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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Eucharistic Adoration	Patrick	Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Question: Hello Brother, I spend an hour every week in Eucharistic Adoration and have been doing so for a few years. Lately, meaning the last couple of months, I seem to be starting to feel very tired, to the point of dozing off - although I usuallly fight it off fairly well. This past Easter Sunday, I just plain fell asleep for awhile during my hour. I think there were 1 or 2 people in the chapel with me at the time and I have no idea if I disturbed them. I was up late the previous evening doing work and didn't get much sleep so I think I need to fix that for certain. Initially, I was thinking that Jesus would understand but the more I think about it, it may have been sinful because my behavior was probably witnessed by others. In addition, I may be guilty of the same thing the Apostles did while waiting before Jesus in the garden - except this was on Easter Sunday. Is this a sin? What do you think is the best way to make amends?
Question Answered by Dear Patrick: There is no sin in falling asleep during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. God understands your being tired. In fact, what better place to find rest than before our Lord? When the Apostles fell asleep they did not sin. Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." The urgency in prayer that was needed by the Apostles whereby they should not have fallen to sleep was the upcoming arrest, torture, and death of their master. Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." The temptation that was about to come was denying Jesus when he was arrested and sent to the Cross. St. Peter specifically denied his master, others ran away. They needed to pray that they would not fall into such temptation, but the Apostles did not fully understand what was about to happen, and their "spirit was willing, but their body was weak." They fell asleep at a time that they needed to be alert. That is not the same situation you are in today. During your time in Adoration you can do what you want — pray, meditate, complemplate, read, etc. It is time spent at the feet of our Lord. Falling asleep once-in-awhile at the feet of our Lord is not a bad thing. You have committed no sin. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Eucharistic Adoration

Patrick

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Question:

Hello Brother,

I spend an hour every week in Eucharistic Adoration and have been doing so for a few years. Lately, meaning the last couple of months, I seem to be starting to feel very tired, to the point of dozing off - although I usuallly fight it off fairly well. This past Easter Sunday, I just plain fell asleep for awhile during my hour. I think there were 1 or 2 people in the chapel with me at the time and I have no idea if I disturbed them. I was up late the previous evening doing work and didn't get much sleep so I think I need to fix that for certain. Initially, I was thinking that Jesus would understand but the more I think about it, it may have been sinful because my behavior was probably witnessed by others. In addition, I may be guilty of the same thing the Apostles did while waiting before Jesus in the garden - except this was on Easter Sunday.

Is this a sin? What do you think is the best way to make amends?

Question Answered by

Dear Patrick:

There is no sin in falling asleep during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. God understands your being tired. In fact, what better place to find rest than before our Lord?

When the Apostles fell asleep they did not sin. Jesus said, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." The urgency in prayer that was needed by the Apostles whereby they should not have fallen to sleep was the upcoming arrest, torture, and death of their master. Jesus said, "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation." The temptation that was about to come was denying Jesus when he was arrested and sent to the Cross. St. Peter specifically denied his master, others ran away. They needed to pray that they would not fall into such temptation, but the Apostles did not fully understand what was about to happen, and their "spirit was willing, but their body was weak." They fell asleep at a time that they needed to be alert.

That is not the same situation you are in today. During your time in Adoration you can do what you want — pray, meditate, complemplate, read, etc. It is time spent at the feet of our Lord. Falling asleep once-in-awhile at the feet of our Lord is not a bad thing.

You have committed no sin.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum