What does it mean to "offer it up"?

[codetta]

I am a relatively new Catholic, and I have a few questions about the practice of “offering up” physical suffering for the sake of others. I understand that it is a sacrifice, but I’m not sure how it is done or when it is appropriate. I could not find any information on this practice in the official Catechism, but perhaps I missed it. If there is a section on this practice, would you please direct me to it? What Biblical support is there for this practice?

Can I offer up emotional or even spiritual suffering in addition to physical suffering? Can I offer up suffering for a specific intention, such as salvation for a particular person?

Who can I offer up suffering for? Only the living? What about the dead or souls in Purgatory? Can I offer up suffering for Jesus Himself, to help remediate some of the suffering He experienced while on the cross?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Leonie_Ambrose]

codetta,

The following links should assist you in better understanding the spiritual tradition of “offering up” suffering. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please [contact Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.com/home/contact.asp) directly.

Recommended Reading:

• [Offering suffering (http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=4759)
• [How do you “offer it up”? (http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=73865)
• [Why does a loving God allow children to suffer and die? (http://forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=15026)