Offering it Up

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dret

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I posted on a thread I wrote over in the prayer intentions section for awhile but I don’t think that was the right place because I kept posting and hoping to have some discussion and nothing happened.

I had a bunch of setbacks to my health and to work the last several months and It feels like its never going to get any better. I know you’re suppose to offer up your sufferings for other people or for your sins and that but I don’t really know how to do that and I feel sort of down a lot especially when I have pain. Can anyone give some tips? I know St Theresa had pain every day and I’m not as brave as her :bighanky:
 
dret said:
I posted on a thread I wrote over in the prayer intentions section for awhile but I don’t think that was the right place because I kept posting and hoping to have some discussion and nothing happened.

I had a bunch of setbacks to my health and to work the last several months and It feels like its never going to get any better. I know you’re suppose to offer up your sufferings for other people or for your sins and that but I don’t really know how to do that and I feel sort of down a lot especially when I have pain. Can anyone give some tips? I know St Theresa had pain every day and I’m not as brave as her :bighanky:
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For me its a visual thing, a visual meditation. It something I learned from Mother Angelica on EWTN. Picture yourself in front of Jesus, who has his fiery Passionate and Sacred Heart showing. You have a basket in your hand. Pluck your sufferings and pains from inside yourself and place them in the basket. Hand the basket to Jesus where He will burn it in the fire of His Love for you, taking them inside Himself.

I find this a very helpful meditation. I use it when I am tempted too and helps with that.

I hope this helps. God Bless.
 
dret said:
I had a bunch of setbacks to my health and to work the last several months and It feels like its never going to get any better. I know you’re suppose to offer up your sufferings for other people or for your sins and that but I don’t really know how to do that and I feel sort of down a lot especially when I have pain. Can anyone give some tips? I know St Theresa had pain every day and I’m not as brave as her :bighanky:
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I love you so much right now. You are a living image of Christ. Tonight I will kneel before a wooden crucifix and pray to the Lord, but right know I am thinking of a living icon of Christ who is suffering and wishes to offer up his pain but does not know how…

Remember our Beloved in the darkness of the Garden, alone, trembling, sweating drops of blood out of sheer terror for what was going to happen, asking his dad to take away those sufferings…

…yet he offered his sufferings, and in a very simple way: the way you are already following: by accepting God’s will. Holy Job was called a “prototype” of the Christ because under great sufferings he was not angry at God, nor did he utter any words against God. Christ said: “not what I want, dad, but what you want.” And when Peter, in two occasions, was upset at what was going on (once rebuking the Lord, the second time striking with his sword), He patiently replied: “you do not think like God does, but like humans do. Should I not drink from the cup of suffering that my dad has given me?”

Christ did not choose to suffer - He simply accepted suffering for the love of God and of all men.
Christ did not choose to be scourged or crowned with thorns. But He accepted them, because God was allowing it to happen.
Christ did not choose the Cross. It was placed on His shoulders. Later, someone laid Him on the wood, like a lamb on the altar, and nailed Him to it, and lifted Him up.
Christ did not choose death. He accepted it.

Because through the acceptance of suffering and death comes eternal life for us and for many.

The truth is that pain is not good in itself. It is only good inasmuch as it can achieve a lot. Because through your pain God will save many souls who would otherwise be lost. Because not everyone is blessed with a share in the cross, though all those who advance in the path of devotion reach a time in which they seek the cross in order to be able to imitate Christ more perfectly and help others.

You have no idea of what is going on. I am praying, like you, that God may diminish your sufferings without diminishing your merits. Know, however, that not one tear falls from our eyes without God giving a hundredfold in return, because it is His only son who is crying and suffering…it is His only son who doesn’t know what to do and feels down…and He loves his only son with an infinite, everlasting love.
 
Have you thought about receiving The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick? Also The Anointing of the Sick does complement Confession.

God bless.
 
DevotedChild said:
For me its a visual thing, a visual meditation. It something I learned from Mother Angelica on EWTN. Picture yourself in front of Jesus, who has his fiery Passionate and Sacred Heart showing. You have a basket in your hand. Pluck your sufferings and pains from inside yourself and place them in the basket. Hand the basket to Jesus where He will burn it in the fire of His Love for you, taking them inside Himself.

I find this a very helpful meditation. I use it when I am tempted too and helps with that.

I hope this helps. God Bless.
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Thank you DevotedChild, I will give it a try today and see. Thanks and God bless you!
 
R_C said:
You have no idea of what is going on. I am praying, like you, that God may diminish your sufferings without diminishing your merits. Know, however, that not one tear falls from our eyes without God giving a hundredfold in return, because it is His only son who is crying and suffering…it is His only son who doesn’t know what to do and feels down…and He loves his only son with an infinite, everlasting love.
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Hey R_C thanks a lot, you really gave me things to think about. I had not thought of this like you talk about it. Lord knows I am tired of tears from pain and worry that are not having any purpose. I am definitely not Jesus but you really give me a little bit of something to turn to there about how Jesus has to go through suffering and is experiencing pain and confusion also. It makes it seem like it is not so pointless. Thank you and God bless you!
 
I’m a very visual person. So, I do the same as the other poster.

I imagine putting my worries, pain, suffering at the “foot” of the cross. I also try to remember poor souls in purgatory.

Years ago I went on a retreat and they had an outside meditation garden. There was a very large crucifix of our Lord and rocks/pebbles around it. I picked up some of the rocks/pebbles and “named” each one w/ anything that was bothering me at the time. Oh, what a “freeing” experience it was for me. I continue it to this day.

In our Adoration Chapel, we have a prayer basket. I’m always adding someone/something to it.

I will put you in our prayer basket at my hour of Adoration tonight in the Chapel.
 
I just noticed the web page does not have the chaper “Thoughts on Penance” which would be spot on the OP. It is in the TAN book.

“Thoughts On Penance”

Penance is the only pathway to God, once we have been separated from Him by sin. By penance I mean either a penance of heart or an actve penance. The one is effective, the other affective, and both must be united as the several circumstances of our condition require.
An active or effective penitence is to be utilized when sickness or any voluntary affliction befalls us, or when through a penitential spirit, we discipline ourselves.
In afflictions we practice active penitence in the following situations:
1. As often as we receive crosses with the intention of receiving them as just pnishments from a tender parent solicitous for our reform; or as the sentence of a merciful judge who inflicts a penalty in this life in order to spare us in the next.
2. As often as we confess our sins with true repentance, and receive the punishment with due submission.
That these two interior acts may make a deep impression on our hearts they may be accompanied by the following reflections:
a. If the crimes for which we are punished were to be weighed against our sufferings, how light would the atonement be in comparison with our guilt!
b. All that we endure has been decreed in the Providence of God.
c. All our sufferings are to our ultimate advantage, as they satisfy for our offenses.
d. We suffer too that we may come to a realization of our own wickedness, for we seldom advert to this subject before we feel that hand of God.
e. If by the Sacrament of Penance we are already in the state of grace, affliction is sent as a means of satisfying the divine justice for the temporal punishment due to our sins.
f. The punishment due to mortal sin is eternal damnation, and irrevocable banishment form the sight of God if one is not repentant.
g. Millions have perished who perhaps were guilty of but one mortal sin after Baptism, and many of them were surprised by death the moment it was committed.
In order to apply these rules to our own case when any affliction befalls us, we ought to retire into the depths of our hearts, and reason thus with ourselves:
“Is it not an article of faith that when I first sinned mortally after Baptism, I made myself unworthy of all but the reprobates in Hell?” O my God, if such were actually my fate, how many years should I have already passed in that place of horror! If I consider my first mortal sin, what must I not have sufferedi n that fiery furnace to this time, and what might I not expect to suffer for all eternity!
"It is through Thy mercy alone, O my God, that I was not in Hell from that first moment I deserved it, that I am not there at this moment, that I may still hope never to go there; and it is through Thy mercy that Thou hast not dealt with me as Thou hast with those miserable wretches who no burn there for all eternity.
“Instead of those horrible unending torments, from which Thou hast graciously exempted me, Thou art pleased to send this affliction; and yet I murmur, am impatient and rebellious. What I now suffer cannot possible last long; what I deserved is eternal!”
An active penitence is exercised by depriving ourselves of any satisfaction of body or mind, with the intention of making some atonement to the divine justice by bearing patiently any contempt or injury, and offering it to the Almighty in expiation of our offenses.

peace
 
cradlecatholic5 said:
I’m a very visual person. So, I do the same as the other poster.

I imagine putting my worries, pain, suffering at the “foot” of the cross. I also try to remember poor souls in purgatory.

Years ago I went on a retreat and they had an outside meditation garden. There was a very large crucifix of our Lord and rocks/pebbles around it. I picked up some of the rocks/pebbles and “named” each one w/ anything that was bothering me at the time. Oh, what a “freeing” experience it was for me. I continue it to this day.

In our Adoration Chapel, we have a prayer basket. I’m always adding someone/something to it.

I will put you in our prayer basket at my hour of Adoration tonight in the Chapel.
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CradleCatholic thanks a lot, that means a lot to me to know other people are praying for me it really does make a huge difference to know you’re not alone. When you feel bad and other people don’t it makes you keep your mouth shut in person because you don’t want them go get tired listening to you but you still hurt and worry. Its great you get to go to adoration for a whole hour!! Anyway thanks for that and for the idea about thinking about being at the cross, I like that too. God bless you!!!
 
The Holy Trinity suggested on here so I went to confession and received the annointing of the sick from my pastor and WOW. It was like I lost 20 pounds when I left. I don’t know whats going to happen with my health but I feel like my relationship with God got put back on track and I have the grace I need to get through this. I am looking forward to working on my prayer life and getting to know God better during this time. Thanks a lot everybody!:extrahappy::bounce:👋:heaven::angel1::gopray:: grouphug::blessyou::flowers::thankyou:
 
Hello Friends: Well its a couple days now since I got annointing of the sick. I’m still not feeling good but when I start to get down about it I am trying to turn to the graces received from the sacraments so that I can keep going, And I try to pray or reach out and help other people. When you have a physical pain that’s going on for many months you can’t just pretend everything is fine but I like the ideas you have shared on here to try to help. Thanks for reading and God bless!
 
dret said:
Hello Friends: Well its a couple days now since I got annointing of the sick. I’m still not feeling good but when I start to get down about it I am trying to turn to the graces received from the sacraments so that I can keep going, And I try to pray or reach out and help other people. When you have a physical pain that’s going on for many months you can’t just pretend everything is fine but I like the ideas you have shared on here to try to help. Thanks for reading and God bless!
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dret, if it is His will, may your health be fully restored. I share the path with you. I’ve been on it so long I cannot recall “normal”. Prayer is the perfect path. Your priest can be a wonderful counselor. Frequent confession and communion open the vaults of grace. If this is to be chronic the time will come when even those who love you most will fatigue (they still care). If Jesus permits your cross can become a crucifix.

Our Lord is with you right now. He will never leave you. If you persevere in prayer there are inexpreesible joys, known only to you and Him, that await you. Apart from Him you can do nothing. Every mass at the offertory put your crosses, your very self on the paten. When Our Father looks down from heaven at the consecration He will see you in His dearly beloved Son.When you receive communion receive His divinity and yourself returned transubstantiated.

Your accidents may not change, but your essence will. Share in His death, divinity, and the mystical body of Christ. Be consumed.This may be difficult to believe but pain can become exquisite, each breath precious, and your relationship with God more important than health’or wealth or anything created.

Peace
 
hazcompat said:
dret, if it is His will, may your health be fully restored. I share the path with you. I’ve been on it so long I cannot recall “normal”. Prayer is the perfect path. Your priest can be a wonderful counselor. Frequent confession and communion open the vaults of grace. If this is to be chronic the time will come when even those who love you most will fatigue (they still care). If Jesus permits your cross can become a crucifix.

Our Lord is with you right now. He will never leave you. If you persevere in prayer there are inexpreesible joys, known only to you and Him, that await you. Apart from Him you can do nothing. Every mass at the offertory put your crosses, your very self on the paten. When Our Father looks down from heaven at the consecration He will see you in His dearly beloved Son.When you receive communion receive His divinity and yourself returned transubstantiated.

Your accidents may not change, but your essence will. Share in His death, divinity, and the mystical body of Christ. Be consumed.This may be difficult to believe but pain can become exquisite, each breath precious, and your relationship with God more important than health’or wealth or anything created.

Peace
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Thanks very much. You’re more experienced than I am, but I am really grateful for these messages of direction and faith and solidarity. I am hoping to see what God wants me to learn from this suffering and hopefully I will be made better for it, Your response and those other ones here too mean a lot to be able to draw from them and to go back and reflect on when I need to. I am keeping everyone in this thread in my prayers, absolutely. God bless my friend!
 
Hazcompat, that’s a very disturbing statement on “thoughts on penance” where it talks about millions of souls perishing in hell after only one mortal sin. Sounds like God has his finger on the button waiting for failure. If that statement is true then what are we to make of the many souls who are still living who have committed many mortal sins and continue to do so?
 
spencer2 said:
Hazcompat, that’s a very disturbing statement on “thoughts on penance” where it talks about millions of souls perishing in hell after only one mortal sin. Sounds like God has his finger on the button waiting for failure. If that statement is true then what are we to make of the many souls who are still living who have committed many mortal sins and continue to do so?
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God does not will that any should perish. He makes abundant graces available to even the most inveterate sinners. This is a wake up call, stay alert you do not know your hour. It also is a call to repentence, the door to salvation is open while we draw breath. Stay watchful. Be a part of His salvific plan!

peace
 
This afternoon for no apparent reason I was an awful pain, and I had to go lie down for an hour and had EWTN on tv. Mother Angelica was on and one part of the show she taled about how if you have pain and suffering now that it may not be God’s active will that you suffer but his permissive will, and that you have to know that he wants you to love and trust him and its better to get closer to Him now then be separated from Him, but we must still go on living and not shut oursevles away and hide when we suffer. That’s kind of hard because you don’t want to talk about it with people all the time they will get tired you know?
 
dret said:
This afternoon for no apparent reason I was an awful pain, and I had to go lie down for an hour and had EWTN on tv. Mother Angelica was on and one part of the show she taled about how if you have pain and suffering now that it may not be God’s active will that you suffer but his permissive will, and that you have to know that he wants you to love and trust him and its better to get closer to Him now then be separated from Him, but we must still go on living and not shut oursevles away and hide when we suffer. That’s kind of hard because you don’t want to talk about it with people all the time they will get tired you know?
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He won’t. We won’t.
I placed my crosses on the paten today, and He changed them to a crucifix, My suffering is meritorious through, with and in Him. My accidents remain, but my essence(heart,mind,soul) is transubstantiated. If it is His Will that more suffering come, the more merit will come as well, all for the greater glory of Our Loving Father. In prosperity and adversity THANKS BE TO GOD!

peace
 
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