A Perfect Sacrifice

How can we make of our lives a pure and perfect sacrifice? Ivonne J. Hernandez looks to Saint Augustine for help. 

You never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that, from the rising of the sun to its setting, a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name. (Eucharistic Prayer III) 

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word sacrifice? For me, I think of a mom or a dad sacrificing themselves for their child, putting the needs of the children above their own, perhaps even going without a necessity. I think of how my husband lets the boys eat the leftover pizza he had saved for lunch without batting an eye. He gets annoyed for a moment but immediately turns around and says it is fine. I think of how I left my career to care for my sons or how my mom worked three jobs after my dad died.

There is an immediate relation to suffering for someone—out of love—when I hear the word sacrifice, a voluntary giving-up of something of value… so that someone else might be allowed to rise up. This is the context in which I’ve always looked at Jesus on the Cross.  

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (John 3:16) 

But today, I came upon some words from St. Augustine that challenged me to ponder deeper on the meaning of this word… sacrifice. 

A true sacrifice is anything that we do with the aim of being united to God in holy fellowship—anything that is directed towards that supreme good and end in which alone we can be truly blessed. It follows that even an act of compassion towards men is not a sacrifice, if it is not done for the sake of God. Although it is performed by man, sacrifice is still a divine thing, as the Latin word indicates: “sacri-ficium,” “holy-doing” or “holy-making.” Man himself can be a sacrifice, if he is consecrated in the name of God, and vowed to God—a sacrifice in so far as he dies to the world in order to live to God. This is also an act of compassion: compassion of a man for himself. Thus it is written: take pity on your own soul by doing what is pleasing to God. (From The City of God by St Augustine, bishop )

“A true sacrifice is anything that we do with the aim of being united to God in holy fellowship” —anything! The question to ask ourselves is: What are we aiming for?

St. Augustine continues: 

True sacrifices are acts of compassion to ourselves or others, done with God in mind. Such acts have no other object than the relief of distress or the giving of happiness. Finally, the only true happiness is the one the psalmist speaks of: but for myself, I take joy in clinging to God. 

We can spend our lives sacrificing ourselves yet not making a sacrifice to God. Blood, sweat, and tears wasted, living for ourselves and for strange gods. Gods that cannot speak and cannot love, working endlessly just to end empty-handed. Sands of time run through our fingers as we keep running away from the One who never ceases to call out for us. Repent! Return! I am your God. 

I’ve come to recognize a particular type of tiredness that comes upon me when I have been laboring for fruit that perishes rather than making an offering to God. A “burnt-out” feeling reminds me to return to the source. The grace of being left to my own resources is that I recognize and remember. I recognize this desolate place where I feel tired and helpless, and I remember where my strength comes from.

Again and again, I find my strength renewed in the Sacraments, especially receiving Holy Communion. The beauty of this movement is that every step in the right direction is not just a sacrifice on my part, but since it is done “with the aim of being united to God in holy fellowship,” every step becomes a TRUE SACRIFICE. This act of self-compassion done to relieve the distress I feel in my heart is acceptable to God! The pain I feel becomes the means to turn back; it helps reorient my heart. Then, every other act of compassion to myself or others continues to be “holy-doing,” “holy-making,” … a beautiful sacrifice. 

Let us then find moments through our day when we stop and examine where our aim is. If whatever we are doing is not done with the ultimate goal of being more united to God, let us ask for the grace to pivot, to reorient, and set our eyes on Jesus. Let us ask Our Lady to bring us with her heart into the arms of God. Let us become a holy living sacrifice to God. 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2024 Ivonne J. Hernandez
Images: Canva
This article was originally published on the Elisheba Blog. It is published here with permission.