I guess I’m not ashamed to compare myself with our dogs, in at least one way that I pondered today.

We are in the midst of our second snowfall of the season, and when we arrived home from school and started to settle in, watching the snow fall outside, it just felt crisp inside.

So we turned on the fireplace for the first time this season.

Within minutes, our dogs found their way to the fire and rested. I love the way our older yet smaller dog Lola just spreads out with her belly to the fire. (In this photo from last year, she had the added benefit of resting on her buddy Opie.)

I found myself comparing them resting in front of the fire to me in the time I spend in front of our Lord’s presence in the Holy Eucharist in Adoration.

One of my favorite parts of every week is our celebration of a Holy Hour with Exposition, Adoration, Vespers (Evening Prayer), and Benediction every Sunday night in our parish. It’s something that we started five years ago and I’m grateful it continues to today.

Vespers alone is a gift - Although I pray it every day with & for the Church, as I promised Bishop at ordination, I look forward to the opportunity each week to know that I’m praying it alongside others on Sunday night. The Church encourages this, too. Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Liturgy from the Second Vatican Council, said: “Pastors of souls should see to it that the chief hours, especially Vespers, are celebrated in common in church on Sundays and the more solemn feasts. And the laity, too, are encouraged to recite the divine office, either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually.” (SC 100).

But my favorite part is the opportunity to know that at least that one hour each week is reserved as a special time of conversation with Our Lord at Adoration.

I came to realize: Our dogs basking in the heat of the fire - relaxing, resting, soaking it in and enjoying its presence - is a bit like me with Our Lord at Adoration - relaxing, resting, soaking it in and enjoying His presence.

That’s Adoration for me. Just quiet time with God. Giving Him thanks and praise for His many gifts, asking questions or making petitions quietly, but mostly just sitting and being with Him.

Have you been to Adoration lately? If parts of your spiritual life are feeling a little “chilly”, find a church with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and stop in. I promise you won’t regret it.