Psalm Reflection: The First Sunday of Advent - Cycle C

“To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.” - Psalm 25

What do you bring to offer at Mass?

I don’t mean money, even though that is very much needed for Churches to continue to operate. Rather, do you consciously call to mind your own personal offering at Mass? 

In the early Church, the congregation would physically bring the gifts of bread and wine to use at Mass, just as people had long been asked to offer the first fruits of their harvest to the Lord at the temple.

Today, churches buy these things, but when the bread and wine are brought forward it is always done by people in the congregation to remind us that we are all making the offering to God, asking Him to transform it and miraculously become present to us through it. When the bread and wine are offered and placed on the altar, we are meant to imagine ourselves with them on the altar being offered and willingly opening ourselves to God so that the Holy Spirit will transform us and make Christ miraculously present in us as well.

The Psalmist reminds us this Sunday to offer our souls up to God. What does that mean?

First of all, your soul is the image and likeness of God dwelling in every cell of your body which animates you and gives you life. Without a soul, we would be an empty body without life. Our soul is not locked away inside of us. Our soul is present in every single part of us, even in the broken, wounded and messy parts. That is what we are compelled by this week’s Psalm to offer to God. That is what is asked of us at every Mass.

Put simply: what does God want from you? One thing: everything.

So, some questions that challenge us to live this out better might be: 

What are you holding back from God? 

What things are you trying to control or hold on to? 

What things are you overly attached to?

What are you unwilling to give up or let go?

What things do you assign you own value or worth to?

God wants all of us. He will not force you to let go of anything, it is entirely up to you. You can run around in circles trying to be the god of your own life and control or fix everything, or you can come to Mass every week (or every day if you like) and offer it all to Him. 

This week, go to an extra Mass during the week on your own. Make a point to pay extra attention during the presentation and preparation of the gifts and intentionally place your life and your intentions on the altar with the gifts of bread and wine. Pay attention to what you notice about your experience of the Mass when you do this, and allow God to transform you through your offering.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt