Sleeping in Eucharistic Adoration?

by Tina Coffey

At our recent book club meeting one of our questions centered around the noise and business of life and how to escape it.  We have a diverse group in our book club which, I think, is a good thing.  Because of this, I purposefully posed the question, "Is there anyone present who has never been to Eucharistic Adoration and if not what may be holding you back?"  I made sure to offer possible reasons like:  not sure what to do, don't have the time, etc...  I wasn't trying make anyone uncomfortable by posing this question but rather I was trying to open up an opportunity for questions and discussion.  It worked!  We had two people share that they had never been and immediately other group members started sharing how wonderful their experience was in Adoration. The conversation continued as people shared the peace they experience and how they look forward to that hour.  People were also honest about how sometimes getting there may be inconvenient but once there, it was worth it.

However, as we all began to share our experiences candidly something else came out.  Nearly everyone admitted to having fallen asleep in Eucharistic Adoration.  Now I will admit that I have fallen asleep on more than one occasion and as I shared with the group, I always felt bad and was reminded of when Jesus reprimanded the disciples for falling asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-46).  But after listening to everyone else share the same experience, it got me thinking.  I went back and looked at that passage in Luke.  Jesus says, "Why are you sleeping?  Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test?" When we are with Jesus in adoration, we aren't really with Him in a similar circumstance.

So I explored another quote that kept coming into my mind as I pondered this.  It is St. Augustine's famous quote, ""You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."  This one really resounded with me because Adoration is where we go to just "be" with our Lord.  When I go, I truly feel myself begin to "rest."  I don't mean that I purposefully go in to take a nap.  I mean that when I walk in my mind is racing with all of stuff that consumes us in this world.  "What is the best school for my son?"  "We need to save more money."  "How secure is my husband's job?" You know the drill.  We are absolutely consumed with the worries of this world.  When I step into that chapel, slowly these things seem to melt away and I am just with my God.  There are times when I pray the rosary or go there to read a book that I really need to focus on.  Mostly I just go in to be quiet and listen.  I always think of this verse when I go in:  "Be still and know that I am God."  (Psalm 46:10) That may be my favorite verse in the bible.  "Be still...know that I am God."  You could ponder those words for a lifetime and still not completely be able to believe them or understand them.

This stillness or rest is a gift from our Heavenly father.  He is offering us a break from ourselves and the world to experience a little taste of Heaven.  After all, Heaven is where we our with our Father forever in eternity.  Being with HIm in Eucharistic Adoration is a foretaste of that heavenly peace that surpasses all understanding that St. Paul describes to us in his letter to the Philippians.  (Philippians 4:7)  That mental rest leads inevitably to a physical rest and I guess that is why so many of us have experienced falling asleep in the presence of our Lord. 

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, anxious, worried, fearful, hopeless, or any of the other myriad or negative emotions that seem to plague us in this world, I invite you to a place of complete rest from all of these things.  I invite you to Eucharistic Adoration.

*On a side note, those two ladies received personal invitations from other group members to go to Adoration with them and will be going for the first time.  A personal invitation is always the best way to share something new with someone and to evangelize.

This classic collection offers rich meditation material before the Blessed Sacrament, providing prayerful souls with insights gleaned from the wealth of Church teaching and tradition. The selections are drawn from a variety of sources and times. They come from the Old and New Testaments, the Church Fathers, great saints, popes, councils, traditional prayers. These prayers and meditations offer a rich view of the Eucharist, and their unique perspectives are intended to aid us in our understanding, appreciation and worship of this Sacrament of Sacraments. "A treasure trove offering the finest jewels in prayer, meditation, Church teaching and the wisdom of the Fathers, all focused on Our Lord Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. This book offers so much to help us in the great revival of Eucharistic Adoration spreading through the Church." - Msgr. Peter Elliott , Author, Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite "This beautiful book of prayers and meditations fills a real need experienced by hundreds of thousands whose spiritual lives are being prayerfully enriched by Christ present in the Eucharist." - Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. "A treasure-chest of the Church's prayer and devotion to the Eucharistic Lord! This book will serve as a valuable resource for one's personal prayer and reflection before the Most Blessed Sacrament." -Cardinal John O'Connor '


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