St. Francis of Assisi parish will hold a 40 Hour Eucharistic Devotion beginning with morning Mass on March 14th and closing with a solemn Benediction on Thursday early evening, March 17th. The daily schedule will be:
- Morning Mass (8:45 am)
- Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (from after morning Mass until 7:30 pm each day).
- Hour long segments with a small prayer service and extended periods of silence. Materials in support of prayer will be available.
- Each day will close with the Repose of the Blessed Sacrament at 7:30 pm
- On Thursday the closing Benediction begins at 18:15 pm
Why are we celebrating the Forty Hours Devotion now? Our Bishop has asked each parish to designate a time of Eucharist Devotion in preparation for the Synod and the good of the parish and diocese. With this declaration, Bishop Burbidge is presenting the Church with a wonderful opportunity to explore, develop, and deepen our appreciation of the Eucharist. The primary setting for the promotion of a life centered in the Eucharist is, of course, the celebration of Mass, but the Church also offers other means of deepening a Eucharistic-centered faith. One such practice is adoration where we gather to pray before the Lord as his presence is revealed to us in the mystery of the eucharistic bread which is truly the Body of Christ. The Forty Hours Devotion gives us the opportunity to come as a community to pray before the Lord in solemn adoration.
What are the Spiritual Goals of the 40 Hours Devotion?
Through solemn exposition the faithful should remember that Jesus’ presence derives from the sacrifice of the Mass and thus its purpose is both sacramental and spiritual communion. Spending time during the devotion is meant to draw the person into an ever deeper share in the Paschal Mystery so that they can respond with gratitude to the gift of Christ present in the Eucharist. Participation is a path to enjoy Christ’s intimate friendship; to pray for themselves, those dear to them and for the world; and to strive to worship Christ in a manner fitting to their way of life.
Through prayer in solemn exposition the faithful can offer their entire lives with Christ to the Father in the Holy Spirit; derive and increase in faith, hope and charity; extend the union with Christ reached in reception of communion; renew the covenant; be strengthened to live out the covenant received through faith and sacrament; and are reminded to live their whole lives:
- strengthened by sacramental communion,
- as sharers in the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s death/resurrection/ascension, the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit, and Christ’s return),
- eager to do good works and to please God,
- to instill in the world the Christian spirit, and
- to become witnesses to Christ
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