvation"

From the Prayers for the Jubilee Year 2000, pp. 32f. (Ottawa: Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1997)

Leader: Lord, have mercy. (All repeat)
Leader: Christ, have mercy. (All repeat)
Leader: Lord, have mercy. (All repeat)
Leader: Christ, hear us. (All repeat)
Leader: Christ, graciously hear us. (All repeat)
Leader: Our Father in heaven
All: have mercy on us (repeat after each invocation)
Leader: Son of God, redeemer of the world,
Leader: Holy Spirit, the comforter,
Leader: Holy Trinity, one God,
Leader: Jesus, beloved Son of God, divine wisdom, splendour of God's glory,
Leader: Jesus, son of Adam, son of Abraham, son of David,
Leader: Jesus, fulfilment of the prophecies, fullness of the law, destiny of the human race,
Leader: Jesus, gift of the Father, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, son of the virgin Mary,
Leader: Jesus, born for our salvation, revealed to the shepherds, shown to the wise
men,
Leader: Jesus, light of all peoples, glory of Israel, desire of all the nations,
Leader: Jesus, baptized in the Jordan, consecrated by the Spirit, sent to us by the
Father,
Leader: Jesus, tempted in the desert, praying on the mountain, glorious on Mount
Tabor,
Leader: Jesus, teacher of truth, word of life, only way to the Father,
Leader: Jesus, healer of the sick, consolation of the afflicted, source of mercy for sinners,
Leader: Jesus, way and gate of salvation, shepherd and Lamb of God, our resurrection and our life,
Leader: Jesus, condemned to death, crowned with thorns, covered with wounds for us,
Leader: Jesus, nailed to the cross, buried in the tomb, risen from the dead,
Leader: Jesus, you visited the dead, returned to heaven and gave us your Holy Spirit,
Leader: Jesus, cherished bridegroom of the Church, reward of the just, fullness of the kingdom,
Leader: Jesus, Lord of life,
Leader: Jesus, living in the Church,
Leader: Jesus, living in unending ages,
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
Leader: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
All: grant us peace.

All:
Heavenly God,
in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh,
you unfold the mystery of salvation for all humanity.
As we profess Christ to be the one Lord,
hear the prayers of your Church;
strengthen the faith of all Christians
and deepen their desire for conversion,
that we may give witness to your action among us
and serve you in our neighbor.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord (Op. cit., p. 16).

Closing Song Suggestion: "Praise to You, O Christ Our Savior" by Bernadette Farrell.

This outline for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is provided by the Daughters of St. Paul, an international congregation of consecrated women who serve the Church with the communications media. We ask that you remember our congregation, mission, and special intention of vocations in your prayer. When you are on-line, visit us at www.pauline.org.