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The Forty Hours Devotion on April 4-6, is a wonderful opportunity to deepen the spiritual life of individuals and our parish as a whole. Through two nights and a day, our faithful will gather in the church for personal or public prayer in Adoration. All parishioners and friends of Saints Mary & Mathias are welcome to attend as much of the Forty Hours Devotion as their schedule permits. Sign up with the link.
What does all of this entail?
Our Forty Hours Devotion begins with Mass at 6:30pm on Friday, April 4th and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Blessed Sacrament will remain on the altar, in a monstrance through the night and for the next 40 hours. There will be various prayer services and devotions offered (See the schedule), most often adoring in prayerful silence. On Sunday, April 6th, we will have Morning Prayer at 10:00am followed by the 10:30am Mass and concluding with coffee and doughnuts in Gannon Hall.
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Adorers Needed!
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NO SIGN UP is required to participate. The above sign up is to ensure that the Blessed Sacrament is never left alone. Everyone is invited to attend at any time throughout the 40-hours.
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What is the Forty Hours Devotion?
The Forty Hours Devotion is a special 40-hour period of continuous prayer made before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition. This devotion can be seen as a parish mini-retreat or mission, in which the faithful are invited to come spend time with our Lord.
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Why 40?
The number 40 is repeated throughout scripture; the rain during the time of Noah lasted 40 days and nights; the Jews wandered through the desert for 40 years; our Lord fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning His public ministry. This devotion also remembers the forty-hour period from our Lord’s burial on the evening of Good Friday until the resurrection on Easter Sunday morning. During this period of the Triduum, the Blessed Sacrament is transferred to a separate repository, “the Easter Sepulcher,” to signify our Lord’s time in the tomb.
