Holy Hour Helps

It’s about You and Jesus
Like Mass, going to Adoration or sitting for a Holy Hour isn’t necessarily about what we will get out of it.
True, the graces dispensed by God help us grow in holiness, but the primary purpose of a Holy Hour is to deepen our relationship with Jesus.
Your Holy Hour can be in Adoration or anyplace that helps you find peace for prayer

Just be
Remember that you don’t actually have to do anything. The Catholic faith recognizes that the greatest gift God gives us is himself, and Prayer and Adoration are ways for us to recognize that gift outside of receiving the Eucharist at Mass. So, don’t overthink it. Just receive the gift.

Pray (with a little help)
If it’s been awhile since you’ve entered the Adoration chapel or prayed a Holy Hour and you’re worried you might be a little bored (that’s understandable!), or you have no idea where to start (it’s okay!), here are a few suggestions:

  • Pray the rosary. (Click HERE for info) To contemplate the mysteries of Jesus’ life in the rosary is to contemplate the mystery of the Eucharist given to us and the Blessed Sacrament we praise in Adoration. So, pairing these prayers is a great habit to get into.
  • Pray for others - Creat a prayer list of people in your life or needs in the world that you lift up in prayer. Not sure how to pray for the particular situation, simply ask for God's perfect will to be done.
  • Level up - and attach a person or intention to each bead of the rosary and combine these first two options!
  • Write in your prayer journal. Writing in a prayer journal is a great way of making your relationship with God seem more tangible, since we’re getting the words out of our heads and onto the paper. Think of the practice as writing a letter to God. Take all your worries of the day and lay them down during Adoration. Or write to him about everything that’s going well in your life right now.
  • Listen to praise and worship music. Music can be an extremely effective way to focus our thoughts on God. Just make sure you have headphones that will keep everyone else in your vicinity from hearing your music if they’d rather spend their time in meditative prayer. 
  • Read. While Adoration isn’t really the time to break out that thriller you’ve been working your way through, it is a great opportunity to pull out a book by one of the saints (such as “The Diary of St. Faustina,” St. Francis De Sales’ “Introduction to the Devout Life,” or St. Thérèse’s autobiography “The Story of a Soul.” Or prayerfully consider a few lines of the Catechism. You may also choose to read a set of devotional essays like Caryll Houselander’s “The Reed of God,” which is full of meditations on Mary. The Newman Center Chapel also has a Holy Hour book with lots of Eucharistic themed reflections and sent quotes.
  • Lectio Divina with the Bible! More info HERE
  • Be silent - Strive to have at least 5 minutes of silence just gazing at the Monstrance (If in Adoration), or with your eyes closed, or gazing at a crucifix or other holy object. But just be quiet.

You don’t have to sit still during your Holy Hour in order to make it count. You also don't have to do all 60 minutes at one time, feel free to break it up in 10, 20 or 30 minute segments throughout the day.