Granted, the website acknowledges that "Jesus is not necessarily physically present with you when visiting the Blessed Sacrament on-line." Nonetheless, I think this is a problematic devotion. So technology obviously creates many new dilemmas: for instance, what about watching mass on television? But as a previously Pentecostal, this idea of adoration online is particularly irksome to me. One thing that Pentecostals emphasize (rightly, I think) is the omnipresence of God--God is everywhere and we can know His presence. We can pray to Him wherever we are and worship Him, for instance, when walking down the beach. Granted, there is a lack of recognition in Pentecostalism of the unique presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
But we don't need the Eucharist there to focus ourselves on Christ. In fact, it might be inappropriate for the Eucharist to be present to us at every moment. For instance, the website advertises itself as useful to "business people who want the sacred to permeate their work day." But the point of an exposition of the Eucharist is not just to be there as we go about our lives, but rather so that we would adore Christ. We adore Him in one way through our work and in another way through prayer and meditation and worship. And while His real presence is appropriate to the latter, I'm not sure it is to the former. And believing that we can only pray in the presence of the Eucharist is false--we also can and must pray as we go about our daily lives.
But we don't need the Eucharist there to focus ourselves on Christ. In fact, it might be inappropriate for the Eucharist to be present to us at every moment. For instance, the website advertises itself as useful to "business people who want the sacred to permeate their work day." But the point of an exposition of the Eucharist is not just to be there as we go about our lives, but rather so that we would adore Christ. We adore Him in one way through our work and in another way through prayer and meditation and worship. And while His real presence is appropriate to the latter, I'm not sure it is to the former. And believing that we can only pray in the presence of the Eucharist is false--we also can and must pray as we go about our daily lives.
1 comment:
Perhaps "online blessing" is a better term?
I heard on EWTN once that JPII ruled that a blessing that is conveyed electronically *live* is valid, but a recording is just like reading a book.
So, for example, if you watch EWTN's mass at 8 AM Eastern, it's valid, but, if you watch at noon, it's not.
Savior.org is certainly no replacement for genuine adoration, but it definitely does something to your workday. And it allows that extra grace for family prayer, as well.
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