Our Mission
one
Yesterday we celebrated the appearance of Mary at Lourdes where she gave us a mission to offer our prayer and penance (sacrifice) for the conversion of sinners. And I thought – how powerful would it be to have 14k+ people joined together as a spiritual army offering their Rosaries, Masses, adoration, suffering, work and joy for one and others family and friends that are in need of conversion. That is quite a force. So I invited you to submit names of those in need of conversion to our prayer list.
Then surprise surprise, I was up most of the night with physical suffering and the Lord said to me, “Well, you can be frustrated or you can accept it and offer it up for the conversion of the loved ones submitted to the list – isn’t that what you asked for…” I hate when Jesus reminds me of my own words. I mean, I was just giving the theory in the meditation – I didn’t think He expected me to actually put it into practice. But that is our mission – that is how we can help each other. I am committed to offering my prayer and suffering for your loved ones for their conversion. I’ve got your back. Do you have mine?
two
What does it mean to offer it up?
God the Father wants the children of His family to help one another. We all have a vital role to play. Jesus and the Holy Spirit make it possible for us to add our two cents so to speak. If we offer up to God, meaning to give to God as a gift our prayer, work, joy and suffering, then Jesus unites it to his sacrifice of the Cross and uses it to bring the grace of conversion to those in need.
The CCC 1368 states: The Church which is the Body of Christ participates in the sacrifice of Jesus. With him, she herself is offered whole and entire. She unites herself to his intercession with the Father for all men. In the Eucharist the sacrifice of Christ becomes also the sacrifice of the members of his Body. The lives of the faithful, their praise, sufferings, prayer, and work, are united with those of Christ and with his total offering, and so acquire a new value. Christ's sacrifice present on the altar makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering.
That means anything we offer up to Jesus, He unites to His infinite and perfect offering to the Father for the salvation of all, and the Father accepts this and uses it to bring grace and good to the whole world and especially to those people we offer it for specifically. This is actually one of the best things we can do for others.
three
What can we offer up?
In 2nd Apparition of the Angel at Fatima in the Summer of 1916, while the children were playing around the well near Lucia’s house, suddenly the Angel appeared and asked: "What are you doing? Pray, pray very much! The Most Holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary have designs of mercy on you. Offer prayers and sacrifice constantly to the Most High. The hearts of Jesus and Mary have a mission for you."
Lucy asked the Angel: “How are we to make sacrifices?”
"Make of everything you can a sacrifice and offer it to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication for the conversion of sinners.”
We can offer our joy, our suffering, our prayer and our work; second – whatever we offer up to Christ acquires the value of His offering – which is infinite – and it can be offered specifically for people we want to help.
four
Jesus said to St. Faustyna: “My daughter, I want to instruct you on how you are to rescue souls through sacrifice and prayer. You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone.” Diary 1767
What sacrifices and suffering should we offer? Make of everything a sacrifice and offer it to God…What you
· Did not choose
· Do not like
· Cannot change
· Accept with Trust
· Offer to Jesus to help others
· Mother Teresa: Accept what He gives and give what He takes with a big smile
five
An army is stronger than a solitary soldier. People associate together to do what they cannot do alone.
St John Paul II wrote a letter to the world called On the Mission of the Lay Faithful. There he called us to band together in movements or associations to carry out a particular calling in the name of the Church. The Movement of the Holy Family is a response to this call. It is a spiritual army that individuals choose freely to join. And the result is an army of people who now share in the spiritual power of all the members joined together to help their loved ones and friends to conversion and salvation.
The Church offers benefits to those who choose freely to associate together to help one another – they share graces and merits that benefit all the members. Once I become a member, then I am not just relying on myself but on the graces and merits of all the members - their prayer, works, joys and sufferings all joined in one spiritual reservoir that now benefits me and all those I choose to apply them to.
CCC 2027 Moved by the Holy Spirit, we can merit for ourselves and for others all the graces needed to attain eternal life, as well as necessary temporal goods like health and friendship.
Every morning at Mass, when the gifts are placed on the altar, I say to Jesus, I offer you my prayer work joy and suffering, and I unite them to your sacrifice made present in this Mass and I offer them for the intentions of all the Members of the Movement and for my own intentions – which I then name.
There is a spiritual army to back you up for your good. Can I count on you for the same?