Devotions

Devotion denotes a certain ardour and affection for the things of God. This devotion often manifests itself in ‘devotions,’ those external practices of piety by which the devotion of the faithful finds life and expression. Click here to learn more about popular devotions…

The efficacy of the practice of devotions in eliciting feelings of devotion is derived from four principal sources, either

1. by the strong appeal which they make to our emotional instincts, or
2. by the simplicity of form which puts them within the reach of all, or
3. by the stimulus of association with many others in the same good work, or
4. by their derivation from the example of pious persons who are venerated for their holiness.

No doubt other reasons in addition to these might be found why this or that exercise brings with it a certain spiritual unction which stimulates and comforts the soul in the practice of virtue, but the points just mentioned are the most noteworthy, and in the more familiar of our popular devotions all these four influences will be found united.
Historically speaking, our best known devotions have nearly all originated from the imitation of some practice peculiar to the religious orders or to a specially privileged class. For example,
The Rosary
The Rosary is known in its earliest form as ‘Our Lady's Psalter.’ At a time when the recitation of the entire Psalms was a practice inculcated upon the religious orders and upon persons of education, believers unable to read or not having the necessary leisure time recited instead of the Psalms one hundred and fifty Our Fathers or supplied their place more expeditiously still by reciting one hundred and fifty Hail Mary’s. The Rosary, then, is kind of a miniature Psalter. To learn how to recite Our Lady’s Rosary, click here…

Scripture Reading
Sacred Scripture is one of the several names denoting the inspired writings that make up the Old and New Testaments. We are encouraged to read Scripture that we may come to know God and to love Him. Jesus Christ himself encourages us to read Scripture, as He says, "Search the scriptures…" (John 5:39). For daily Scripture readings, click here…
Stations of the Cross
Again, at a time when the most ardent desires of Christendom centered in the Holy Land, and when devotees of Christ gladly faced all hardships in the attempt to visit the scenes of our Saviour's Passion, those unable to accomplish such a journey strove to find an equivalent path by following Christ’s footsteps to Calvary at least in spirit. The exercise of the Stations of the Cross thus formed a miniature pilgrimage. Customarily, we pray the Stations of the Cross during the Lenten season.

Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
One of the most generally popular of Catholic services is Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It is ordinarily an afternoon or evening devotion and consists in the singing of certain hymns, or litanies, or canticles, before the Blessed Sacrament, which is exposed upon the altar in a monstrance and is surrounded with lights. At the end, the priest, his shoulders enveloped in a humeral veil, takes the monstrance into his hands and with it makes the sign of the cross (hence the name Benediction) in silence over the kneeling congregation. Benediction is often employed as a conclusion to other services, e. g. Vespers, Compline, the Stations of the Cross, etc., but it is also still more generally treated as a rite complete in itself. There is a good deal of diversity of usage in different countries with regard to details, but some of the elements are constant. The use of incense and wax candles, the singing of the Tantum ergo with its versicle and prayer, and the blessing given with the Blessed Sacrament are obligatory everywhere.

Eucharistic Adoration
The rational creature, looking up to God, whom reason and revelation show to be infinitely perfect, cannot in right and justice maintain an attitude of indifference. That perfection which is infinite in itself and the source and fulfillment of all the good that we possess or shall possess, we must worship, acknowledging its immensity, and submitting to its supremacy. This worship called forth by God, and given exclusively to Him as God, is designated by the Greek name latreia (Latin, latria), for which the best translation that our language affords is the word adoration. Adoration differs from other acts of worship, such as supplication, confession of sin, etc., inasmuch as it formally consists in self-abasement before the Infinite, and in devout recognition of His transcendent excellence. An admirable example of adoration is given in the Apocalypse 7:11-12: "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the ancients, and about the living creatures; and they fell before the throne upon their faces, and adored adored God, saying: Amen. Benediction and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God, forever and ever. Amen."
The primary and fundamental element in adoration is an interior act of mind and will -- the mind perceiving that God’s perfection is infinite, the will bidding us to extol and worship this perfection. Adoration, then, is the physical expression of the longing of our minds and wills for God. As St Thomas teaches: "it is connatural for us to pass from the physical signs to the spiritual basis upon which they rest" (Summa Theologica II-II:48:2).