let's make Adoration free from dramatisation

AS A  BY STANDER,one would wonder what Eucharistic Adoration Ministry is. why do we attach and name it  under specific place or Rev. Priest incharge? Do we have to be desperate to go to  adoration ministry for adoration? Does the adoration ministries in Nigeria and some other parts of Africa Conform to Jesus teachings on Bread of life as it is in the Gospel Of John Chapter 6?

Why do we have to prevent the commercialization of church institutions that are themselves should be source of reconciliation and harmony with the lord Jesus Christ?

To begin with, in adoration of the Blessed Eucharist, we deepen our spiritual connection to Jesus Christ present in consecrated Host. Through doing so, we foster our relationship with God through prayer and worship. In this adoration of the Holy Eucharist,we honor with reverence Christ's presence in the sacrament. In doing so, we enhance our spiritual growth by offering a chance of repentance and renewal.

In adoration of the Blessed Eucharist we have an opportunity to be united in shared act of devotion and worship to the second person in the Holy Trinity.

When we reflect on the basic understanding of adoration, Mother Church has emphasized that every act and aspect of the liturgy is for the glory to the almighty God through whom we are all created to revere as according to Isaiah 43:10, which says,”you are my witnesses, declares the Lord,and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am He. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.’

Through adoration, we emphasize on God;’s Sovereignty in his uniqueness and divine authority, while witnessing his power and faithfulness in order to have faith and understanding the Benefit of knowing and believing in Him alone. In contrast, attaching the prosperity Gospel attitude to the adoration ministry as it is evident in Enugu Adoration Ministry,, is a huge deviation to the initial demand by the gospel according John Chapter 6.

Jesus told his disciples that he is indeed the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. [cf John 6:51]. so did Jesus  promise earthly possession in his body and blood? Why do we want to attach things they were not part of the initial plan of our path to eternal life to the Adoration to the living Christ? The answer to this question, lies first on the priest in charge and secondly to the participant to the adoration. 

As in Nigeria for example, in Fr. Mbaka’s Adoration Ministry, Most of the people who come for the adoration don’t come to revere the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist but the presence of father Mbaka himself. 

One day, I decided to stream live one of the adoration sessions on the YouTube.unfortunately,I had to cut short the viewing  because it was chaotic and an it looked like a crusade with a stage not an alter. To me it appeared as though it was just a show not actual reverence to the body and blood of our lord Jesus Christ. Many of the participants cheered on the arrival of the father in charge and the priest seemed to like it so much. Did it give glory to the Christ and God? 

An innocent by stander would have construed it to be the people were worshiping the Priest and not the Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist. 

I have had an opportunity to read a write up Rev.Fr. Prince Chidi Philip on the adoration ministries in Nigeria. Father Chidiebere Philip says in his write up, they ‘have become spiritual theatres. Many are no longer centres of true worship, they have turned into crowds, noise, spectacles, politics and fan clubs.’

Its sad that we have priest who are not for the aspiration to lead all souls to the lord but use every opportunity they get to mint a coin from desperate people who are in need of shortcut and quick miracles. 

Father Chidiebere calls it idolatry as majority as most of the adoration done is basically to the priest not to God and most don’t even understand that they are wrong because the teacher doesn't bother to correct the mistake. 

Father Chidiebere poses an important question that a normal person would ask, “why do you go to adoration?” is it for healing, for breakthrough, for miracles alert, for marital settlement?’

 

Does the catholic church teach that adoration is for all the above mentioned? The answer is in the negative as the church teaches that adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his creator. So in adoration the church demands humility by recognizing one’s limitation and dependence of God, acknowledging God’s greatness and Majesty[not the priest] in reverence and in so doing establishing a personal relationship with his creator. [CCC 2628]

Do we go for adoration to command God for quick favors and richness? Father Chidiebere Philip laments that people have indeed turned a good thing into a bad thing. He says,’we have turned sacred ground into spiritual supermarkets.’

These commercial adoration ministries have attracted even non Catholics in large numbers. Many of them do not understand the importance of Eucharistic celebration, yet they are in it shouting ‘power’ in what they do not associate themselves with. During the Mass thepriests consecrates Host and wine to be body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ whom we receive his body, blood, soul and divinity. 

In the recent past, I was criticized for calling out the act of kneeling before human being by the Governor of Machakos County after she knelt before an evangelical TV Pastor Wilfred Lai.

Governor Wavinya Ndeti, A commissioned Catholic Women Association Member in Catholic Diocese Of Machakos ignored the ancient tradition that only God deserves the glory and Kneeling can only be done when in adoration, consecration, ordination[ the ordaining minister kneels too facing the crucifix and alter during litany of all saints] and not when she was being prayed for as they call it.

I was called names for being critical about that act. I asked whether it was right to start worshiping the created instead of the creator? One of the criticizers told me she was being an all religious governor. 

Let us avoid turning to worship people in the name of adoration ministries as the people go and the word of God remain unchanged now and forever.

When the apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, His Excellency Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty calls the priest to desist from the urge to commercialize church services.

He was calling out on such practices that would otherwise, if not called upon,validate the prosperity gospel that is taught by the protestant denominations; who have maintained that scripture without tradition and magisterium is the way forward. As an aspiring son of St Dominic, I am sure we can weed out such in the church and to among other things, establish adoration chapels in every parish seats and diocesan cathedrals, Abolish these commercial adoration ministries that are created by zealous priests first with good intentions and later overtaken by fame and greed.

I do not deny that each priest is possessing a unique gift as Saint Paul emphasized in 1 Corinthians 12:4-31, it is paramount to promote obedience and unity in the body of Christ . Let us not validate heresy just because we think those who cosmetically dramatic miracles are perfectly done you would think its true, I do not say some are not. Let us not focus on people but Christ whom we were baptized in his name.