Benediction is a brief solemn service of adoration of God in the most holy sacrament of the altar. It is an opportunity for quiet worship and meditation. The service begins with a time of silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament followed by traditional Benediction. During the silence, healing ministry is expressed in the laying on of hands with prayer, and in anointing the sick with oil.

 

In Benediction, the priest takes the Host from the tabernacle and places it before the congregation to reflect on the Bread of Life during a period of silence. The priest blesses the people with the Host and concludes the service by reciting the Divine Praises, followed by a brief psalm and antiphon. The service evokes a sense of continuity and transcendence of the presence of Christ through the ages.