The Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ evokes in me some ambiguous feelings. I was brought up at a time when Forty Hours’ Devotion and Benediction was a regular parish event. But I have experienced as well the richness of the reform of the liturgy since Vatican II. And I feel no desire to return to former devotions such as the Forty Hours. The centrality and depth of the celebration of the Eucharist, with Word and Sacrament, is spiritually a rich fare, along with my regular prayer and service to God’s people, esp. the poor and marginalised.
In the last number of years there has been a resurgence of ‘adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” especially among the young. And in some instances it seems that ‘adoration’ and ‘celebration of Eucharist’ (aka ‘the Mass’) are on an equal level and, dare I say it, in a competition with each other.
On the feast of Corpus Christ,) I am reminded again of how some priests and bishops, as well as lay people are talking about how “adoration of the exposed Sacrament” is becoming so popular among young Catholics. And isn’t that wonderful? they say. Why is this? There doesn’t seem to be, on the other hand, an increase of young people celebrating the Eucharist together.