Offering it up

[Mom_of_one]

What exactly is “offering it up” to God? How do you do it-is it as simple as saying “Lord, I offer (insert here) up to You for (insert here)”? If I am offering up any pain that I have, does that mean I can’t try to get rid of the pain? Reason I ask is I have arthritis(at 36!!! I FEEL OLD) and my pain med helps tremendously,but not always completely, and of course, some days I don’t even need the med. I would like to offer up the pain, but I also want to be able to take the med. Also, do I have to offer it up for the same thing every time, or can one day be for the souls in purgatory, and the next be for a friend, and the next be for someone I don’t know, but needs God’s help? Thanks. P.S. Can I offer up my pain for myself on occasion-say for the breaking of a habitual sin or for development of a better prayer life?

 

[Dr.Colossus]

We can offer up suffering (or even discomfort) for the sake of souls in purgatory, the Holy Mother Church, or ourselves simply by praying to God and telling Him we’d like to do so. Even if you are on pain medication, if you experience some pain anyway it can be offered up. Don’t worry about “rules” (there really aren’t any) regarding what you can pray for. The concept is that we unite our sufferings with Christ for the atonement of sins, either our own or others’.

 

[Annunciata]

Dr. Colossus:

We can offer up suffering (or even discomfort) for the sake of souls in purgatory, the Holy Mother Church, or ourselves simply by praying to God and telling Him we’d like to do so. Even if you are on pain medication, if you experience some pain anyway it can be offered up. Don’t worry about “rules” (there really aren’t any) regarding what you can pray for. The concept is that we unite our sufferings with Christ for the atonement of sins, either our own or others’.

Dr, C,
I like that! I have wondered too if I should suffer through it or take a pill and if still was as meritorious in “Offering It Up” of course I offer my daily work and everything in my day to Him …always trying to stay in close union .
Annunciata

 

[Bob_Baran]

Dr. Colossus:

We can offer up suffering (or even discomfort) for the sake of souls in purgatory, the Holy Mother Church, or ourselves simply by praying to God and telling Him we’d like to do so. Even if you are on pain medication, if you experience some pain anyway it can be offered up. Don’t worry about “rules” (there really aren’t any) regarding what you can pray for. The concept is that we unite our sufferings with Christ for the atonement of sins, either our own or others’.

I agree with this totally! You can also “offer up” your mental anguish which at times can be worse than physical pain.

 

[Didi]

Mother Angelica spoke about this some time ago. Even before her last stroke, she has had much pain throughout her life.

She said that if you have a headache, take a pain reliever. You can still offer your pain to God and if it goes away, fine; if it doesn’t, just keep offering!

I have been dealing with chronic health problems for the last four years and am learning much about offering my pain. As you mentioned, we can offer everything to God – our entire day – works, rest, joys, pains, sufferings, prayers. The morning offering is one of the most important prayers we can say each day.

Rosalind Moss on Catholic Answers has also said that we can offer to God our worry and anxiety, depression and discouragement – and all can have merit if we join our sufferings to that of Jesus!

Bishop Fulton Sheen said that this world has so much wasted suffering. Don’t let it go to waste!

Sometimes if I wake in the night with pain or discomfort, I begin praying and offering it for whoever needs God’s mercy and grace the most at that moment. We’ll never know until we get to heaven all the souls we may have helped through Jesus!

One of my favorite prayers to say when I’m feeling discouraged is the closing prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy:

Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your Mercy in us so that in difficult moments we might no despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit our lives to Your Holy Will, which is Love and Mercy Itself!

Mother Teresa told her sisters to “Love until it hurts. It hurt Jesus to love us.”

Know that Our Lord is using you to reach others, and you are participating in a small part of His passion. (Read my tag line)

 

[space_ghost]

yep that’s what ya do everytime you login to these forums… offer it up

 

[jrabs]

Momofone:

Also, do I have to offer it up for the same thing every time, or can one day be for the souls in purgatory, and the next be for a friend, and the next be for someone I don’t know, but needs God’s help? Thanks. P.S. Can I offer up my pain for myself on occasion-say for the breaking of a habitual sin or for development of a better prayer life?

You can offer up your pain for all those things on the same day. It’s like praying - you don’t pray for just one thing each day - you can lump them all together.

I think it is wonderful to offer up your pain for the intention of breaking a habitual sin.

But don’t stop at just your pain…offer up your good works, your joys, happy things and efforts. These are just as effective.