Eucharistic Reflection

It is this blog's relatively recent tradition to mark Thursdays with a post offering a reflection on Eucharistic Adoration. This is based on the Church's rather longstanding tradition of associating Thursdays with the Eucharist--and today on the Universal Calendar that tradition has its clearest expression. Even though we in the US won't celebrate it until Sunday, today is "Corpus Christi": the feast of the "Body of Christ."

Fittingly, here is a thought from Pope Benedict's "Sacrament of  Charity" (n. 68) which explictly refers to today's Feast:

"Besides encouraging individual believers to make time for personal prayer before the Sacrament of the Altar, I feel obliged to urge parishes and other church groups to set aside times for collective adoration. Naturally, already existing forms of eucharistic piety retain their full value. I am thinking, for example, of processions with the Blessed Sacrament, especially the traditional procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Forty Hours devotion local, national and international Eucharistic Congresses, and other similar initiatives. If suitably updated and adapted to local circumstances, these forms of devotion are still worthy of being practised today."

Have you ever taken part in a Corpus Christi procession? (Here in Chicago, they have been held downtown for several years.)