Why I Spend An Hour With Jesus: The Real Presence (Part 1 of 3)

by Dennis Pryzwara

Why spend an hour with Jesus in Adoration on Thursdays?
1. The Real Presence

After being raised in a devout Catholic family, receiving the sacraments and a Catholic
education, I quit. I still called myself Catholic but only practiced my faith occasionally. Over many years the Lord drew me back to His Church. But one thing I struggled with was
the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. I questioned whether Catholic priests had a unique anointing to call down Jesus into the bread and wine.
In the fall of 2015, two years after joining St Andrew Parish, I sincerely brought this question to God during Sunday Mass. I knelt after the Sanctus, intently praying and watching Fr. Francis as he began the Eucharistic prayers. Suddenly to my great surprise, the face of Jesus appeared on Father’s chest. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. No, the image of Jesus remained, I was overwhelmed. The image faded away after the Consecration and there was only a cross on his vestments where Jesus’ face had been. God granted me a great favor that day that has affected me every day since then.
Our church teaches that priests act “in the person of Christ” at the Consecration. Acting in the person of Jesus, the bread and wine becomes the Real Presence of Jesus. This is exactly what I saw during that Sunday Mass! Since then God has taught me respect for the priesthood. He has stirred my heart to love the sacraments and received them frequently. I believe the same Jesus who miraculously appeared to me is fully present under the appearance of bread and wine. I pray that my family and friends and especially my children will all come to know Jesus through His Real Presence in the Eucharist. I love sitting with Him in Adoration.
Dennis Pryzwara