Venite adoremus

I usually go to the chapel attached to our parish church for adoration between 7.00 a.m and 8.00 a.m on Sundays.I have actually signed up for that hour and have been doing it for almost 1 1/2 years now.
For people unfamiliar with it,the adoration of the Eucharist(the holy wafer which Catholics believe is truly the body of Christ) is usually hidden away in a holy box called the tabernacle(following the ancient Jewish custom of keeping the Ark of the Covenant in a holy secluded place).But most churches these days have an adoration chapel where the Eucharist is left exposed-hence the term Eucharistic Exposition-for prayer and adoration.And when we have the Eucharist exposed, the idea is that Christ is constantly worshipped-so as long as the Eucharist is exposed-there are people adoring him, which in the case of these chapels is 24 hours a day.So most churches have sign up sheets for people to sign up for a specific time either on a regular basis or as replacement for someone else.(Reminds me of a joke-this guy sends an actor a request for a "singed" photograph and the actor obliges by sending him a photograph expertly singed on the edges with a lighter.The miffed guy responds with a request for a new photograph because the old one was"signed" all around the edges!!!)
I have met people who have been doing this for more than ten years on a regular basis.And I decided that an hour away from the humdrum of life alone with God is a good way to begin the week.Hence the timing.Sunday morning, every one is still in bed and most of the time, still will be in bed when I come back home-so I do not feel guilty about leaving Vincent to tackle the kids(not that he minds!).
When asking people to sign up for this, the agony of Jesus at the garden of Gethsemane is mentioned-how he asked his disciples to keep watch with him.When he finds them sleeping he chides them saying,"Couldn't you keep watch with me for even an hour?"-Hence the request to spend an hour with Christ.
It is also mentioned that Christ in the Holy Sacrament should not be left alone in any chapel-there should be adorers round the clock.So, sometimes when my 8.00 o'clock replacement does not get to chapel in time-I get worked up.Can I leave or should I stay is the dilemma.
That one hour is good for introspection and retrospection too.A couple of weeks ago, sitting there,alone with God, I was thinking-the world is at a standstill for me-any earth shattering occurance is not going to be known to me--I am alone here and will be for the hour and unless I am a saint , which I am most definitely not, am not expecting to see visions and hear God's voice-so, yes I feel lonely.The irony struck me-the round the clock vigil was so God should not be left un-adored but here I was, feeling alone.And then, in a flash, I had this revelation!!
God is omnipresent and omnipotent-he does not the company of mere mortals to keep watch with him-he is watching over us and knows every one of us by name and knows even our innermost thoughts.Him, feeling alone-bah!Humbug!
So this need to have 24/7 company?
Catholicism is spread worldwide and every minute of every day, the Eucharist is exposed somewhere in the world.Which means there are worshippers in prayer every single second of the day.Considering time zones and such, the possibility that God is alone is very remote.But that a worshipper is alone?Possible.I have felt lonely at the chapel.So the request that there be adorers all the time is to share the experience with each other.God becomes the invisible thread connecting a follower with someone a few thousand miles away who also,possibly feels lonely at that moment.So if you let your thought take you to that far off place where a believer is similarly occupied, voila!That connection!It might be for an instant-but it is electric.You may never know anything about the person-their name, nationality, age, gender, nature, tastes, preferences, background, opinions, flaws-anything.But in that single second you are one-in your thought and faith and belief.You are in perfect symphony and what better way to spend an hour then,knowing you are one in God?