Tomorrow evening (Wednesday, Feb. 3), there is a really really cool thing happening. It's called XLT, and it stands for "exalt." It's an event geared towards teens that is a very cool, Catholic worship experience.
Many folks have participated in Praise and Worship services before, and love it. But whether you yourself like to sing or not matters not. When the band starts playing and those around you start singing their hearts out...it's easy to get pumped up by the energy.
XLT also includes a speaker - tomorrow it will be Russell Nance, the youth director at St. Pius X. He is really fun, very down to earth, and is one of the funniest people I know. He's talking about "Surrender!"
The last part of XLT includes a few minutes of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. That sounds very technical, but what it really means, is that we'll have time to just....BE. To just be ourselves, to just breathe, to simply look at Christ, face to face.
During Adoration - The Eucharist (a host that was consecrated at Mass...and ceased to be bread and wine, and actually became the body and blood of Jesus), is placed into something called a "Monstrance." This isn't something that hides under your bed! It's something created to hold the Eucharist and display it for all to see and adore.
When the Eucharist is placed on the altar in this way...we can simply look upon Jesus. We can gaze at the Eucharist, and think, and pray, and hope to be changed to be more like Christ!
For those that have a hard time understanding the Eucharist...how we can believe that it's REALLY Jesus...I personally think that Adoration can help! Just praying and gazing and asking God to help you understand this mystery, this miracle...can do wonders to increase our faith.
I encourage all who are interested in the event to come check it out. XLT itself goes on at St. Pius X from 7-8:30pm. It's geared towards teens, but all are welcome! For those that normally come to ROCKsolid/Confirmation, this is what we are doing tomorrow evening! We'll still begin with pizza at St. Mary's, but then will take a bus to St. Pius X for XLT, and will return to St. Mary's by 9pm. Please fill out and bring this form with you if you're joining the ROCKsolid crowd on the bus: http://images.acswebnetworks.com/1/129/XLTfeb3.pdf
To end this post - I leave you with a few quotes about Adoration:
"In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host." - Pope Benedict XVI
“The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship. Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love." - Pope John Paul II
"The time you spend with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth. Each moment that you spend with Jesus will deepen your union with Him and make your soul everlastingly more glorious and beautiful in Heaven, and will help bring about everlasting peace on earth" - Mother Teresa of Calcutta
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