Chronicle of the 40 Hours devotion

40 Hours has been an integral aspect of the parish community within the Church for more than 500 years. It prospered through the encouragement of saints such as St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony Maria Zaccaria, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, St. Philip Neri, St. John Neumann, and numerous others. During the 16th century in Milan, Italy, Eucharistic adoration would shift from one church to another every 40 hours, with parishes collaborating to sustain the devotion throughout the whole year.

In the Middle Ages, it was honored as a plea in moments of hardship; during the Catholic Counter-Reformation, it served as an attempt to revitalize popular piety; in 19th-century America, it was seen as a method of bringing together oppressed Catholics. In contemporary times, as many Catholics struggle to comprehend or have faith in the True Presence, 40 Hours represents the logical progression for our National Eucharistic Revival.

Why 40 hours? The Scriptures present us with numerous symbolic occurrences of this number: Moses’ time in Egypt, the years the Israelites roamed the wilderness, the days Jonah preached in Nineveh, Jesus’ days of fasting in the wilderness, and many additional examples. We dedicate 40 days to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving throughout Lent. Most significantly, from the crucifixion on the afternoon of Good Friday until the Resurrection on Easter morning, Our Lord rested in the tomb for approximately 40 hours.

Crisis, oppression, banishment, atonement, demise — how are all these bleak subjects connected to Eucharistic adoration? The connection that links them is metanoia, that orientation of the heart towards God which we additionally refer to as conversion.

The 40 years in the wilderness served as a chance for the Israelites to deepen their faith. Jonah devoted weeks imploring the Ninevites to abandon their wrongdoings and seek God. Jesus’ period of fasting readied him to reach out and guide souls to his Father, urging them to repentance. His sacrifice and resurrection created the pathway for us not just to convert initially but to maintain a continuous relationship with the God who loves us.

And that’s precisely what the 40 Hours devotion provides. In all periods, amid every cultural conflict, Christ arrives in the Eucharist to serve as the core of our communities. Made modest on the altar, he encourages us to present our troubled spirits to him, and through him to the Father.

Practical Notes

Successfully carrying out the 40 Hours necessitates our faith not only in the Real Presence but in the potency of that Presence. It’s certainly commendable to have faith that Our Lord is present in the bread and wine during Mass. What do we do with that? How can we allow that conviction to transform us? I would suggest that one tangible and impactful method is this age-old practice of the 40 Hours.

How can we turn this challenging act of faith into reality? Clearly, it necessitates dedication and support from both parish staff and congregants, all enthusiastic to extend Christ’s invitation. This is the initial requirement. (While I refer to “parish” for simplicity, the 40 Hours is equally effective for Catholic high schools, universities, Newman Centers, parish organizations, and more.) Presuming we have enthusiastic volunteers, the initiative would resemble the following:

1. Gather a foundational team, comprising a cleric, the music director, an individual focused on hospitality, and one or more members equipped with communication and marketing expertise.
2. Plan the dates of the celebration well ahead — ideally 3-6 months prior. You might begin with Mass on Thursday evening and conclude with the anticipation Mass on Saturday evening; or start on Sunday evening and continue through Tuesday; there are numerous possibilities to consider.
3. If a sermon is wished for, organize to invite a priest or lay speaker.
4. Distribute a “save the date” announcement with the parish and potentially the entire diocese.
5. Begin engaging groups and organizations. You could request the nearby Catholic schools to dedicate an hour or more for daytime adoration; the Knights of Columbus to supervise the night shifts along with any other adorers for safety; the Legion of Mary to craft rosaries for a basket at the rear of the church; and the youth group to hand out flyers after Mass to spread the message.
6. As the dates approach, organize lovely, reverent Masses for both the opening and closing. Arrange other paraliturgical activities such as the Liturgy of the Hours and a Eucharistic procession, persistently engaging different parish groups in participation.
7. Think about coordinating a potluck, reception, or some other community event following the concluding Mass. 40 Hours should be a chance for the parish to come together in worship as one community, and few things unite people like sharing a meal.

A greeting from the Church

As articulated by Pope Benedict XVI in Sacramentum Caritatis“In the Eucharist, the Son of God approaches us and yearns to unite with us; eucharistic adoration is merely the inherent result of the eucharistic celebration, which is, in fact, the Church’s highest act of worship” (No. 66).

He goes on: “The individual connection that each believer forms with Jesus present in the Eucharist consistently directs attention beyond itself to the entire communion of the Church and fosters a deeper feeling of belonging to the Body of Christ. Therefore, in addition to motivating individual believers to dedicate moments for personal prayer in front of the Sacrament of the Altar, I feel compelled to encourage parishes and other church communities to allocate times for communal adoration” (No. 68).

Pope Francis echoed this same timeless truth of the Church on October 22, 2022, stating “It is beneficial to worship in silence before the Most Blessed Sacrament, to be in the comforting presence of Jesus and to gather the apostolic motivation to serve as agents of kindness, compassion, and hospitality within the community, the Church, and the world. … Worship, envelop yourself in divine love and share it abundantly with those you encounter along your journey.”

Eucharistic adoration, be it personal or community-based through the 40 Hours, is always a communal experience. It represents the Church’s commitment to the salvation of souls and invites us to participate in that mission. We spend time with Jesus, finding comfort and nourishment in his presence. From him, we gain the grace and strength needed to foster renewal in our families, our workplaces, our parishes, and our world.

Look for “40 Hours: An Adoration Companion,” a parish pew resource for the 40 Hours devotion, coming June 2023 by Our Sunday Visitor.