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Spending Time in Prayer at Ascension: The Power of Presence
For Catholics, “spending time in prayer” may mean a number of different things — praying the Rosary, reading and reflecting on Scripture, or lighting a candle. We pray in thanksgiving for God’s blessings and we bring our needs, and the needs of others, before the Lord, in petition. Prayer is often a response of gratitude in our highest moments, as well as a cry for help in our most challenging struggles. And in uncertain times like these, it’s more important than ever to remain connected to the One Who holds the whole world in His hands, through prayer.
“Spending time in prayer brings a peace to the soul that only God can give,” says Julie Ternes, Director of Music and Liturgy. “Jesus tells us ‘Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). Prayer takes us away from all that is happening in our busy lives and world, and gives us respite. We need that time.”
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A common form of prayer for many people is spending time in adoration, before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament — often called “Eucharistic Adoration.” However, whether or not our Lord is visible to us in a monstrance, He is always truly present, reserved in the tabernacle, in our church. Here at Ascension, we encourage our parishioners to take advantage of this opportunity to be close to our Lord.
“I think when people hear ‘adoration’ they think of the period of time when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed on the altar in a monstrance,” Julie says. “But we can do ‘adoration’ personally whenever we come to the church and sit in front of the tabernacle, with the Blessed Sacrament inside.
“Even if we sit in church and can’t turn our minds off, we still can experience the peace of God just by being in His presence,” she adds.
In addition to the daily Rosary that is prayed at 7:50 a.m., and Eucharistic Adoration with Benediction on Mondays from 8:30 a.m. until 9:15 a.m., our church is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. to allow people to stop by and spend time in personal prayer with our Lord.
There are many different ways that people may choose to pray while in the Presence of Jesus in the tabernacle. Whether it’s praying the Rosary, walking through the Stations of the Cross, praying with the saints displayed in our stained glass windows, or lighting a candle, parishioners are encouraged to find the form of prayer which they find most meaningful. There are a number of resources available in the foyer to aid people in their prayer and reflection, as well as apps such as iBreviary and myParish, which give people access to prayers, Scripture readings and reflections, and more.
“My favorite prayer is to pray one of the ‘hours’ of the Liturgy of the Hours, because I love the idea that Catholics all over the world are following the same daily cycle and praying the same psalms and reflections as me,” says Julie, who often uses the iBreviary app while praying in the church.
For many, in the midst of the busyness of life, setting time aside to get away from all the noise has a significant impact on their ability to be still and hear the voice of God in prayer. As Scripture tells us, the Lord often speaks in a “still, small
voice,” and while we can communicate with God anywhere, there is something unique and special about praying in the church.
“The silence of the church physically cuts us off from the noise of the world and helps us turn off our own busy minds,” Julie says. “We have to experience that silence in order to hear God.
“As Catholics, we believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,” she adds. “Believing this, we know Jesus is truly present in the tabernacle. Sitting in that presence feels different than sitting at home, even if we have a special prayer area.”
Julie encourages fellow parishioners to make a priority of coming to spend time in prayer, especially in the midst of so much unknown in the world.
“Just 10 minutes a day in front of the Blessed Sacrament will bring countless moments a day of peace to your heart and soul,” she says.
