Suggestions for Structuring a Holy Hour
Thank Jesus. First for His living presence in the Eucharist. For the gift of your faith, the priesthood which makes His Eucharistic presence possible. For His willingness to offer Himself up over and over again for our sins. For the many personal blessings He has bestowed upon you – especially the little things you so often overlook – right down to the gift of your very next breath.
Offer Him your comfort and profound sorrow — for the great disrespect that is shown Him, for His loneliness in the Blessed Sacrament, for the rejections and blasphemies He suffers every hour of every day. For man’s defiance in the face of His creator. For the lukewarm state of many hearts today. For failure to recognize sin any longer. For the insults against His beloved Mother. For the widespread disobedience against the church and the Holy Father. For sins of the flesh, sins of murder (especially abortion), sins tied to a failure to ‘Love one another’ – as He taught us. Enter into an examination of your own conscience, express your sorrow, and beg for God’s pardon and mercy.
Just be with Him — in the presence of your Best Friend, your creator, your King, your Savior, your Brother, and your Lord. Speak to Him as you would your closest, most trusted friend. Share with Him your joys, your sorrows, your hopes and your disappointments. Speak to Him from your heart. Offer Him the gift of your heart!
Be still and allow the Lord to speak to your heart. Imagine the Lord as the greater healer of hearts. Open yourself up to Him completely. Imagine your chest opening, and your heart fully revealed before Him. Ask Him – Who is all knowing – to take possession of your heart, to heal you in whatever is keeping you and He apart, and to speak to you in the deepest place in your soul. To shower you with the graces you need to live in perfect union with Him – in accordance with His Divine Will.
Ask for the Lord’s help. Lay before Him all of your petitions. Pray that you will one day be joined with Him in heaven. Pray for the petitions of your family, and especially for the salvation of each friend and family member. Pray for your enemies – for their conversion of heart. Pray for the conversion of the most hardened sinners. Pray for individuals you may know who are away from the sacraments, or the Church. Offer petitions for the sick, the lonely, the discouraged, the young, the unborn, priests, religious, political leaders, your nation, etc… Pray for the petitions of the Blessed Mother – her personal petitions for you and for the world. Pray for the petitions of the Holy Father. Pray for the souls in purgatory. Pray for peace. Pray for God’s will to reign in all hearts – on earth as it is in heaven.
Give Him your love and adoration. Marvel at the wonders of your Jesus. His boundless love and mercy. His complete unselfishness and willingness to suffer for the least of us in His passion and death, so that we could one day be united with Him in heaven for all eternity. His extreme patience and shyness as he waits for us to reach out and accept His offer of love. His humor which is found throughout the scriptures, and in the universe around us. The reality of Christ – the God-Man, 2nd person of the Blessed Trinity – truly present in His divinity as well as His humanity – body and soul. Present in the substance of bread and wine changed into the body and blood of Christ –present there for each of us.
Or pray your favorite structured prayers – ie: rosary, divine mercy, consecration prayers, litanies, etc… And remember, Christ Himself said, “Do not prattle on… in sheer multiplication of words…” (Mt. 6, 8) Above all else, speak every prayer – formal or informal – from the depths of your heart.