Archbishop John: you can find hope in Eucharistic adoration
As part of the Jubilee year, the Archbishop of Southwark is encouraging people to turn to the Lord Jesus in Eucharistic adoration and have their hopes “fulfilled by Christ”
The theme of Jubilee 2025 is “pilgrims of hope”, with Pope Francis calling on the world to “fan the flame of hope that has been given us”. In a recorded message posted on YouTube, Archbishop John Wilson explained that the Lord Jesus “is the reason for the hope within us” and called on us all to become Eucharistic disciples this year by finding hope in Eucharistic adoration.
The Archbishop of Southwark explained that:
“it is by understanding that the Lord Jesus is present in the Eucharist, that we can begin to understand why worship before the Blessed Sacrament provides such fulfilment”.
He has therefore urged people to make spending time in Eucharistic adoration to find the hope Christ offers a priority for 2025.
Eucharistic adoration is an act of worshiping and adoring the Lord Jesus, who is truly present in the Eucharist, before a Tabernacle or Monstrance. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “because Christ Himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, He is to be honoured with the worship of adoration”.
In his message, posted on YouTube and social media, the Archbishop drew on Scripture – which he said is “the light that guides our path” – to see where we are encouraged to take part in Eucharistic adoration.
The Archbishop used the story of Martha and Mary in the Gospel of Luke, where the Lord Jesus explains that Mary – who chose to sit at His feet and listen to His teaching – chose “the good portion, which will not be taken away from her”.
Archbishop John said this passage shows:
“what Eucharistic adoration offers. A chance to be with the Lord and hear Him. Adoration is a chance to move away from the busyness of life, the distractions, the preparations and just truly be present with the Lord. Who is present there with us. This is what He wills, this is what He never wants taken away from us”.
Explaining the merits of Eucharistic adoration, Archbishop John said:
“we are all Eucharistic disciples and we must all constantly return to Eucharistic adoration. This means reorienting our lives as disciples toward Christ, living for him and befriending him in the Blessed Sacrament”.
Spending time in prayer and adoration, as a Eucharistic disciple, Archbishop John explained:
“you will begin to see the Lord Jesus more clearly. And He will see you.”
As part of the plans to promote Eucharistic adoration, the Archdiocese of Southwark will be releasing a series of interviews with clergy and lay people about their experience of adoration. Various online resources, to support people in Eucharistic adoration, will also be produced and made available.
The Archbishop of Southwark, also wrote a piece for the Catholic Herald on the campaign, where he urged people to share the love of Christ, to be found in adoration, feely and widely:
As St Peter said, the Lord Jesus is the reason for the hope within us. So, this year, come to the Lord and find hope in adoration. Then go out to share his love freely and widely.
His challenge, the Archbishop said, to us all and to himself is:
“to turn to the Lord Jesus in Eucharistic adoration. As your heart yearns for the Lord, let it be filled with His love and hope, by entering the presence of Christ who is there with us in Monstrance and in the Tabernacle”.
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Dear friends,
I want to talk to you about the wonder of Eucharistic adoration and why it is in adoration, we can find hope.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life. It is the most precious gift the Catholic Church possesses, because within the Eucharist is Christ himself.
It is by understanding that the Lord Jesus is present in the Eucharist that we can begin to understand why worship before the Blessed Sacrament provides such fulfilment.
As you spend time in adoration, as a Eucharistic disciple, kneeling before Christ – truly present – you will begin to see the Lord Jesus more clearly. And he will see you.
It is in these precious moments that you will be able to offer yourself to him and feel him working within you.
It is in these moments, you will find hope.
At the Last Supper, the night before he died for us, the Lord Jesus took bread and wine.
He spoke familiar words we will never fully understand, but so desperately need to hear: ‘this is my body; this is my blood.’
He was telling his disciples - he was telling us - that here, in the Eucharist, he’s with us.
That we’re not alone. That we’re not abandoned. That we have hope.
Remember, the Lord Jesus is the truth, the way and the life. So, when he says “this is my body” – he meant it. When he said “this is my blood”, he meant it.
This is the heart of our faith. The Eucharist is what builds the Catholic Church, it is the very heartbeat of the Church. We are blessed to have the Lord Jesus really and truly present with us in the Mass and in Holy Communion, in the Tabernacle and in the Monstrance.
And that is why we need to come before the Tabernacle and the Monstrance and worship the Lord Jesus.
His presence there is real and it’s why when I’m in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, I pray: ‘My Lord and my God, I firmly believe you are here; that you see me, that you hear me; and I adore you with profound reverence’.
In each moment I spend in Eucharistic adoration, I am set ablaze with Eucharistic amazement as the beautiful truth that the Lord Jesus is here with me, in his glory, fills me with hope.
He is here with me to be loved with a heart of devotion and it fills me, as it should for you too, with hope.
And right now, we all need hope.
The world is divided. Conflict and war rages across the world, from the Holy Land, to Ukraine to South Sudan and elsewhere.
In our fallen world, hate, violence and conflict are ever present. There are also threats to human life at home, through assisted suicide and abortion.
But among all this hatred and division we must remember that our experience in this world is far from hopeless.
There is hope and that hope is the Lord Jesus Christ.
This hope creates a yearning within our hearts for Christ. And do not be mistaken, this is very much a Eucharistic yearning.
Because the hope and light of Christ is presented to us in the Eucharist. How blessed are we, to yearn for Christ, whose flesh is real food, whose blood is real drink – all present here for us.
As Pope John Paul II said, the “Eucharist is truly a glimpse of heaven appearing on earth”.
We can taste and see that the Lord Jesus is good, by drawing ourselves in hopeful adoration of Christ in the Eucharist.
As our hearts ache for hope, let us remember that hope comes – and is fulfilled – in Christ. In our divided world, we only find unity through the Lord Jesus – our Saviour and our Prince of Peace.
Eucharistic adoration provides you with a way to fulfil your Eucharistic yearning, a chance to have your hope fulfilled by Christ.
Before Christ, in adoration, we can pour out our hearts. We get to talk to the one who loves us the most, who is our best friend, who is our light and our hope.
He is our Saviour, and yes he already knows what we desire, and what we need. But he wants us to tell him what is going on in our hearts regardless. He loves you, he knows you. So tell him.
Tell him your joys. Tell him what it’s like to be you. Tell him where you struggle. Ask him for what you need. Ask him to help you know what to take to confession. Bring to him the needs of others. Thank him for his blessings.
But before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, at a certain point, we also need to fall silent, to be silent. To close our eyes and let Christ love us, to open our eyes and to adore him with eucharistic amazement and in silence before the presence of Christ.
To hear him speak the silent language of his love.
This is the gift of Eucharistic adoration, it’s your chance to see the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and be with him: in silence and in prayer.
What makes Eucharistic adoration so precious is that it’s not just our hearts which yearn for him. But the Lord Jesus wants you to be with him too. He desires and is calling you to spend time in Eucharistic devotion.
How can we be sure? Well, as ever, Scripture is the light that guides our path.
In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the story of Martha and Mary. Jesus was visiting Martha, who kindly welcomed him into her home. Martha busied herself with preparations, serving and welcoming her guest, after all who wouldn’t want to make sure the Son of God was properly cared for.
But as she was working hard, her sister Mary sat at the Lord’s feet. Silently, patiently listening to his teaching. Martha was shocked, and turned to the Lord imploring him to tell Mary to help her.
As ever, the reply Martha received from the Lord was not the one she expected. The Lord Jesus answered her and said: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her”.
Now, the Lord wasn’t being ungrateful here or underplaying Martha’s hospitality. He was making a point to Martha – to all of us – about the importance of spending time in his presence and just being with him.
This is what Eucharistic adoration offers; a chance to be with the Lord and hear him.
Adoration is a chance to move away from the busyness of life, the distractions, the preparations and just truly be present with the Lord. Who is present there with us.
This is what he wills, this is what he never wants taken away from us.
Of course, there is another pertinent example from Scripture. In Matthew, we hear how Jesus went with the disciples to Gethsemane. This was a moment of profound sorrow and trouble for the Lord. In this moment, he asks the disciples to “remain here, watch with me”.
Jesus then prays to the Father, and on return what does he find? The disciples sleeping. He then said to Peter: “So, could you not watch with me one hour?”
All the Lord willed in that moment was for the disciples to be with him. But they couldn’t do it. How often in our lives has the Lord willed us to be with him, but we just couldn’t do it – for whatever excuse we make in our minds.
And now you can perhaps see that it is from this passage that we received the inspiration of the “Holy Hour” as a form of Eucharistic adoration.
It is because the Lord willed the disciples – and wills us now – to spend time with him. To watch him. To be with him.
The Lord Jesus was speaking to us all when he said “could you not watch with me one hour”.
We are all Eucharistic disciples and we must all constantly return to Eucharistic adoration.
This means reorienting our lives as disciples toward Christ, living for him and befriending him in the Blessed Sacrament.
It means finding hope in him in Eucharistic adoration and encouraging others to do the same.
So, in 2025, my challenge to you all – my challenge to myself – is to turn to the Lord Jesus in Eucharistic adoration.
As your heart yearns for the Lord, let it be filled with his love and hope, by entering the presence of Christ who is there with us in Monstrance and in the Tabernacle.
When you approach him, let your heart, spirit and hopes be lifted as you say “thank you Lord Jesus – thank you for seeing me. For hearing me. For being with me always. For waiting for me here with loving healing mercy. And thank you for being delighted when I stay a while in your presence.”
As St Peter said, Jesus is the reason for the hope within us.
So, this year, come to the Lord and find Hope in Adoration.
May God bless you and keep you.
