Offer It Up!
It all started the moment I opened the door of my cell. My olfactory perception kicked in...something was burning... At the same time I noticed a nice post-it-note on the outside of my door - "Soup on stove was boiling & smelled burning so I turned the burner OFF!" [sic]. God bless that dear Sister who turned off the flame!
Ah...but the soup for supper was ruined. That is an unfortunate way to use up left-overs. So, I had the humbling little challenge of offering up my mistake to the Lord. I love my Mother - the Catholic Church - and especially her teaching of "offering it up". We've heard this all our lives. But what does it mean? Is it just some pie-in-the-sky way of dealing with difficulties big and small?
As a daughter of God redeemed by the death of Jesus I can offer all my prayers, works, joys and sufferings with Jesus in his eternal self-gift to the Father through his Passion, Death and Resurrection. As a Passionist I am blessed to be steeped in this spirituality... a life of offertory...a life united with my spouse Jesus for my children.
So, even though I ruined the pot of soup I still was able to "feed" my children spiritually through making my little trial into a prayer.
You know what I offered it for? For an end to abortion...to end the taking of life of unborn children. This past weekend we were very blessed to have a Rachel Vineyard retreat take place in our retreat house. Many graces of healing and mercy flowed from the pierced Heart of Jesus upon all who attended.
Tomorrow we, as a nation, will remember the 40th anniversary of the legalization of abortion. Our community is having a Holy Hour of Reparation and Intercession for Life. Details below if you are interested. Let's offer up our trials...big and small...to end this terrible modern-day holocaust. May God have mercy on us.
Please join the Passionist Nuns for a Holy Hour of Reparation and Intercession for Life
Tuesday, January 22nd 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
The Holy Hour will consist of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Prayers to end abortion and build a Culture of Life, a Homily and solemn Benediction.
The homilist will be Fr. Gerald Baker, pastor of St. Mary of the Woods in Whitesville, KY.
Please forward this to your family and friends and help spread the word.