Fullness of Faith

I went to Eucharistic Adoration this afternoon for about an hour. What a beautiful and peaceful experience it was. It always is......when I go. It is an amazing thing to be able to sit before Jesus and spend time with Him in prayer. How wonderful it would be if I spent time praying in front of Jesus more often. So why don't I? I could make a million excuses, and, well... I guess I do. I find countless reasons not to spend time praying. There are always unending distractions that keep me from focusing on God. I could go to daily Mass regularly if I wanted to. Probably even every day if I were so inclined. And I wish I were so inclined. I want to put God first and fit everything else in around Him but most days, I don't. It reminds me of St. Paul's words, "For I do not do what I want but I do what I hate" (Romans 7:15). Why are we so weak and so quick to turn away from our God, even when we claim to love Him with all our hearts? I don’t know the answers but I take comfort that St. Paul also tells us that Jesus said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Despite my weakness, I love my Catholic faith. It is truly who I am and what I want to live. I love, admire and respect the Pope. What a wise and genuinely holy man he is. I have no doubt about the sanctity of our sacraments, or about the truths the Catholic faith teaches us. I know that the Eucharist is the true body and blood of Christ, yet I often choose to sleep in rather than to get up and meet my Lord at daily Mass during the week. I always feel so close to God and so grateful for His mercy following the sacrament of Reconciliation, yet I usually avoid it until I feel riddled with guilt. There seems to be so many who leave the Catholic Church, who claim they do not find any spiritual fulfillment there. It always saddens me to hear stories of people who go elsewhere to seek the Lord when I know He is present in our Church in a way He can be present in no other. We have the sacraments, we have our wonderful priests, who alone can bring us the Eucharist, we have the Holy Father to guide us, and our Catechism to enlighten us. Our faith has so many beautiful gifts and blessings. Perhaps the only thing missing is the passion in our own hearts to share these gifts with others and to appreciate and participate in them ourselves as often as we can.