Can someone explain what "offer it up" means exactly?

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@DarkLight This video from Fr. Mike Schmitz has an excellent explanation of “offer it up” and how/why to make every moment of your day (the bad AND the good) a moment of sacrifice.

 
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JoyToTheWhirled said:
Oh I’m sure, as with everything there is a temptation to pride. But also as with everything, you have to have faith that what you are doing matters. It’s a trust thing, I suppose.
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I wouldn’t say it’s pride I’m referring to there. I mean, let’s be honest - if there were a way to make the big stuff not happen (assuming no other issues with that method), I would. For an obvious example, I’m not going to sit around with migraines and offer up the suffering, I’m going to take my meds and not have a migraine. Some of the other stuff, I can’t change, or if I can change it it’s not a quick process.

So I guess it’s more, I’m not really sure what I’m wanting or intending in the process of “offering it up”. I’d still prefer the suffering to not be the case than otherwise, and if I could reasonably take action to do so I would. I don’t like it, I can feel angry when other people cause or exacerbate it without a good reason, I feel cheated when I have to pay extra consequences because I was dealing with problems rather than doing other things. And I don’t feel like I can really choose not to feel that way, it’s just how I feel. So I’m not really sure what I’m doing in “offering it up” except saying a prayer that I’m not sure I mean in part because I’m not even really sure what I’m supposed to mean.
 
DarkLight said:
So I’m not really sure what I’m doing in “offering it up” except saying a prayer that I’m not sure I mean in part because I’m not even really sure what I’m supposed to mean.
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@DarkLight The video I posted has a good explanation of this.
 
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To bear your suffering ,inconviencences of daily life with patience not complaining.Easier said than done but this as well as what others’ have already mentioned is my understanding of " offer it up"
 
Bargaining, perhaps? I do get what you mean. Sorry, on morphine now, will have to come back to this.
 
Unfortunately most of my computer time I’m not actually in a position where I can watch videos very well. I haven’t really had a chance to look.
 
It certainly helps to know that some good can come out of our suffering, it takes some of the sting out of physical pain. But here is the thing, we can also offer up our joys and good works as well. Working… doing your daily diligence is a holy act according to the Saints. God gave us a way to sustain ourselves and doing it right is pleasing to God and serves as an example to others.
 
Hi @JoyToTheWhirled,

I’m really sorry to hear that you’re in the hospital with a possible kidney stone or stones.

I understand that type of pain. ☹️

I just went through this in June, and had to have two larger-sized stones removed from my left kidney that were trying to pass on their own, but were too large to pass.

The pain came on suddenly, and I just so happened to have a Urology appt. that Monday, so it was a coincidence, and there I was that Wednesday, having the stones removed.

I have a history of producing stones in that left kidney.

I really pray and hope that all goes well for you, and that you will be feeling better soon.

XOXO ❤️
 
I’m sorry to hear that you aren’t able to watch the video yet. I’m not sure what your situation is but if you do eventually get the chance where you can watch the video, it is relatively short (5 minutes, 35 seconds) and I think may be a great help to you.
 
Nothing bad on this, I promise. I just tend to have most of my computer time at work on my workdays (I work a schedule where I have fewer workdays per week but they’re longer). So I may not get to it til I have a night off.
 
My priest taught us to offer things up by saying this prayer (that was taught to the children of Fatima by Our Lady):
“Oh my Jesus, I offer this cross up for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen”
It’s a really beautiful thing that we can offer up our little sufferings and little sacrifices to God, so that He can do infinite good things with them . And we will never know the extent of the good we have done until we die and see Him face to face!
 
This is insanely the best question ever. People will say and probably have said, it means you just bind your problems to Christ on the Cross, or leave your problems etc at the Altar…

An then exactly how does one do that ? It just becomes a metaphor at some point for prayer, there is no physical way to just mysticly offer up ones sins, problems, joys, what have you, in the form of incense or a lit candle , or ringing a bell, or whatever, we cant go to the physical cross and tie anything to it, all one can do is pray and hope God answers one prayer in the physical time frame that it would be helpful, not 10 years down the road and then a light bulb comes on an one is sittn where ever and goes oh wow, yeah i had this problem and it would have been great had it been solved 10 years ago so that me an my family didnt have this giant falling out and now we dont talk to each other but at least my drug habit is gone, or something to that effect, just an analogy.

So the only rational answer i can come up with is, offering it up means, praying. For whatever.
 
I think you are hitting on a lot of what I’m feeling. People tell you when you’re going through suffering to offer it up, but then they offer suggestions like getting cut off in traffic or having to wait an extra long time in line. I don’t mean to offend, but those just seem kind of trivial? Whereas whenever I’ve gotten this advice, it’s had to do with very major problems, the kind of thing that keeps you up at night for months, the kind of thing where you’ll feel the impact for years if not the rest of your life. Saying “offer it up” and then reading the explanations just seems so glib to me, so much like a little neat pat solution to big issues.
 
DarkLight said:
I think you are hitting on a lot of what I’m feeling. People tell you when you’re going through suffering to offer it up, but then they offer suggestions like getting cut off in traffic or having to wait an extra long time in line. I don’t mean to offend, but those just seem kind of trivial? Whereas whenever I’ve gotten this advice, it’s had to do with very major problems, the kind of thing that keeps you up at night for months, the kind of thing where you’ll feel the impact for years if not the rest of your life. Saying “offer it up” and then reading the explanations just seems so glib to me, so much like a little neat pat solution to big issues.
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I don’t use the term “offer it up” because it is ambiguous and mis-understood. The is nothing like being up in small hours of the night, not being able to sleep and alone. It can be a truly horrible place to be. I feel for you, as I have been there too.

I personally prefer the term ‘hand it back’. Whatever my difficulties to the crucified and dying Lord Jesus for his purpose. I ask for guidance, protection and peace. I do find that this short pray eases my difficulties tremendously and quickly.
 
DarkLight said:
I feel like this is one of those concepts that seems to be pretty obvious to cradle catholics, and very much not obvious to those of us who are converts from protestant backgrounds. I recall the priest we had in the church I went through RCIA in trying to explain it, but it didn’t really make a whole lot of sense. Spirituality is a lot harder to learn than theology!
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When you join your suffering voluntarily to that of Christ, then you also are not complaining about and regretting that offering.
 
Vico said:
When you join your suffering voluntarily to that of Christ, then you also are not complaining about and regretting that offering.
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I think this is some of where I struggle. Complaining I can control. Regret? Regret for me was always one of those things that was just there, it wasn’t like I ever felt I decided to regret or not regret something. And given my history, it would be to me decidedly odd to not regret or at least to not prefer that things to be otherwise. Who would not prefer health to sickness?
 
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For me it’s offering the suffering as a prayer for God to use where needed.

If suffering is looked at as,an opportunity to connect with Jesus, God gives grace to endure it and to be spiritually stronger the next time suffering comes into life even if the suffering is of a different nature.

I am so sorry op, that you have a kidney stone. I had one a long time ago and it’s pretty intense. Praying that you feel better soon.🌼🌻🌸
 
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