What’s your Lenten sacrifice, Carlos?” I asked the Grade 4 student.
“Something to suffer?” He clearly revealed some discomfort towards the word as he wrinkled his nose.
“Yeah, but more like something to offer, for the season of Lent,” I clarified.
“Offer? But my mom always asks me to give up something I like,” he protested.
“Well, if it was something you didn’t like, then it wouldn’t really be a sacrifice for you, right?”
“I guess so,” he nodded.
* * *
The word sacrifice always connotes something painful, uncomfortable and distasteful.
At its root, however, the word contains a richer meaning.
It comes from the combination of the words sacra and facere.
Together they mean, “to make something holy.”
From the history of salvation, something became holy when it was set apart as an offering for God.
Thus, whatever that offering was, it was holy because it already belonged to God.
Although the verb facere literally means “to do” or “to make,” at first glance one seems to read the word “face.”
Playing with this, we can say that when offering sacrifices, we should consider seeing three faces behind our offering: first, to see Christ’s face; second, to strive to see the faces of others; and third, to discover our face during this prayerful stance of offering something to God and for neighbor.
Facing Christ.
The saints made use of images to pray better and to offer their trials cheerfully and serenely.
Many saints would look at the Crucifix while praying and unite their sufferings to Cross. St. Thomas Aquinas known for saying that the Crucifix was “the only book” he needed to do his prayer.
Making use of images does not replace God.
They serve as aids for our spiritual and ascetical practices.
Sometimes our senses are more distracted and unsettled than usual.
By looking at a picture of our Lady at the foot of the cross, of St. Joseph in the manger or any of our favorite representations can help to redirect our attention to our acts of piety.
In this process, one must try to foster sentiments (not necessary emotional) that help to unite one, to how Christ felt and repaired for our sins, how our Lady and St. Joseph anxiously sought for a place in the inn, etc.
Such interior movements cultivate greater openness to the lights and inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
Facing others.
It is easier to offer sacrifices when we keep in mind and heart the ones we love.
Every pious act of worship is ultimately directed towards God, but they may still be offered for particular individuals and intentions.
And when we pray in nomine (that is, concrete names) and even imagining the face of our loved ones, our prayer acquires greater filial trust and abandonment.
This attitude is something God cannot resist and grants our conversion and petitions.
Facing ourselves.
The Psalms reveal that the sacrifice that pleases God, above all material offerings, is a humble and contrite heart. In our sacrifices, God seeks the person and not the things he gives up.
He understands that we may not manage to achieve this all at once, but if we are constant in making little hidden heroic minutes — as St. Josemaría fondly called them — consisting of punctual offerings to God details of order, punctuality, cordiality, and more, God will not refuse a person’s desires for holiness.
It is in these three areas, our sacrifices literally acquire a face because they are no longer hallow offerings, but place us facing God, our neighbors and ourselves.