To add to PhilotheaZ post… by offering to the Father the perfect Sacrifice of Jesus, which Jesus gave us permission to do, it really takes the pressure off of us. Jesus’ sacrifice is infinite. What we can offer is only finite. When we offer Jesus’ sacrifice to the Father, we don’t do it only in words, but also unite our finite sufferings, inconveniences, trials etc to Jesus’ sacrifice. Now our offerings have value. We become fruits of His passion, death and resurrection. We accomplish this by being more patient in our trials, by deeds of mercy and having a disciplined prayer life to name a few ways… If we want to please… all we have to do is think of ways we want to please our loved ones here and we can get an idea of the ways we can please God. Every act must be an act of unselfish love and a desire to please God.
In the Dialogues of St. Catherine of Siena… she wanted to offer penances as acts of reparation…God our Father replied:
“Do you not know, dear daughter, that all the sufferings, which the soul endures, or can endure, in this life, are insufficient to punish one smallest fault, because the offense, being done to Me, who am the Infinite Good, calls for an infinite satisfaction? However, I wish that you should know, that not all the pains that are given to men in this life are given as punishments, but as corrections, in order to chastise a son when he offends; though it is true that both the guilt and the penalty can be expiated by the desire of the soul, that is, by true contrition, not through the finite pain endured, but through the infinite desire; because God, who is infinite, wishes for infinite love and infinite grief. Infinite grief I wish from My creature in two ways: in one way, through her sorrow for her own sins, which she has committed against Me her Creator; in the other way, through her sorrow for the sins which she sees her neighbors commit against Me. Of such as these, inasmuch as they have infinite desire, that is, are joined to Me by an affection of love, and therefore grieve when they offend Me, or see Me offended, their every pain, whether spiritual or corporeal, from wherever it may come, receives infinite merit, and satisfies for a guilt which deserved an infinite penalty, although their works are finite and done in finite time; but, inasmuch as they possess the virtue of desire, and sustain their suffering with desire, and contrition, and infinite displeasure against their guilt, their pain is held worthy. Paul explained this when he said: If I had the tongues of angels, and if I knew the things of the future and gave my body to be burned, and have not love, it would be worth nothing to me. The glorious Apostle thus shows that finite works are not valid, either as punishment or recompense, without the condiment of the affection of love.”
God our Father remembers well what Jesus suffered for our redemption. When we offer it back to Him in appreciation for what Jesus has done by patiently enduring the trials He sends our way as corrections and make firm amendments to live our faith… our offerings gain infinite merit.
The peace you felt reciting the chaplet is a consolation from God inviting you to delve further into the mysteries He wishes to open up to you. Read more books on developing Catholic Spirituality.
Tanbooks.com have a good listing.
(that’s what I do)