From Father Ken – First Friday Eucharistic Adoration
The readings of this seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time bring to our consideration the importance of perseverance in prayer. God is not in a hurry; He is ever ready to listen to our prayers no matter how irritating we may consider it in human terms. From the book of Genesis, Abraham took advantage of this empathic listening nature of God to intercede for the righteous people living in Sodom and Gomorrah, cities marked for destruction. In Luke’s gospel, the same perseverance in prayer is highlighted with the parable of a friend in need. His needs were granted not simply because he went to his friend but because he persevered in asking.
The Church is replete with devotional practices that help us to persevere in prayer. A very good example is the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This devotion, which places us in proximity to the heart of Christ, is very simple and can be practiced by anybody. It helps us to experience His love and share it with whoever we come in contact with. The devotional practices to the Sacred Heart of Jesus include the First Friday devotion, Holy Hour or Eucharistic Adoration, celebrating the Feast of the Sacred Heart, devotional prayers to the Sacred Heart especially in the month of June, Consecration and enthronement, and praying for the Pope’s intention.
Many Catholics are more concerned with the First Friday devotion. It centers on honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the first Friday of nine consecutive months through some specific practices: attending Holy Mass and receiving Holy Communion in the state of grace with the intention of making reparation for sins and ingratitude, especially to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Confession is necessary if one is not in the state of grace. Devotional prayers to the Sacred Heart are also necessary for reparation. A holy hour, often called Eucharistic Adoration, is often observed. It is a period of prayer and meditation before the Blessed Sacrament.
The practice of First Friday devotion has a promise. The twelfth of the twelve promises of the Sacred Heart to those who practice the devotion states: “In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the First Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: they will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my Heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.”
Here in the parish, we observe the First Friday devotion with Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. We celebrate the Holy Mass at 6:30 a.m. every Friday. The Eucharistic Adoration is in the evening from 5:30 to 6:30. This is to enable those who go to work in the morning and families who need to prepare their children for school to be able to participate. Unlike the Eucharistic Exposition on Wednesdays targeted solely for private prayer, the First Friday Eucharistic Adoration is communitarian. It features the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, some moments of silent prayers and adoration, hymn, reflection, praying the pope’s intention for the month, First Friday devotional prayers, and benediction.
This coming month of August, the First Friday devotion-nay, the first Friday of the month-is on the first of August. You are all invited. The Eucharistic Adoration begins at 5:30 p.m. here in the church. We shall stay in the friars’ chapel where we celebrate daily Masses. See you there.
Fr. Kenneth Ahanonu
