We are continuing with our discussion regarding the message to Sr. Agnes in Akita, Japan, calling us to perform acts of prayer, penance, and sacrifice. This week, we have reached the topic of acts of sacrifice.
Sacrifice is a difficult thing. It’s not easy. It’s not something we generally look forward to doing. In fact, human nature is such that we try to avoid it as much as possible. Sacrifice can take us out of our comfort zone in ways we might not understand.
However, sacrifice is also essential to growing spiritually. When we talk about sacrifice, we generally think of two ideas: the Sacrifice of Our Lord on the Cross, which we participate in through the Mass; and personal sacrifices. In either sense, sacrifice is giving something to God as a gift for the sake of our salvation. It is through the Sacrifice of Our Lord that we can give up small things out of love for Him, uniting our dying-to-self to His death on the Cross.
The most commonly understood form of personal sacrifice is the idea of giving something up for Lent. Along with that, abstaining from meat on Fridays is also a form of personal sacrifice. These two ancient practices are things we shouldn’t keep just within the season of Lent. Abstaining from something we enjoy for the sake of God is an incredible act of love for Him, which he rewards with many graces. Even very simple sacrifices can be very beneficial for us spiritually.
As I wrote previously, the three acts of prayer, penance, and sacrifice are connected, so prayer and penance can be forms of sacrifice. Praying the Rosary instead of watching TV or other forms of entertainment is a powerful sacrifice. Performing an act of penance instead of indulging a personal desire can be a great sacrifice as well. Fasting from a meal and using the time for prayer can greatly benefit us spiritually (and in many cases, physically!).
There is much more we can do to make small, personal sacrifices. Ultimately, through sacrifice, we “take up [our] Cross and follow [Jesus]” (Matthew 16:24). We embrace the Cross as our instrument of salvation, and it leads us deeper into our relationship with Christ. May we truly “Lift High the Cross” through our sacrifices, for our sake and the salvation of the world!
