of the Blessed Sacrament usually follows Vespers. The
Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ is really present in the
Blessed Sacrament. The reasonableness of this teaching will be seen in
the following article.

Since Jesus Christ is present, He ought to be adored by the faithful.
Faithful adorers frequently visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament and
worship Him in "spirit and in truth." Hence, the Blessed Sacrament is
kept in the Tabernacle on our altars to soothe our cares, answer our
prayers, and be ready at any time to be administered to the sick and
dying.

Besides our private devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Church has
appointed solemn rites to show publicly our faith and devotion toward
the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. These rites are processions on Corpus
Christi, the Forty Hours' devotion, and, especially, the rite called
Benediction.

When it is time for Benediction many candles are lighted on the altar.
This is done to show our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ. If
He were not present, this display would be unreasonable, unnecessary,
and meaningless. But the candles we light, the incense we burn, the
flowers and other ornaments we use to decorate the altar, and all that
we do for Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can not be too much.

Everything being prepared, the priest takes the Blessed Sacrament out of
the tabernacle, and, placing it in the ostensorium, exposes it on an
elevated throne, while the choir sings in honor of the Blessed Sacrament
the hymn "O Salutaris Hostia," "O Saving Host." The priest incenses Our
Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, as, according to the Apocalypse, angels
do in heaven. Another hymn or a litany follows; after which is sung the
"Tantum Ergo," "Down in adoration falling," followed by a prayer by the
priest. Then in the midst of a solemn silence (except that a small bell
is tinkled) the priest takes the monstrance, or ostensorium, containing
the Blessed Sacrament, and, turning toward the people, makes with it the
sign of the cross over them, thus blessing the faithful with the Most
Holy One.

This is certainly a most touching and impressive rite even to those who
do not believe in it. Cardinal Newman calls it one of the most
beautiful, natural, and soothing practices of the Church. No one will
deny that this practice, or rite of the Church, is reasonable, if Jesus
Christ is really present in the Blessed Sacrament. That He is really
present is our belief. This