During Lent, we often focus on what we are giving up. We talk about fasting, about sacrifice. But what are we offering to the Lord? Scripture reminds us that offerings are more than just physical sacrifices. In Mark 12:33, we read, To love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. At every Holy Mass, the priest prays over the gifts, saying, “May what we offer you, O Lord, in token of our service, be transformed by you into the sacrament of salvation.” These words remind us that our offerings should be more than routine gestures; they should be truly pleasing to God. What about the offerings of our own lives? God gave us the gift of our life; do we offer our life back in service to God?
Lent is a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—all of which are ways to offer ourselves to God. Often, we think of offerings in terms of action, but our prayers are also a precious gift in His sight. Psalm 141:2 says, “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
When we pray, we are offering God our time, our trust, and our love. A sincere prayer—whether of praise, repentance, thanksgiving, or petition—is an act of the heart that God welcomes. But do we approach prayer with reverence and devotion? Do we truly offer our words as a gift to Him, or do we rush through them without thought?
There are many ways to make our prayers more of an offering to God. First, pray with intention – Instead of just saying words, we can take a moment to acknowledge that we are speaking to the living God. Offer your prayer with love and devotion. Perhaps we could pray with greater surrender, that is, offer your desires, struggles, and joys to God, trusting that He knows what is best for you. Another way to offer our prayers to God is to unite our prayers with sacrifice – Offer up small sacrifices during the day, like patience in difficulties or kindness when it’s hard, as a prayerful act of love. Often, we are asked to pray for others. Interceding for someone in need is a powerful way to make our prayer an offering of love. One other way to make our prayers more of an offering to God is to give God our time – Set aside focused time for prayer, free from distractions, as a true gift to Him.
Are our offerings favorable to God? When we fast, do we unite our sacrifice with Christ’s? When we give alms, do we do so joyfully, as an act of love? When we help someone, do we see it as an offering to God? When we love our neighbor, do we recognize it as a sacrifice more pleasing than any material gift?
Too often, we focus on what we do rather than why we do it. Our works of love—helping a friend, forgiving an enemy, comforting the sorrowful—can be powerful offerings to God. But do we give Him credit for these moments? Do we thank Him for the opportunity to serve? Do we ask Him to guide us toward new opportunities to love?
Lent is not just about giving things up, it is about giving of ourselves.
It is about surrendering our hearts, our time, our love, our very lives to the Lord. Mother Teresa once said, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Her life was an offering, a willingness to be used by God as His instrument. We, too, can offer ourselves in this way – allowing God to write His love through our actions, our words, and our prayers.
So, how can we better offer ourselves to God today as part of Lenten practices and continuing into Easter?
- Through prayer: Lifting our hearts to Him as a sincere offering.
- Through fasting: Sacrificing comforts to grow in spiritual strength and reliance on God.
- Through almsgiving: Generously giving our resources, time, and love to those in need.
- Reflect on your daily actions: How can they become intentional offerings to God?
- Ask God for opportunities to serve Him through others.
- Make your prayers an offering: Pray with devotion, offering them as a gift of love.
- Go forth and love—because in loving, you are offering yourself to God.
May our prayers, our fasting, and our almsgiving be holy and pleasing to Him.
Here’s what Scripture has to say:
Romans 12:1 – I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship.
Hebrews 13:15-16 – Through him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.
Psalm 51:17-18 – Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise. For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, God is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart.
Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.