How to Make an Hour of Adoration

For Fr. Alberione, the terms which defined and expanded his own relationship with Jesus Master where the words Jesus spoke about himself: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life" (Jn. 14:6). Alberione also recognized that this definition of Jesus corresponded to three faculties of the human person: mind, will and heart.

Capitalizing on his intuition, he realized that Jesus desires to sanctify all of the human person--by being Truth for the mind, the Way for our choices, the eternal Life that can only truly fill our hearts here and in eternity. Therefore, the hour of adoration may be divided into three parts to help one come to know Christ in one's totality as a human person:

--the first part, in honor of Jesus Truth, seeks to allow the Truth of Christ to penetrate our mind, especially as we experience him in the Scriptures;

--the second part, in honor of Jesus Way, focuses on the contemplation of the Divine Master as our model, so that we might confront our own daily choices;

--the third part, in honor of Jesus Life, is one in which we open our hearts completely to Jesus, to be touched by his love, sustaining grace and peace.

PART ONE: Adoring Jesus Truth

In the first part of the Hour of Adoration, we sit at the feet of Jesus, as Mary of Bethany did, and listen to him speaking through the Scriptures. In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we are told that the word of God "will not return to me unfulfilled or before having carried out my good pleasure and having achieved what it was sent to do" (Isaiah 55: 10-11).

St. Paul thanks God for the Christian community in Thessalonica who "as soon as you heard the word that we brought you as God's message, you welcomed it for what it really is, not the word of any human being, but God's word, a power that is working among you believers" (1 Thes. 2:13).

Reading Sacred Scripture is a sure way to know God and his will for us. This first part of the Hour of Adoration puts us into contact with this Word, which contains the Truth. We seek to become, like Jesus, a person who puts himself before God so that "morning by morning [God] makes my ear alert to listen like a disciple" (Is. 50:4-6).

In this way, we adore Jesus, the Truth, and seek to live our lives more and more in conformity with true wisdom.

PART TWO:  Following Jesus Way In the second part of the Hour of Adoration, Jesus is contemplated as our Way, our Model. During this time, we reflect on God's action in our own life, thank hi for the wonders he has worked, and ask forgiveness for the times we have failed to respond in love.

What difficulties am I experiencing in life right now? How am I responding to the situations and people in my life right now? What would Jesus do if he were in my place? How do I need to change and grow in love of God and the other people in my life?

With great trust, we ask Jesus to act powerfully in our lives, so that we can truly imitate him.

PART THREE: Receiving Jesus Life In the third part, we focus on Jesus as the source of our life, the source of grace, of strength, of union with the Father. Thus, we turn to Jesus in prayer and pour out our hearts to him.

Fr. Alberione once said of this part of the Hour of Adoration: "Tell Jesus everything: if you have some troubles, if your heart is full of hope, full of the desire to be united with him, the desire to go to heaven and be near him, if you long for the gifts of knowledge and wisdom.... Tell him that you want to do many things for him, but you do not know how.... Tell him all your spiritual aspirations, confide even those worries that you dare not say to anyone....Does someone annoy you? Are you in a bad mood? Tell Jesus everything, with...simplicity...."

As we open our hearts to the Lord, he will draw near us in his healing love. 

Fruits of the Hour of Adoration

As we take time out of our busy lives to focus our attention on Jesus and open our entire being to him, we will gradually come to know God, our Father, as well. Jesus assured us that when we gaze upon him, we gaze on the Father, for he and the Father are one.

Therefore, as we experience Christ in his eucharistic mystery, we gaze on the Father. We have the opportunity of being in the presence of God, Father, Son and Spirit in a special way. This triune God, in turn, sends us out to be a communication of love to the people of our time.

God does not let us "rest," but sends us as the prophets and apostles were sent to witness to his love and mercy for the people of our time. Using the method described here is a sure aid in integrating our beliefs into our daily lives, helping us change harmful or sinful behavior patterns, drawing us to love what Jesus loves and allowing ourselves to be loved by him.

In this way, we fulfill the purpose for our existence--that we might know, love and serve God. We are prepared for eternity in which we will forever be caught up in the communication of love of the Father, Son and Spirit. Let us grow in becoming that communication for our brothers and sisters now while we are on earth.

(By: Sr. Marie Paul Curley, FSP; Sr. Germana Santos, FSP; Sr. Bernadette Reis, FSP)