Your Glory Goes Beyond All Fame

 
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise

From the inside out, Lord my soul cries out

-From the Inside Out, Hillsong United

The gospel for today is about Martha and Mary. The latter chose to sit down and listen to Jesus while Martha slaved away in the kitchen. But what did Jesus say? He said Mary had her priorities straight by just listening to the word of God. Meanwhile Martha was worried about being a good hostess. This distracted her from what was really important. Her focus was not on God but on what she felt needed to be done.

For the past several weeks my brain's been consumed with work and service that I've forgotten to focus on what's really important. I figured, I should get a spiritual director so I could get some guidance in this rocky path we call life. So yesterday I asked an SFC brother, how does one find a spiritual director? He gave me a couple of suggestions on how I should look for the right spiritual director for me and my needs, and the one that really stuck was going to adoration. He said it will help so much if I go to daily adoration and ask for God's guidance, to lead me to the right spiritual director. I said cool, I'll Google adoration times in Maryland. While I'm at it, might as well look for adoration times in DC since I work there.

As you make your usual way through the city streets, aren't you happy when you discover another tabernacle? -St. Josemaria Escriva

Lo and behold, I found the Catholic Information Center (CIC), which is just a few blocks from my office. Daily adoration, daily mass, daily confession. They even have lectures and recollections. And a Catholic bookstore! I've been working in this office for over a year and I never knew about this? The CIC was placed there to support and nourish the working professionals in downtown DC. The mass and confession times are actually during the lunch break, and adoration right after. The lectures and recollections are after business hours. And you know what I love most about this? That it's located a few blocks away from an abortion center and a few blocks away from the White House. An SFC sister said it best when she said "There is a quiet strength about Catholics. They put the CIC near the Planned Parenthood and the White House as if to say: 'Okay, you wanna pass pro-choice bills and promote the culture of death? Fine, I'll put the store RIGHT HERE.' I love being Catholic."

Excited with this new find, I walked straight to the CIC, browsed through the bookstore and bought a book, then went inside the chapel for adoration. And there it was, the Holy Eucharist. There He was. Presence ever powerful, yet merciful and loving.

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

-Mighty to Save, Hillsong United

I surrendered my worries, fears, hurts and frustrations. I asked for forgiveness for being too busy to go to confession and for losing focus. And with all these I felt His great love envelope me. I felt like I wanted to hug the Eucharist, but I didn't want to scare off the old lady praying in the chapel.

It is such a blessing to be Catholic and have this chance to witness Christ in the physical form. It's like during the time of Moses when God asked him to build a tabernacle so that He could have a dwelling place with His people. And when God asked Solomon to build a temple. Because God is humble enough to physically be with us. I mean, He even became human through His son Jesus Christ just so we could be saved. How awesome is He?

Back in the Philippines, our parish's adoration chapel was open 24/7. I actually took that for granted and didn't really fully understand what it was about. I just thought there was a nearby chapel that's open all day so you could pray whenever. When I would accompany my mom to the adoration chapel, I would enjoy reading the books on the shelf and smelling the air conditioner (What? It smelled good okay). It was only when I moved here and found out that adoration is not 24/7 that I realized what it was really about and how important it is.

Just a few hours ago I went to our parish's Eucharistic adoration. Again what an amazing, humbling experience. To be in the presence of the King of kings. The holiest of all. Even though I have videos to edit and a TOB discussion group to prepare for, spending an hour in adoration was what I really needed to get things in place.

It is so easy to get caught up in worldly things and forget to spend time with our Father. I myself have a short attention span and can easily get distracted. I worry a lot, yet I forget to spend time with Him during these times. To worship and adore Him, for He is great and His promises solid as a rock. That my life itself is a testament to His glory. I pray that I will never forget that.