Walking the Camino - Offer it Up

Are you familiar with the term, “Offer it up?”  I am.  As a kid, I skinned my knees frequently, and my mother would say to me, “Offer it up.”  So, I would.  I remember feeling down in the dumps one day, and I read an article.  It said something to the effect of “offer it up.” 

How do you offer something up?

It is very easy to offer something to God.  When you are sad, when you have hurt yourself, when you suffer great sorrows, when you rejoice in a simple act of joy, say to the Lord,
 
“My dearest Lord, I offer this ________________ (event) up to you.” 

That’s all you need to do. It’s very simple. 


What does it mean to offer it up?

To offer something to God, means that  we unite ourselves, our wills, and our lives to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  The decision to “offer it up,” whether a joy or sorrow, Is an act of Faith.  This act of faith joins our joys and sorrows to God’s Will. 

We can offer our sufferings and joys up with a specific intention in mind, or we can offer it up into Jesus’s loving hands knowing that He will use this gift to help bring about His Holy Will.  What is God’s Will?  God’s Will is Love. 

Can we offer everything up to God?

Yes!  We do not have to limit this sacrificial act to one thing.  We can turn our entire day into a prayer by which we offer everything to Him.  The Morning Offering is an invaluable way to begin our day. 

Morning Offering

O My Jesus,
through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer You all of my prayers, works,
joys and sufferings
of this day for all the intentions
of Your Sacred Heart,
in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world,
in reparation for sins,
for the intentions of all my relatives and friends,
and in particular
for the intentions of the Holy Father.

Amen.