Continuing our reflection on Eucharistic Adoration, we consider more aspects about the link between adoration and the fruitful reception of Holy Communion. There are many ways that God and the Church try to help us see and understand the close connection between adoring Christ in the Eucharist and receiving him in Holy Communion. Adoring Christ from the heart should lead to the desire for and reception of Holy Communion and receiving Holy Communion in love should lead to wanting to and spending more time with Jesus in prayer and adoration.

We turn again to the wisdom of Pope Benedict XVI to help in understanding this link between adoration and Holy Communion. In a homily in 2006 he proclaimed, “In one of his parables the Lord speaks of a treasure hidden in the field; whoever finds it sells all he has in order to buy that field, because the hidden treasure is more valuable than anything else. The hidden treasure, the good greater than any other good, is the Kingdom of God—it is Jesus himself, the Kingdom in person. In the sacred Host, he is present, the true treasure, always waiting for us. Only by adoring this presence do we learn how to receive him properly—we learn the reality of communion, we learn the Eucharistic celebration from the inside.” (September 11, 2006)

The fruits of participating in these dual blessings of the Holy Eucharist are manifested in the existential experience of Christ in one's life. Christ is a real person and truly lives in the bread of the Eucharist. As a result, he comes to us, fills us and remains with us as we welcome him into body and soul. Thus, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, exhorts us, “It is important that you make participation in the Eucharist… the heart of your life. He who died for the sins of all desires to enter into communion with each one of you and is knocking at the doors of your hearts to give you his grace. Go to the encounter with him in the Blessed Eucharist, go to adore him in the churches, kneeling before the Tabernacle: Jesus will fill you with his love and will reveal to you the thoughts of his Heart. If you listen to him, you will feel ever more deeply the joy of belonging to his Mystical Body, the Church, which is the family of his disciples held close by the bond of unity and love.” (November 21, 2005)

Next week we will begin to look at the blessings of Eucharistic adoration.