Who is your idol? Most of us, if not all of us, have someone we idolize, or at the very least, someone we hold in high regard for what they do or how they entertain us. Whether it is an athlete, actor (actress), musician, comedian, or so on, we all tend to revere at least one person with higher esteem than others. For the sake our spiritual exercise, take a moment to consider who that one person is for you and why (actually take a minute to do this).

After careful consideration into who that might be, imagine if that one person walked into the room you were in. Now, take a mental snapshot of how that might unfold for you and ask yourself the questions: How would you react? Would you just carry on with business as usual or be mesmerized by the sheer presence of that one person? If you are anything like me, you would probably be awestruck by your idols presence and enraptured by what he or she had to say.

Permit me to ask you another question. If Jesus walked into your presence, would he hold your interest and attention in the same way as that one person?  Would you find yourself going out of your way to hear what He had to say…like you might your idol? In short, would you be captivated by Him?

In a manner of speaking, the answer to these questions lies underneath the same reason why we are enthralled by our favorite stars. We spend time with them. What do I mean? If you are someone who idolizes Denzel Washington, you do so because of his quality acting—acting that you are familiar with because you have watched many of his films—films you have spent time with. In a similar way, the more time you spend with Sacred Scripture, the writings of the Church Fathers and saints, and above all else—the Blessed Sacrament, the more captivated you will be by the person (and presence) of Jesus Christ.

Certainly, I am aware of how television screens have a way of making nostalgic our fondness over our favorite stars, but we ought to remember that Jesus does one better than any television screen, in the Blessed Sacrament—reposed in the tabernacle (more than just another boxed screen), He is actually present. And our presence before Him leads to more than a nostalgic fondness, but a longing and desire to remain in His presence.

So, are you captivated by Jesus as much as you are captivated by your favorite star?  Do you spend time getting to know Jesus Christ in the sacramental life of the Church and through prayer? These are questions that God asks from us, because God is captivated by you!