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1. Watch the Following Video With Your Child
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2. Teaching: Adoration and Spiritual Communion
This lesson is taken directly from the Family Formation 1st Communion Workbooks that your child will use in preparation for !st communion.
Adoration:We can know Jesus more fully through the Eucharist. Read the story of the two travelers on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24: 13-35. The travelers did not know they were speaking to Jesus until He blessed the bread and broke it. At that point, they realized it was Jesus with them. Just as Jesus was revealed in the breaking of the bread at Emmaus, so is He revealed in the Eucharist. We can see and know Jesus more clearly in the Eucharist.
We can also see and know Jesus through adoration of the Holy Eucharist outside of Mass. For adoration, a large consecrated Host is placed in a holder with a glass window in the center called a monstrance. The monstrance is put on display for people to adore the Eucharist, usually in a church or chapel.
During adoration, we are blessed to spend time with Jesus who is present under the appearance of the host. Some churches have perpetual adoration. This means that both night and day, seven days a week, someone is at church spending time with Jesus. Even while you are sleeping! Many churches have adoration.In the Cathedral of Lugo in Spain, there has been this type of adoration for more than 1,000 years.
There are many good reasons to go to adoration. Visiting Jesus in an adoration chapel is a way to thank God for saving us from our sins, to ask Him for the constant help we need, and to show Jesus how grateful we are that He is always present with us through the Eucharist.During the time in Jesus’ presence, you may pray, read your Bible, pray the rosary, or just sit and enjoy the peace that comes from being with God. The adoration chapel is a very quiet place. It’s important not to interrupt others’ prayers by talking out loud or making noise that will disturb them.
Remember that Jesus is happy you have taken the time to be with Him in this special way.
Spiritual Communion:There may be times when, for various reasons, you are not able to
receive Jesus in Communion (e.g. You have not fasted for at least one hour, you have committed a serious sin and need to go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion again, etc.) However, you may desire, with all your heart, that you could. A deep desire to receive the Blessed Sacrament is called a Spiritual Communion. You might want to say a prayer such as this one:
My Jesus, I love you above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You . Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
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Click on the image to read Luke 24: 13-35
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3. Connect Faith to Daily Life
In this lesson, we learned about different ways that we can show our love and devotion to Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. Take a few minutes to think about some things that you can do with your family to show Jesus your love for him in the Blessed Sacrament. Write these things down. If possible, go visit Jesus in the
Currently, daily adoration is offered at Holy Family church, viewed throught the window of the rectory. You may go adore Jesus from your cars from 9 a.m. -7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 12 noon to 3 p.m.
Blessed Sacrament this week, and spend some time with Him as a family.
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4. Catholic Prayer to Learn: Spiritual Communion Prayer
My Jesus, I love you above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
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5. Learn About the Saints: Saint Clare of Assisi
Chiara Offreduccio was born in the year 1194 in Assisi Italy. Her family had a great deal of money, so she had a very easy childhood and always had everything she needed.
One day she heard about Francis (he was not a saint yet), and how he had given everything up and was living a life of poverty and sacrifice for God. She wanted to do the same.
Chiara met Francis of Assisi as a teenager and she began to grow in her love for God. When she was 18, became a nun and wanted to follow the teachings of Francis.
After a few years, Francis gave her a place in San Damiano, where she started what is called a religious order for other women who wanted to be like Clare. They became known as the Poor Clares, and this is an order that is still around today! These women spent their time in prayer, and lived a very simple life, and had very little possessions.
Saint Clare loved Jesus very much and loved to spend time before Jesus in adoration.
One day, when an army came to attack the city of Assisi, Clare prayed and asked God to protect them. She placed the Blessed Sacrament in the monstrance and put it where the invading army could see it. They turned around and left!
The Church celebrates the feast of St Clare on August 12.
In 1958, Pope Pius the XII named her the patron saint of the television because at a time in her life when she was too sick to go to Mass, she could see the Mass on the wall of her bedroom, as if on a screen.
St Clare, pray for us that we too may grow in love for Jesus, and that we would also have a great devotion to Him in the Blessed Sacrament!
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6. Learn Catholic Vocabulary
Monstrance: A special holder with a glass window in the center which is used to hold Jesus present in the consecrated host.
Eucharistic Adoration: When we pray before Jesus in the form of the Eucharistic host.
Blessed Sacrament: The bread that has been transformed into the body of Jesus; the consecrated host.
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