Adoration and Relationship
Deacon Rod Knight
Saint Jerome said, “Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Knowing Sacred Scripture is a wonderful thing. We can know scripture, and know of and learn about God the Father, Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, and the Holy Spirit, and we should. But our faith is not just a collection of information. It is a living ongoing relationship with our Lord and Savior. I always heard “Knowing the Bible is one thing, knowing the Author is another.” Thankfully we can do both! Relationship with God requires effort on our part. It requires time. In today’s hectic world that time can be hard to find.
The truth is we must prioritize and make time for it. I love to sit on my deck and quiet my mind, heart and soul. In the morning, my deck is not a quiet place; turkeys are gobbling, grouse drumming, waterfowl quacking and honking on the pond, redwing blackbirds singing in the marsh, and hummingbirds zooming in and out of their feeders like it’s LaGuardia Airport. But as I look around, I see God’s hand everywhere. I hear His creation. It brings me peace and allows me to go deeper in prayer and in relationship with Him. I feel as if I am uniting my Morning Prayer with all of creations songs of praise and worship. I love hunting, it’s the solitude and peace found in some tree stand therapy. I should say what I love is the feeling of closeness to God. Does this sound familiar? Do you struggle in finding that peaceful place? Currently Our Lady of Lourdes needs help staffing their Adoration Chapel.
I am bringing this up because Adoration Chapels are amazing places where we can quiet our minds, hearts, and souls while in the presence of Jesus Christ. A place to go deeper in prayer and relationship with our Creator, Savior, and Redeemer. By signing up for an hour of Adoration we are committing to the opportunity of stillness. To quiet ourselves. To be in a room with the King of the Universe and empty ourselves and to encounter love. If you have never done Adoration or if it has been a while, please prayerfully consider a little relationship maintenance and setting aside an hour for God, the same God who set aside everything for us. Relationships are like gardens, if we don’t maintain them the weeds will take over. Let us make time while we still can and to be still and know God.