After work today, I wanted to spend some time in Adoration of the Eucharist. Fortunately, there are two parishes (that I know of) which offer perpetual Adoration. One is St. Joseph's, that I have written about so many times in this blog, and the other is St. Francis of Assisi. I like St. Joseph's because they have a 5:30 pm Mass that ends my Adoration hour with a reception of the Holy Eucharist. I had not visited St. Francis for Adoration before (although they have the only 6:30 am Mass in Bakersfield which fits in nicely with my usual Bakersfield workdays) so I thought today would be a good day. I would be able to spend about 45 minutes there, then drive to St. Joe's across town for Mass.
When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they now have a 5:30 Mass as well! Just as I entered the chapel (Mary's Chapel) there was all sorts of literature and topics for one to meditate on while in Adoration. One that caught my eye was
THIS PUBLICATION . It is approved for reading by the bishop of the diocese where the woman resides and is said to be without doctrinal error. The pastor at St. Francis is ultra-orthodox and approved the publication in his parish, so I felt comfortable I wouldn't be offending our Lord by reading it. We are free to believe or not believe the woman's testimony, but the content is certainly thought-provoking. I know that I have plenty of room for improvement in my observance of the Mass, after reading it.
"....my OBSERVANCE of the Mass". Did I just write that? Maybe that's my problem! I am not supposed to OBSERVE the Mass, but PARTICIPATE in it! By the way, I just love this picture I copied off of the above-mentioned website. It pretty much tells the story of what happens at every Mass, every day, in every chapel or church, everywhere in the world. With God, all things are possible.
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