Upton parishioners spend quality time with Jesus

By Christina Galeone
CFP Correspondent

Now that we are in the period of the National Eucharistic Revival, parishes are being encouraged to plan more experiences that will teach people about the Eucharist.
St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Upton doesn’t need extra encouragement; they have been offering special time with Jesus for quite a while and even added a well-attended outdoor “Adoration Under the Stars” two summers ago.
During the Christmas season, at the suggestion of their seminarian intern, the parish invited people to come to “Adoration Under the Star” – the star of Bethlehem.
On Dec. 28, at sunset, an extraordinary canopy of bright pink and peach hues illuminated the sky. There’s no doubt that many members of the faithful could see God in the details.
But inside St. Gabriel the Archangel Church, just a few hours later, there was a sight and an encounter even more beautiful and memorable.
A reverent Christmas eucharistic adoration event was organized to be similar to the Adoration Under the Stars event that St. Gabriel’s Parish held outdoors during the past two summers. As in the summer, Father Laurence V. Brault, the church’s pastor, Father Sagar Gundiga, its associate pastor, and Stephen Mullaney, a seminarian who interned at the church, brought the Blessed Sacrament to each family and individual who attended. And a reflection on the Eucharist written by parishioner Eileen “Neenie” Francis was presented. Father Brault said the event, “provided the opportunity to come back for a very quiet and reflective time of prayer and … being blessed by the Holy Eucharist in the monstrance.”
Attended by about 30 people, the Christmas season event differed in that, at the beginning, the Blessed Sacrament was placed in the church’s Nativity scene with a special star placed above the crèche. And soft contemplative Christmas music was played.
“It was a very positive experience,” Father Brault said, noting that adoration is always especially meaningful to him. He added, “It promotes eucharistic adoration and calls people to recognition of the Real Presence” of Jesus in the holy Eucharist.
Father Gundiga and Mr. Mullaney were also touched by the poignant and powerful way of welcoming and embracing Christ during the Christmas season. Father Gundiga described the evening as a “great opportunity for people to adore, praise and glorify our Lord Jesus Christ.”
And inspired by the successful summer events that Father Brault had organized and a homily that Mr. Mullaney had written for a class, Mr. Mullaney said that he suggested holding the event, which was originally titled “Adoration Under the Star of Bethlehem – O Come Let us Adore Him,” to Father Brault.  
Father Gundiga said that he found the evening to be a blessed one of quality time to spend with Jesus.
“I enjoyed each and every moment of this adoration because I was able to experience the love of Jesus deep within my heart,” he shared. “I felt spiritually uplifted. I felt the peace and joy in my mind and heart.”
One of the things he loved about the evening was that it gave those who attended the chance to see and touch Jesus. “The moment we got closer to them, they touched the Blessed Sacrament – Jesus – and shed their tears of joy,” he recalled. “And some said they intensely felt the presence of God at that moment. Some said, they experienced the healing in the body and mind. And some others said they felt the real presence of Jesus and his mercy when they touched him.”
 Mr. Mullaney too has a deep love of adoration, and he enthusiastically promotes opportunities for churches to offer perpetual adoration. With the devotion playing a vital role in helping him to discern his vocation, he has also integrated it into his internships.
“When providing religious education to youth each summer, I had the students attend adoration to prepare for the sacrament of reconciliation and to pray their penances after receiving absolution,” he said. “I credit this inspiration to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Fitchburg, where adoration occurs while confessions are heard prior to the Saturday vigil Mass.”
In the class homily that he wrote for Epiphany that partially inspired the Christmas season adoration, Mr. Mullaney pondered the different meanings of star and how they can all be seen as metaphors for the life of Jesus.
“At the beginning of his Gospel, Matthew refers to Jesus as Emmanuel, which means God is with us,” he wrote. “Even though Jesus’ mortal time on this planet was relatively brief, in his divinity, he is omnipresent. Although Jesus may illuminate our lives through people and experiences more brightly at some times and less so at others, we can take comfort in knowing that he is always with us.”
In the future, Father Brault hopes that the heartfelt eucharistic adoration event that allowed people to experience that comfort in an extraordinary way will grow.
“The people who came were emotionally touched by it,” he said. He later added, “No question we’ll repeat this.”