As a member of St. Jude's Adoration Chapel for many years, I am noticing the numbers increasing in our Chapel. It is not unusual for us to see four or five or more adorers, especially younger people. 

On July 22, 2023, my daughter, Michelle, and our friend, Pauline, were arriving at the Chapel for our hour of audience with the Lord. There was a large group of young men dressed for a wedding coming out the door. It was such a wonderful scene for us to witness these young men intent on their mission for our Lord. My friend was in the Chapel before us and witnessed these young men in prayerful Adoration. 

I truly believe that the bishops and priests all over the United States are successfully bringing more and more people into Adoration with our Lord. Can you imagine how all of Heaven is celebrating!

I love going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion because Jesus has given me an understanding of the Eucharist. Every time I go to Mass, I close my eyes during the consecration. It’s like a movie plays in my mind of what the Eucharist truly is — I have reflected on images of Jesus as the Word, Jesus' true blood in the chalice, and the great things hidden in the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is truly the constant in my life that keeps me grounded. I know that the Eucharist will always be there for me to turn to even when I feel abandoned by this world. 

The Eucharist has healed me of wounds that I had never shared with anyone. No one knew what I was going through, but in Adoration I could tell that God knew what I was going through. He knew what I was feeling, and He understood me. 

I love going to Mass because it shows me that I am loved unconditionally. Even when I feel like people in this world love me only because of my successes, I can know that Jesus will always love me. He knew all of the failures that I would have, and He still died for me. 

I love praying before the Blessed Sacrament because it gives me comfort knowing that God will always be there. Wherever I go, I can always go to Jesus in the Eucharist. I never have to fear ever being lonely if I recognize God's presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Eucharist impacts my life greatly. Every week at Sunday Mass, I look forward to receiving the Eucharist. I receive great comfort and know I will be able to handle the week ahead because of the strength of the Lord. I look forward to Mass every Sunday. I love being fed by the Word and the Eucharist both. 

The perpetual adoration chapel is a place of sanctuary for me, a safe place when the world is too loud, confusing, or painful. I walk in knowing the Lord is present and feel peace and comfort immediately. It’s like coming home and spending time with family. 

I love the sense of peace I get when in front of the Blessed Sacrament. It’s a truly amazing gift to spend that time in prayer.

I have experienced the power of the Eucharist at a few different points in my life, but the one that comes to mind first is during a moment of Adoration where the monstrance was being processed through the room. Seeing hundreds of people on their knees worshiping and adoring was very moving, but the moment the priest walked by my section it felt like kneeling wasn't enough. I wanted to reach out to the Blessed Sacrament. I've returned many times to that moment and thought about how I always want to feel that way about my faith. 

We are lucky enough to have a perpetual Adoration chapel at our parish and I know that each week I have one hour set aside to really focus on my relationship with God. Being in front of the Blessed Sacrament is comforting. It is the physical reminder that I am not alone in my struggles and joys in life.

My stepfather suffered cardiac arrest and a heart attack both on the same evening a couple of years ago. As he was in the hospital that night, I remember going into the chapel at St. Jude and having a feeling of things being OK. I had no worries about what was going to happen, even as he was placed into a medically induced coma. 

It was maybe a month and a half later and he was transferred to rehab and now has almost no issues. There is a reassurance being in front of our Lord that cannot be described.

Late in November 2022, a woman in hospice care was looking very pensive after receiving Holy Communion. Her demeanor had dramatically changed from somewhat agitated to remarkably peaceful. 

I asked her what was going on. She replied, "I wasn't doing anything, now I am,” she replied. Then she paused and said, “I think the Lord just came to visit me." 

Her husband and I experienced a visceral sensation of peace and presence that had permeated the room. At her funeral a few weeks later, Monsignor told this story in his homily on the Gospel the family had chosen: John 6:51-58, the Bread of Life discourse.