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I haven’t written one of these columns in a while. In between the busyness of the job, the holidays, and a struggle to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, I’ll be honest), my still-developing “On His Time” series has not appeared in the Catholic Herald since October.
It’s been no large loss. Most of my “biggest fans” (family members) still don’t quite have the name of it right. Everything from “In His Time” to “On My Time” and so on.
I’ve been dabbling with a couple of topics this year in an effort to rekindle the opportunity I was given to write these columns. Obviously, until now, nothing has been finished.
Either my ideas were too complicated and could have filled an entire book, or I couldn’t recall the “great” ideas I had when I was no where near a piece of paper or a computer. Writing about myself had become the most difficult thing in the world.
Like most good things in life, Jesus led me to a solution.
A perk of my job, since my office is in the Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison, is having the opportunity to go to Eucharistic Adoration once a week.
My scheduled time is Thursday from 11 to 11:45 a.m.
As I was in front of the Blessed Sacrament recently, pondering this and that, including how and when I was going to get another column done, I started reflecting on keeping things simple and being happy with what I have. A column idea began to form in my head.
The previous and future editions of “On His Time” were and are going to be along the lines of events or activities I’ve been a part of, such as the participating in the young adults Monday Night Sports League and praying on the sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood during 40 Days for Life.
I asked myself why not write about something simple, something I do every week, but take for granted — the very Eucharistic Adoration time in which I was praying.
Going ‘to Adoration’
I partake in a few different opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration in the Madison area. My favorite location is the Perpetual Adoration Chapel in the Holy Redeemer Church building in downtown Madison.
A couple of months ago, I commented to someone how I “hadn’t been to Adoration” in a while, meaning I hadn’t been downtown at the chapel. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to realize I “go to Adoration” every week.
I realized I had fallen into a trap of taking an incredible gift from God and turning it into just another line in my daily planner. I might not have to make a special trip, or find time for it, but it’s still something special that I hadn’t been appreciating as much as I should.
Treasuring the time
No more than five or six people are usually in the O’Connor Center chapel with me during my scheduled time.
Because I’m on the schedule, my weekly partner and I are at the front and I never usually see who is behind me, but I recognize the same voices every week.
I couldn’t help but smile several weeks ago when I was leading the prayers, and heard all the familiar voices come together as a group. It felt like something special only the Thursday at 11 a.m. “crew” has.
My Holy “Hour” is actually only 45 minutes because the chapel has to be prepared for noon Mass and my time is even a little shorter than that because the Blessed Sacrament is reposed before Mass.
Because my time is not a full hour, I’ve, ashamedly, taken it for granted. I’ve always had it in my mind that when you spend time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, it needs to be for an hour.
There have been times I haven’t made full use of the time given to me.
It’s easy for one’s mind to wander when in the silence of a chapel and not even realize they are in the real Presence of Christ.
Sometimes I would sit there and mull over my day and my week and what I had done and what I had failed to do — but only in regards to my work, since it came in the middle of my day.
The fact is — and this is me talking to myself, but it can apply to all of us — any time spent with the Lord is a gift, no matter the time, location, or who is there with me.
I’m thankful I didn’t realize this until the opportunity was lost.
Now that I’ve begun to appreciate my time more, I’m able to embrace the silence with the Lord. I spend part of my time reading a chapter or two in a book, but the rest of the time I try to give to God so I can listen . . . and usually God ends up listening to me instead, but . . . there’s always next week, right?
Thankful for simple things
For almost a year now, I’ve never given enough thanks for the wonderful gift I have of weekly Eucharistic Adoration. So, thank you God, and everyone that makes the opportunity possible.
What are some of the amazing, yet simple things you have in your life every day or every week?
I challenge you to find one of those things and treasure it. It may be something as small as a billboard you see on the way to work or a friendly “hello” you get from a co-worker every day.
Don’t be discouraged if you realize you may have taken the “little things” for granted. Now is an excellent time to embrace all you have and give thanks.
If you have room for more “little things” in you life, why not share in the same experience I, and others, experience here? Come out and spend some with God.
For those interested, Eucharistic Adoration takes place in the Bishop O’Donnell Holy Name Chapel in the Bishop O’Connor Center weekdays from 9 to 11:45 a.m. Mass typically follows at 12 noon.
Kevin Wondrash is the reporter for the Catholic Herald in Madison. He is active in the young adult community in the Diocese of Madison. He is also involved with high school youth ministry and other activities at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison. You can follow him on Twitter @CHReporterKevin