The Mass and Beyond :

1. Learn ways to foster encounters with Christ outside of Mass as a means of preparing for encounters with Christ in Mass By Dr. Tom Curran Executive Director, MyCatholicFaith.org The Mass and Beyond:

2. Session Four: Encountering Jesus Christ in the Eucharist • Overview of the Session • I. Introduction to Session Four • II. Introduction to Eucharistic Adoration • III. Six Stages of Eucharistic Adoration • External • Exertion • Extension • Excess • Exposition • Eucharistic

3. I. Introduction to Session FourBased on the book:The Mass: Four Encounters with Jesus that will Change your Life • Purpose of these Sessions: • “If no contact with the living God of all men takes place in the sacraments, then they are empty rituals which tell us nothing nor give us anything.” • Cardinal Ratzinger, May 1996 • Principle underlying these Sessions: • In order to have more impactful encounters with Jesus Christ at Mass, learn how to have analogous encounters with Jesus Christ outside Mass. • Session One: What does it mean to have an encounter with Jesus Christ? • Session Two: Encountering Jesus Christ in the Community – Worship • Session Three: Encountering Jesus Christ in the Word – Praying with Scripture • Session Four: Encountering Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - Adoration

4. II. Introduction to Eucharistic Adoration • 1. What is Eucharistic Adoration? • Based on the Real Presence of the Risen • and Glorified Lord Jesus Christ • 2. Adoration vs. Exposition • The Monstrance (“monstre” = show)

5. III. Six Stages of Eucharistic Adoration Stage One: External • 1. Physically present but not personally present • 2. The foreign experience of “being still”. Filling our time of adoration with activity. Being active vs. being present • 3. Not settling for remaining “hidden” – “showing” yourself to Jesus Christ. Getting beyond the beginning stage.

6. Stage Two: Exertion • “Getting back to Square One” • Taking out the trash • Putting things away • Restoring order (order allows for contemplation) • End and a means – Once at Square One, you get in the “flow” • Repentance (“taking out the trash” spiritually) • Dealing with Distractions (putting things away) • Don’t chase them or “think them through” • Use them as an opportunity to center on Jesus Christ • Presenting yourself and your intentions (Restoring Order)

7. Stage Three: Extension • Growing in Adoration is like becoming a runner • Contemplation: “I look at Him and He looks at me.” • Experiencing the transformative effects of contemplative gazing without experiencing the cause.

8. Stage Four: Excess • 1. Experiencing a spiritual “runner’s high”. • 2. It is safe to leave prayer when you want to stay. • 3. The “too much” (being filled to overflowing) of adoration.

9. Stage Five: Exposition • Shift from “going to exposition” to “living an exposed life”. • Examples in our tradition • Abp. Sheen – the daily Holy Hour • St. Francis of Assisi – the stigmata • Fruit of striving for transparency: you gain a capacity to recognize when someone is not being transparent.

10. Stage Six: Eucharistic • Move from Adoration to Mass • The Mass becomes the Source, Summit and Center of my life • Not “Take and look at.” but “Take and eat.” • I become a “monstrance.”