The theological significance and spiritual power of Eucharistic adoration are highlighted in the documentary “Adore Him: He Is Here.” A Fathom Entertainment presentation, the roughly 90-minute film will have a limited theatrical run Oct. 4-8.
Written and directed by Donald J. Johnson, the movie uses dramatizations of events recounted in both the Old and New Testaments to provide viewers with the scriptural underpinnings of faith in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The picture also features emotional testimony from those whose lives have been changed and uplifted by Eucharistic exposition.
Additionally, Archbishops Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City and José H. Gomez of Los Angeles are among those interviewed who emphasize the pastoral value of spending time with Jesus, ideally by way of a daily Holy Hour. For clergy and laity alike, participants point out, prayer before the tabernacle or the monstrance can provide a quiet refuge from an increasingly frenetic world.
The uniformly positive effects of promoting this form of worship are showcased in venues as diverse as a parish on the edge of an expressway in Chicago, New York City’s Times Square and the ancient precincts of Vienna, Austria. The attraction young people experience for Eucharistic adoration is also examined.
Archival footage of St. Teresa of Calcutta is effectively employed as well. As she succinctly puts it at the beginning of the film, “Look at the cross and you will understand how Jesus loved you, me, each one of us. But when you look at the tabernacle, you know how much Jesus loves you now.”
Warm and inspiring, “Adore Him” is suitable for all age groups, though the subject matter will likely prove too complex for little kids. For both teens and adults, on the other hand, this is a valuable exploration of an aspect of Catholic piety that promises to enrich the lives of all who embrace it.
