Digital Marian Helper Spring_2018

The best way to unite our sufferings to Christ is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. During the offer- tory, we spiritually lay our burdens, our crosses, at the altar. At the consecration, when the priest says, “[F]or this is My Body, which will be given up for you,” we have the opportunity to say of ourselves, “This is my body given up for You.” When we consume Christ in the Eucharist, the appearances of our lives, our circumstances, our afflictions, our relationships may remain the same. But beneath the surface, Christ will transform our substance — our bod- ies, our blood, our souls, our intellects —more and more into His image. Christ loves us so much that even though He already suffered, died, and has risen in His own human nature, He wants to be with us as we suffer in ours. We can, therefore, rejoice in our suffering because through our pain we fill up “what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of His body, which is the Church” (Col 1:24). Saint Faustina recognized the necessity of becoming a living sacrifice for Christ, especially in the season of Lent. She said, “Throughout this Lent, I am a host in Your hand, Jesus” ( Diary , 1622). In another entry, she said, “I want to become a sacrificial host for sinners. Let the shell of my body conceal my offering, for Your Most Sacred Heart is also hidden in a Host, and certainly You are a living sac- rifice” ( Diary , 908). When we give our whole lives over to Christ, we will be able to give ourselves more completely to others. Our culture seldom sees the redemptive quality of suf- fering and often misses out on the beauty of self-sacrifice. Many of us, therefore, reject commitment, happy to give material gifts but afraid to give our lives to others. This “Ash Valentine’s Day,” let’s reawaken to the necessity of self-sacrifice. This Lent, let’s give up more than just one thing. Let’s give Christ everything, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him, renewing our minds through prayer and penance so that we may discern what is the will of God, what is good, pleasing, and perfect (see Rom 12:1-2). M arian H elper  • S pring 2018  • marian.org  17 MH