Uncategorized – Joy of the Family

Offerings

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.

Life Has A Schedule

On the day following our national holiday when we give thanks to God for our family and friends and for all the blessings we enjoy in this great country, our friends in “merry old England” in the British House of Commons voted to allow euthanasia for those deemed unworthy of life. The current monarch, who also sits as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, is expected to sign the legislation even though it directly conflicts with God’s Commandment that “You shall not kill” Deuteronomy 5:17. What a travesty that some find life so inconvenient or too difficult to bear. Life is supposed to have its own schedule.

On the other end of the spectrum of life, we here in our office excitedly await the news of the birth of the first grandchild of one of our own team members. Although we already know the sex and the name of this highly anticipated child, we do not know when she will actually be born. She is already delayed more than a week after her anticipated due date. New life also is supposed to have its own schedule.

As people of faith, we believe that all life is a gift from our creator, our loving, heavenly Father, who has plans for each of our lives, “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give [us] a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11. God gives us the great gift of being co-creators with Him, but He has also given us the parameters within which we are to exercise this awesome gift. God created man and woman in His image. “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’…” Genesis 1:28. Yet, God reserves dominion over life and death: “See now that I, I alone am he, and there is no god besides me. It is I who bring both death and life…” Deuteronomy 32:39.

As we enter this season of Advent, when we prepare to celebrate the coming of the newborn King, let us reflect on the beauty but also the inconvenience of life. We have our plans, but we know that God has a plan, also. Sometimes that plan may seem unclear or look difficult or even frightening. Let us remember Mary and Joseph who placed their trust in God even though they likely did not plan to travel all the way to Bethlehem when Mary was in her final stages of her pregnancy, only to find themselves in a stable where the animals were kept because “there was no place for them in the inn” Luke 2:7. May we also place our trust in God and in his plan for our life no matter how challenging it may seem from the viewpoint of our limited humanity. Let us remember the comforting words Jesus directed St. Faustina to include on His image of Divine Mercy: “Jesus, I trust in you.”

What does the Bible say?

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it….” Genesis 1:27-28

See now that I, I alone, am he, and there is no god besides me. It is I who bring both death and life… Deuteronomy 32:39 (NABRE)

You shall not kill. Deuteronomy 5:17

Author: Catherine Loh, Diocese of Palm Beach Director of Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation, and Youth Ministry

Changes

*Author: Beth Zanotelli, Family Life Coordinator for the Diocese of Palm Beach*

There are many twists and turns in our journey of life. Often these twists and turns lead us into places and situations we didn’t anticipate, and we must adjust our life or make changes. Some changes make us better, they are joyful, and we can see the beauty of God at work in our life. Some changes are difficult, and they force us to be strong, they draw us out of ourselves to experience life in way we have never seen. God is always at work in our lives, even when it may be a more difficult to see the beauty. Some changes challenge us to rise to an occasion, and in the end, we are somehow different. If we follow God’s plan and if we follow the Truth of the Gospel, we will be changed for the better. God’s plan for us is more than what we settle for in our everyday journey. We are made for more.

As we begin Lent, we enter another special time of reflection. Let us pray that the Lord will show us changes that we need to make and reveal ways that we could love like Him, forgive like Him, serve like Him, and give like Him. Remember that each time we encounter Christ in the Eucharist we are changed. As we encounter Christ in the Eucharist, draw near to Him, and allow him to bring a twist or turn to your journey of life. In our 40 days of Lent, let us allow ourselves to encounter Christ, to rise to an occasion, to help someone else, to be strong and to be forever changed.

Here’s what the Scriptures have to say…

Isaiah 64:7 – O Lord, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.

Romans 12:9-21– Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance in mine, I will repay says the Lord.” Rather, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.” Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.

John 15: 1-5 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.