A Healthy Society Needs Eucharistic Adoration

“Mankind’s humble adoration of God with us in the Holy Eucharist is the weight that will crush the head of satan.”  (1, pg  81), If this statement is true and we want to be a part of the defeat of satan and the rise of a truly Christian civilization of love, then we should spend time adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and encourage others to do the same.

St. John of the Cross said, “The smallest act of pure love is worth more to the Church than all other works put together!” (1, preface letter). What is an act of pure love?  Pure love, or the infused theological gift of divine charity, is defined as “A Divinely infused habit, inclining the human will to cherish God for His own sake above all things, and man for the sake of God.“(2).

What is the highest act of pure love? Single-hearted worship of the Lord Jesus Christ at Holy Mass and reception of His body, blood, soul and divinity in the Holy Eucharist. But receiving the Eucharist is more a gift of love from the Love Himself to His children. Apart from the Sacraments, what is the greatest act of pure love that a grateful creature can give his Master and Lord?  It is Eucharistic Adoration, where we humbly spend time with our Beloved, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, hidden in the form of a host, uniting our hearts to His in adoring worship. As St. John Paul II stated, “United with the angels and saints of the heavenly Church, let us adore the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Prostrate, we adore this great mystery that contains God's new and definitive covenant with humankind in Christ.” (3). And St. Alphonsus Ligori said, “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us.” (4).  Jesus longs for companionship as He waits for us in this humblest of forms. To St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Jesus said ,“I have a burning thirst to be honored by men in the Blessed Sacrament”. (5).

The time we spend adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is never wasted; it gives life and zeal to our ministries and apostolic endeavors and showers grace upon the world. The Saints all recognized this truth in the way they lived their lives, adoring daily and speaking often about the power and importance of Eucharistic Adoration. St Teresa of Calcutta and her sisters began their work with an hour before the Eucharistic Jesus each day. As their work responsibilities grew, they eventually began spending 3 hours each day adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament (6). When people suggested that St. Teresa cut back on the time spent in adoration because of the importance of her work, she refused, knowing that it was adoration that made her work fruitful. Archbishop Fulton Sheen made a Holy Hour every day of his priesthood (over 60 years) because he made a promise to Jesus that he would do so on his ordination day (7). He also understood that his Holy Hour was the source of grace that fueled his spiritual life and work. Even St. Peter is quoted as having said “Until we have a passionate love for our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we shall accomplish nothing.” (8).

St. Peter Julian Eymard, called “The Apostle of the Holy Eucharist”, believed wholeheartedly that the health of society depends on the prominence placed on Eucharistic worship within society: “Let us never forget that an age prospers or dwindles in proportion to its devotion to the Eucharist. This is the measure of its spiritual life, faith, charity, and virtue.” (9). He also said that we will return to a truly Christian way of life through Eucharistic prayer: “Society will again someday become Christian won to Jesus Christ by the apostolate of Eucharistic Prayer.” (9). If we want our society, our faith communities, our homes and our personal spiritual lives to be more authentically Christian, we should spend more time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. And if we wonder why we are struggling in life or our relationships, we should examine whether a waning Eucharistic devotion could be a source for these troubles.

There are many similar observations by the Saints of the unimaginable spiritual and temporal benefits to both the individual who practices Eucharistic Adoration and to society which receives graces showered down upon it as a result. Some of the promises made by Saints to those who adore include: a special blessing received by every man, woman, and child on earth as a result of a single Holy hour (St Faustina); a more glorious soul in heaven (St. Teresa of Calcutta); that our Holy hours have the power to convert the United States and save the world (St. Teresa of Calcutta); adoration helps us conquer the devil (St. John Bosco); that Perpetual Adoration is the best path for establishing peace in the world (St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Calcutta); that our Holy Hour showers mercy and grace on us, the one who most needs it in the world and the whole community, setting into motion transformation of entire communities and the world (several Saints); adoration is the greatest power in the universe (St. Maximillian Kolbe); it is the best time you will spend while on earth ( St. Teresa of Calcutta); and it is the activity that most resembles that of the highest choir of angels in heaven (Marian theologian Mark Miravalle). Most if not all of the exact quotes supporting these statements are available on A-Z quotes or the Encyclopedia of Eucharistic Adoration Quotes Pope Francis himself has addressed the topic of Eucharistic adoration over 100 times since the time he was a bishop, saying that it is something we seem to have forgotten and need to rediscover with great fervor.(10)

If Adoration is so powerful and spiritually beneficial, why don’t more Catholics see it as an essential devotion for a healthy a spiritual life? The devil has used the chaos surrounding us to take our eyes off the Lord and to make us believe that we must be in a constant state of harried activity trying to better our world. He has convinced us that if we are sitting still, we are not accomplishing anything. This is an appeal to human pride and is false. As the Saints knew all too well, all things are possible with God and without Him nothing is possible. So spend time with the Lord, listening to Him speak to your heart as you lovingly adore Him. Your soul, your family, your community and the world will thank you for it someday.

Sources: 

1.     A Sister of the Children of Mary. (2016). I Will Think of Everything. You, Think Only of Loving Me. Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.

2.     “Love.” Catholic Answers, https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/love.

3.     "Pope John Paul II." AZQuotes.com. Wind and Fly LTD, 2025. 11 January 2025. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/590318

4.     "Alphonsus Liguori." AZQuotes.com. Wind and Fly LTD, 2025. 11 January 2025. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/574189

5.     Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus | Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.

        https://carmelitesistersocd.com/devotion-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/.

6.     Register, Southern Nebraska. “The Eucharist and the Hope of the Poor.” Catholic Diocese of Lincoln, 17 Nov. 2023,

        https://www.lincolndiocese.org/op-ed/bishop-s-column/17361-the-eucharist-and-the-hope-of-the-poor. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

7.     OPEast. “Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: Master Preacher, Master of the Air Waves - Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph.” Dominican Friars Province of St. Joseph, 15 Apr. 2012,                        https://www.opeast.org/2012/04/archbishop-fulton-j-sheen-master-preacher-master-of-the-air-waves/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

8.     “Saint Peter Quote.” A-Z Quotes, 2025, https://www.azquotes.com/quote/685938?ref=holy-eucharist. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

9.     “Encyclopedia of Eucharistic Adoration Quotes.” Eucharisticadorationquotes.org, 2025, https://www.eucharisticadorationquotes.org/st%20peter%20julian%20eymard.htm

        Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

10.  “Encyclopedia of Eucharistic Adoration Quotes.” Eucharisticadorationquotes.org, 2015, https://www.eucharisticadorationquotes.org/pope_francis.htm. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.