This Eucharistic Prayer Companion is designed to help you spend thirty minutes to an hour in meditation and silent prayer with Jesus during Eucharistic adoration. Even if you cannot be physically present in a church or adoration chapel with the Blessed Sacrament, you can unite yourself spiritually to Jesus in the Eucharist as you spend this time in prayer.
THE GRACE I SEEK: to increase and abound in love
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN.
Pause for a few moments before Jesus in the Eucharist. Allow yourself to become aware of Jesus’ gift of himself to you. Imagine Jesus looking at you, gazing into your eyes with a look filled with love. He sees deep into your heart. Bring your whole life to Jesus. Share with him your fears, your hopes, your wounds, your failures, and your love. Jesus is listening attentively to you. Speak to him with trust. There is no limit to how deep your friendship can be with him. After speaking from your heart, stop, wait, listen. Rest in his loving gaze.
Thank Jesus for the gift of himself in the Eucharist.
ASK FOR THE GRACE: Jesus, I ask you for the grace to grow in love for all those you have placed around me.
Read slowly, 3-4 times, pausing between each reading. Notice the words or phrases that stand out for you. Pay attention to any feelings you may have as you pray and proclaim God’s Word. Allow the words of Scripture to speak to what you are living right now. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through this passage.
“May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12–13)
Allow yourself to sit with these questions for a while, being attentive to how the Lord is speaking in your heart.
As we begin this Advent season, we are invited to focus on love. St. Paul tells us our hearts are strengthened by increasing in love “for one another and for all.” Who is the Lord inviting you to notice this Advent so that you can grow in love for them?
Read slowly, 3–4 times. Again, allow the words of Scripture to wash over your mind and heart. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you in a personal way through this passage.
“But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand…. Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” (Luke 21:28, 34)
We begin Advent with this powerful Gospel passage where Jesus tells us of his second coming. His coming is certain. He will come in glory. He will come, as we proclaim in the Nicene Creed, “to judge the living and the dead, and his Kingdom will have no end.” Jesus wants us to be ready, our hearts awake and prepared for his coming, and he identifies those habits that lull us to sleep: carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of daily life. As you begin the Advent journey, is Jesus helping you become aware of some habit or addiction or anxiety in your life that he wants you to bring to him in your preparation for Christmas? How can you keep your heart “awake” for the coming of Christ?
Share with Jesus the thoughts and feelings that have surfaced as you have prayed with the Word of God. Open your heart to him. Jesus wants to know your dreams, your desires, your fears. You can share anything. Jesus will receive it with great love. Then remain in silence with the Lord. Allow him to speak in the silence, in your heart. Be grounded in his presence. If it helps, write down what you sense the Lord communicating to you during this time of prayer.
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that, gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. (Collect, First Sunday of Advent)
At every Mass, Jesus offers himself to the Father for us. During the Offertory, all of our needs and desires, our whole selves and all that we offer to the Lord, are laid on the altar to be united with the offering of the priest and, through him, to the offering of Christ. This Sunday, offer your desire to look up in the midst of evil and darkness to see those around you the Lord is asking you to love in a special way.
After reflecting on how to love those around you even in the face of difficulty, ask the Lord to make you aware of one person, in particular, who needs love and support. Ask the Lord for the strength to accompany that person, and make two concrete acts of love for them, such as a phone call, a coffee break, a card, or even just an intentional conversation.
Would you like to print a copy of this resource to bring with you to the chapel for prayer? Click here to download the Eucharistic Prayer Companions for the Advent and Christmas Seasons in English or Spanish.
