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Adoration chapel became source of inspiration
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By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald
Sitting still and letting God touch his heart in adoration has given Frank Raab a peace in life worth gold.A founding parishioner and adorer with his wife, Jude, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, which merged in 2009 with Nativity of Our Lord to form Divine Mercy Parish, Raab said he not only knows God is present in adoration but that the Blessed Mother invites him directly into Jesus’ heart. Through this closeness and trust in God, Raab said his worries and strife diminish when he takes himself out of the equation and lets God do his work.
“Adoration is personally an experience of the Lord’s presence,” Raab said. “He’s really there with you. It’s like an equivalent when you receive him in person in the Eucharist in your body. He is there for you, to listen to you and take you in his arms. What he wants for people to do is come to him and live in his heart. He wants to be there with us 24-7.”Journaling led to a book
Raab’s earliest recollection of adoration was at St. Andrew High School in Houston almost 60 years ago.
Since becoming a regular adorer and organizer of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s monthly adoration in the 1990s, Raab has journaled messages pressed on his heart by the Holy Spirit. Several trips to Medjugorje, where he said he witnessed the cross atop the mountain glow for 30 minutes and rosaries changing from silver to gold, strengthened his realization of “how close the Lord is to us in everything we’re doing. It inspired me to correspond with him more back and forth, talking about things.”
Soft-spoken by nature, Raab was invited to share his messages of Jesus’ infinite love, peace, mercy and forgiveness in conversation, first with other adorers at St. Elizabeth, and then by email with fellow members of the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion. Raab’s regular email messages now reach more than 750 people, some as far away as Taiwan and Africa.
“I forward these to people for them to have the real peace and love in their life – not all the other stuff,” he said. “I’ve had feedback from people that they like it. Some say the message is what they needed that day. Bringing people to the Lord – that’s the point.”
Often prompted to compile his messages into a book, Raab said he consulted Deacon Larry Oney of Divine Mercy, and in 2019, Deacon Oney’s Hope and Purpose Ministries published the first volume, “Messages of Faith During Adoration.” Each message is written in all caps as respect to the Lord’s name and his heart, he said.He comes in the stillness
Raab has a method to his adoration time: He sits in the front row, reads various saints’ prayer cards, takes out his journal, writes the date and says, “Come, Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name via Mary” and the phrase, “My Precious Ones.” He usually senses an initial phrase from the Holy Spirit. Depending on how prepared he is to receive, he said, other words follow.
He mentioned that the Lord gave him the term of endearment of “Jesse” in the early years, referring to Jesus’ genealogical descent from the tree of Jesse.
“I figured he called me Jesse because the messages are from Jesus,” Raab reflected. “Now he calls me ‘little scribe.’”
Raab wants everyone to gain the awareness of how God’s love far surpasses the greatest love we have for others. He invites everyone to know God better through adoration.
“There is no end to it,” Raab said. “His love is so infinite. It is waiting for you. I want people to go because they are missing this opportunity.”
New book in works
A second book with new messages after 2017, where the first book ended, is expected out soon. Raab hopes to place one message to a page – allowing space for thoughts. Raab said all proceeds benefit Hope and Purpose Ministries, whose many evangelization efforts include supporting a school in Uganda. Visit bit.ly/3siswPP or buy the book on amazon.com.
“It’s a blessing,” Raab said about being the Lord’s messenger. “I know the Lord really wants people to open their hearts and really love him. I’m waiting for the Lord to direct me to what’s next.”