Seeing Jesus

 LECTIO:

Exodus 25: 30     Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

John 12: 21         ... "Sir we wish  to see Jesus."

STUDIUM:

There's a prophecy further in John 12 where Jesus prophecizes that "all men" will be drawn to him.  (John 12: 32).  Thus here we are sitting in front of a monstrance with the "bread of the Presence" because we wish to see Jesus.

The verse from Exodus is one of the directives God gives Moses on the details for building a portable tabernacle.  The table held plates containing the showbread or holy bead, which was offered every sabbath and eaten by the priests.

The request in John was made by some Greeks to Philip, probably because being Galilean, he was bilingual. This leads to Jesus proclaiming that the hour has come.  (John 12:23)  The crowds come to listen to Jesus.

MEDITATIO:

These Israelites want to see God.  When they were in Egypt they saw the pagans had statues of Baal.  They wanted a visual, too.  With the Ark of the Covenant, the Israelites had their tangible, physical visual.  The showbread was God's presence.

The New Testament, of course, has Jesus.  These Israelites had God before them.  Why didn't they recognize Him?

ORATIO:

Lord Jesus, I thank you for placing me in this time of history.  I believe You are my God.  I am blessed to receive you in the Eucharist.  I have the grace to visit you in Adoration.  You are present to me in a real, visual way.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Jesus, I enjoy and rest in Your graces. Thank you.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to spread the word about the benefits of spending time in Adoration.