People look at me strangely when I tell them that I get up at 3:30 AM once a week to go spend an hour with Jesus. Well, I’ll admit it, I keep it on the down low now; my non-Catholic friends and family already think I’m crazy, and the Catholics I know see it as me trying to sell them on one more thing in their already busy lives. Heck yeah I’m trying to sell them! I give this one wacky hour to Jesus, and it ends up being more like at least two because we live in the boonies and that adds drive time, and I get far more than I give.

It all started when Father DeLuca came to our parish five years ago. I found out just recently that he didn’t even want to start a Eucharistic Adoration program (with Exposition) at our parish, because we’re so small. There were a lot of naysayers in the starting days. Four nights a week, 6 PM to 7 AM. How would little St. Joe’s do it?

Little did we know, and little did anyone predict, the addictive power of Jesus. The most committed adorers were those who had the middle-of-the-night hours, midnight to 5 AM. And I can see why. I started out as an early morning adorer, and kept getting earlier and earlier due to need and life circumstances. The 4 AM hour has been my favorite so far.

I give Jesus this one small hour once a week.

He gives me a GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT day and a peace in my soul that I can’t express in words. I yearn for that hour! I picture him up on the altar, just chilling out, hanging with his homies. He’s usually wearing jammy pants (come on, it’s the middle of the night and it’s 2006, he’s not in a robe anymore!) in my imagining, and he’s usually got a book. Maybe it’s because of my tendency to read.

And let me tell you, what I read during my Adoration time soaks right in. It’s as though the intellectual challenges don’t apply if I read it there with JC. Theology of the Body, no problem. Encyclicals, saints’ writings, bring it on.

Make an appointment with Jesus. One small hour. Just wait to see what he gives you back.