Did you know you can offer your day–your prayers, your works, your sufferings–for the good of others?
“All members of the Mystical Body [of Christ] share in the royal priesthood of Christ by virtue of our Baptism. This means that we are called to offer our lives in sacrifice to Him and for our neighbor. As Lumen Gentium states:
“Christ the Lord, High Priest taken from among men, made the new people ‘a kingdom and priests to God the Father.’ The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, in order that through all those works which are those of the Christian man they may offer spiritual sacrifices and proclaim the power of Him who has called them out of darkness into His marvelous light.
“ Therefore, all the disciples of Christ, persevering in prayer and praising God, should present themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Everywhere on earth they must bear witness to Christ and give an answer to those who seek an account of that hope of eternal life which is in them.
“To live a holy life is to offer everything to God, consecrating each moment of each day to Him. The menial and mundane tasks of our daily lives—from writing emails to sitting in meetings to washing dishes to folding laundry—are aspects of how we offer ourselves to God….
“The ordinary parts of our day take on supernatural dimensions when we unite them to the virtue of charity. When we offer the smallest of sacrifices in love to God, we are allowing Him to transfigure every part of our lives. We can accept the hidden nature of our lives and choose love of God over worldly success or glory. Then, we become less concerned with pleasing others and more concerned with pleasing God” (Constance Hull).
Wow! Even the smallest tasks can be offered to God.
The prayers below are everyday prayers; it is a lovely practice to have specific intentions for each day of the week. Below is an offering prayer followed by daily intentions and another prayer that you can pray if you’d like.
Daily Intentions
O my God, I offer you all my prayers, works, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the following intentions:
Sunday
For a true spirit of zeal, religion, and piety; the success of priests’ work and the spiritual welfare of those entrusted to their care.
Monday
For a true spirit of meekness and humility; the souls in purgatory; religious communities.
Tuesday
For a true spirit of faith; relatives, friends, and benefactors.
Wednesday
For a true spirit of charity; the sick, the dying, the suffering, the poor, and those who care for them.
Thursday
For a true and fervent love of the Holy Eucharist; vocations to the priesthood; conversion of unbelievers; the needs of missionaries.
Friday
For a true spirit of mortification and self-sacrifice; conversion of sinners.
Saturday
For a true love of chastity and of the Blessed Virgin; schools and teachers; children and youth.
A Morning or Evening Prayer
Lord Jesus, I give You my hands to do Your work. I give You my feet to go Your way. I give You my eyes to see as You see. I give You my tongue to speak Your words. I give You my mind to think as You think. I give You my spirit so that You may pray in me. I give You myself so that I may become more and more like You, so that it is You, Lord Jesus, who lives and works and prays in me. Amen.
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