Written by Brian Donohue, a Junior Pre-Theologate student at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.

A bunch of you know, I got to go on a Mission Trip to Gallup, New Mexico this past Spring Break. One of the highlights was a holy hour at Gallup’s cathedral. After the Mission Trip, I typed up what happened to the best of my memory. I didn’t want to forget what the priest there told our group, and a few people had asked me to email them what he said. It pertains to the Transfiguration, celebrated by the Church today, so enjoy, and God love you. :-)

As I walked into the doors of Gallup’s cathedral with a group of about sixteen of my fellow college students, we noticed a few young men and women kneeling at one of the side altars. Suddenly, bells were rung — a priest was giving Benediction. He replaced the monstrance, removed the Most Blessed Sacrament, and returned it to the tabernacle in the main sanctuary. The young men and women left, and my group and I took to a few pews in the main body of the cathedral, a little confused.

The priest, in full cassock, surplice, stole, and cope, approached me, who happened to be sitting closest to the front, and asked me where we were from.

“Franciscan University,” I answered. “We’re here for a holy hour with the Missionaries of Charity.”

He stammered for a moment, and replied, “That holy hour just ended.”

Crestfallen, we all realized we had gotten the time of the holy hour wrong, an hour late. The priest continued, “But I have to lock up the church, so you’re welcome to stay for maybe ten, fifteen minutes.”

We thanked him and stayed to pray for a few minutes. As we began to file out, he approached us again and said,

He led us to the same side altar, retrieved the monstrance, and, after the appropriate rites, sung with great devotion and expertise, he took his place in the back of the pews. After about twenty minutes of silent adoration, he walked up the short side aisle, bowed profoundly and begged, “With your permission, Lord–”

In the presence of our Lord and God, he showed such humility. One greater than he was present, and as he bowed, the words of the Baptist came to mind: “He must increase; I must decrease.”

Then, turning to us, he said, “I would like to give you a short conference on Adoration and Benediction.”

He proceeded to tell us the following, which are not his exact words — my memory is not that good. But I think I remembered every major point he made, and I hope to share with you the the sweet fruit of this holy priest’s contemplation.

He said:

If we look to the Old Testament, we can see numerous instances when the Lord instructs Israel to hold a memorial of some significant event in the divine economy, God’s plan to restore fallen man. The most famous example, of course, is the Passover, the Paschal Sacrifice and Feast. The Passover, the memorial of the Israelites’ liberty from Egypt, was to be observed every year. But celebrating the summit of the Jewish liturgical year was not so simple as mentally recalling that the event happened many centuries ago. For the Jews, to remember an event in this solemn way, to hold a memorial sacrifice, was more than calling it to mind mentally. The act of calling it to mind, in some way, made it a present reality. It is not that Israel was once again enslaved and needed to be freed by the Lord, but rather that the actual event was being applied to the present. Clearly, the same liturgical logic is applied to the Mass, in which Christ’s sacrifice is perpetuated through all ages.

Now you may or may not know, — the priest went on, — but

You may have wondered before: why all the ritual? Why the candles, the incense? You see, the Church employs ritual in order to expose what is hidden. Our Lord is so very humble, and He shows none of His glory in the Blessed Sacrament. However, because the whole Church worships our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, in which He has the same glory as in heaven, She makes manifest His majesty, glory. Our Lord condescends to appear to be no more than bread and wine, but the Church practices Her belief in His Real Presence, His divinity, and the adoration and honor we owe Him through acts of reverence and worship. Lex orandi, lex credendi. The way we pray is intertwined with what we believe.

So, specifically what about the rites of Adoration and Benediction call to mind the Transfiguration?

THE MONSTRANCE

A good monstrance has several beams streaming forth from the Blessed Sacrament. This is taken from the Gospel account, that His face became radiant as the sun. It is no coincidence that the monstrance, too, looks like a large sun upon a stand. Christ is the true Sun, and the radiance of His face is depicted in the monstrance.

THE CANDLES

The Church requires four to six candles during Adoration. Why? There was not only light streaming from the face of our Savior, but light surrounding them all. The candles evoke the light that filled the whole mountain, and those two lights, Moses and Elijah, that conversed with Him.

THE STAND or “TABOR”

The small white box upon which the monstrance rests has a name, a “tabor.” This is taken directly from the Transfiguration, for the mountain upon which it happened was, in fact, Mount Tabor. Our Lord shows forth His glory upon Mount Tabor in every Adoration chapel and at every Benediction.

THE INCENSE

Incense is a symbol of worship. Our prayers and sacrifices rise up to God as does the smoke. Yes, but

What an appropriate exhortation while in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament! Be silent, and listen!

THE TABERNACLE

In the Gospels, Peter famously suggests that they build three “booths,” one for our Lord, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He is often ridiculed for this remark, and many translations of the Bible suggest that Peter simply did not know what he was talking about. No doubt Peter did not understand all he saw fully, but he was no buffoon. The question must first be asked: why booths? What is a booth? The word is the same as for a tent — and for a tabernacle.

The word “tabernaculum” means dwelling-place. In the wilderness, the Israelites built the tabernacle, which in the desert was a tent. Every tabernacle is either modeled after the Ark of the Covenant, or is covered with a veil, which represents the tent in the wilderness, or both. Later, when the Temple, which also had a large veil inside, was built in Jerusalem, and the cloud of the Lord descended upon it, it was considered the new and improved “tent” — it was the dwelling-place of the Lord. Later, the One Who would refer to Himself as the new temple in John 2 would “become flesh and dwell [same as the word for the dwelling of the Lord in the tabernacle] among us.” Literally, the Word became flesh and “tabernacled” among us.

Now back to Peter’s request. Notice that our Lord did not shake His head and rebuke Peter. He gave Him no answer at all. This leads many to think He ignored Peter’s request. But this is not true! In fact, Peter’s request was granted — in the Blessed Sacrament. The first pontiff proclaims that the Lord’s presence is good (“It is good that we are here!” The sentiment of a soul in Adoration, no doubt!), asks our Lord to remain with us — where? In a “booth,” in a tabernacle. My brothers and sisters, we were given the Blessed Sacrament because of the humble request of St. Peter.

The rites that surround them are not superfluous, but call to mind the one time in the Gospels that our Lord showed forth His heavenly glory. Our glorious, risen Lord repeats this act in every rite of Adoration and Benediction.

BENEDICTION

Finally, a few words on Benediction. When Benediction occurs, the priest puts on a humeral veil. This is not to prevent him from touching the monstrance or the Blessed Sacrament, as if it would be improper — of course he is unworthy, but his hands have been consecrated for that very purpose! No, he veils his hands to show that it is not he who gives the blessing. A priest makes a blessing like this [demonstrates], but in Benediction, it is our Lord Himself Who blesses. Therefore, the priest veils his hands; he, the servant, is in the presence of his master, One greater than he.

After these words, he returned to his seat. When the time came, he sang — chanted, with an angelic voice — the Tantum ergo and held Benediction. When it was all over, he returned the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle, with great devotion and humility, and we left the church.

I never learned this good priest’s name, and I don’t expect to see him ever again — but blessed be God for good and holy priests! He was under no obligation to stay for another holy hour. He would have been justified in locking up the church. He was certainly not expected to feed us with holy wisdom and insight into the rites of Adoration and Benediction. But our Lord never ceases to raise up men to serve him at the altar, in every time and in every generation. To Him be glory forever. Amen.