The next image is the chalice with the cross in the back. It matches the one on the other side that has already been described. The chalice symbolizes the Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and the cross reaffirms the sacrifice that was made so that Jesus in the Eucharist is made available to us today.

The next window over is in the main part of the church to the right, above the side door. The round window, up high, illustrates a monstrance holding the Eucharist. It is a symbol of the Body of Christ in the Eucharist. It has been a tradition here at St Joseph church to have 40-hour devotions. This is where Jesus is exposed in the monstrance on the altar and parishioners would adore Jesus in the Eucharist for 40 hours straight. This says a lot about the devotion of the ancestors of this parish. I still hear the stories of these great traditions of this parish. The Eucharist was not some Catholic cultural thing, it was in their lives and thought of often.

In the middle of summer, we can go to the beach or the pool and catch some rays of the sun, but in adoration of the blessed sacrament, we can catch some rays from the Sun, Jesus. It is like just being in front of the Eucharist brings us many graces. It is where our soul gets its rest. It is great down-time to simply be with Our Lord Jesus. We don’t have to do anything, though we can if we want. We can pray the rosary, chaplet of Divine Mercy, read a book or just simply gaze at His physical presence on the altar. Peace enters us and our souls are fed.

It may take fifty minutes for that peace to come, but it usually does come. It is so important to learn how to be in silence. It is one of the greatest gifts God gives us. Our lives get so busy, we forget about the love Jesus has for us and that He is really there for us in all our trials. We go to work, drive here and drive there, take care of family, keep up with all the bills, and make our doctor appointments. We hardly have time to spend with Jesus. Yet I have never spent time with Jesus that I regretted.

I do not like working out. It means you have to work on something to see very little results. But that is why I love adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist. Holy Hour is not like some exercise machine that I avoid. All I have to do is be present and Jesus does the rest. Adoration is a place where we can be ourselves with Jesus. We do not have to pretend we are anybody else. If we are having a bad day, He can take care of it. He can bring us physical or spiritual healing where we need it.  Most of the time, He simply brings us His love. We all need that.

The next window is a dove. As revealed before, the dove has two meanings: one of peace and the other as a sign of the Holy Spirit.

Then we have the chalice with the cross again. So far, this makes for 4 symbols of the Eucharist in the stained glass. It is a symbol of the blood of Christ in the Eucharist. This is only made possible with the Holy Spirit that descends upon the bread and wine to make the bread the Body of Christ and the wine the Blood of Christ. I look forward every day to meeting our Lord at Mass. What a consolation!