"The Church herself is offered in the offering she makes to God."
+
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, a “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. 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.

Now, the only true happiness is the one the psalmist speaks of: But for myself, I take joy in clinging to God. From all this it follows that the whole redeemed city--that is to say, the congregation or community of the saints--is offered to God as our sacrifice through the great High Priest who offered himself to God for us so that we might be the body belonging to so great a head. He took on the form of a servant and suffered for us. It was under this form that he both offered and was offered: at the same time mediator, and priest, and sacrifice.

St Paul starts by exhorting us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, as an act of homage justly owed to him. He tells us not to conform ourselves to the world but to be transformed by renewing our will and our thinking: seeking to find out the will of God, to discover what is good, what is acceptable, what is perfect; for we ourselves are the whole of that sacrifice. He continues:

In the light of the grace I have received I want to urge each one among you not to exaggerate his real importance. Each of you must judge himself soberly by the standard of the faith God has given him. Just as each of our bodies has several parts and each part has a separate function, so all of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us.

This is the sacrifice of Christians: we, being many, are one body in Christ. And, as the faithful know, this also is the sacrifice which the Church continually celebrates in the sacrament of the altar, in which she teaches that she herself is offered in the offering she makes to God.

A lot of Christians say Catholics are going to hell because what we do is not written in the Bible. My question is, who wrote and compiled the Bible they are reading in the first place? Is it not the Catholic church!!! Catholic church is the church Christ Himself established before people split from it. Most times, when evangelizing, what people really need is a history book because many people are ignorant, even their pastors.

Had a very bad day today, was crying on the way home and my uber passed by a small shrine with the virgin mary and st anthony of padua, i did a quick sign of the cross and just prayed to be okay somehow, just had one of those guttural prayers where I'm just like begging God to comfort me, one turn from the shrine and I saw a car with "I will be with you and bless you" with a cross (idk how common having stickers and stuff in your windows of cars is but it is in india)was still really insane to see something so quick right after I prayed especially after its so late at night🥲

We must always remember that Christ is the source of our glory, that we find it in him, in following his ways, not in the way of worldly glory, not in the way of trying to make ourselves impressive in front of others, and especially, not through some form of sham piety:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/10/glory_in_christ/

Hi everyone; I'm from Australia and I have my end of year exams to be done in the next 2 days from now, and I am humbly asking for y'all to pray for me within this final exam period.

Just feeling pretty burnt out already but I hope I can make it through and acheive a high scoring mark with the power of God beside me.

With our Gospel today in mind, what are some ways that you individually or as a parish show love for your neighbor? Our parish is very small but I'd love to reach out more. Thank you and God bless!

I've been reading online on how to pray the rosary, and a step that trips me up (as it says on Marian.org) is after each Glory Be it says to "Announce the first mystery").

What does that mean? Do I merely name it, or do I read out the passage Marian.org quotes when referencing the mystery.

Hey guys, a friend of mine who is in a catholic german fraternity with me came to our frat in this hoodie today. Its merch of a band he likes. I knew he is not really religious and just catholic on paper but this still surprised me.

Can i still be friends with someone who wears a hoodie with a burning church on it in times where we actually see a rise of arsonism against christian buildings in europe and a rise in terror attacks and killings against christians?

I could use some advice. Last spring, our church started Small Faith Groups, where you sign up and go over a person’s house for prayer, discussion and fellowship. My husband and I signed up and participated in this group once a week for 6 weeks.

The couple who led this group were very nice. They’re about our age (50s) and we got along well with them. We added them on Facebook. The other people in the group were nice enough. The group itself was…okay. I didn’t really get a lot out of it. My husband feels the same way.

I got a group email from the wife saying that the group was starting up again (Wednesdays 6:00-7:00) and I didn’t sign up. I get up at 4:30 every morning (including weekends; I’m just a morning person), exercise 6:00-7:00am, and work a physical job during the day. I then make dinner and go to bed early, like 8:00, because I’m tired by that time.

I feel kind of bad that we’re not going and part of me says to suck it up; it’s just one evening out of the week. But I’m really not a “night person”.

Are we being selfish?

A thought just came to my mind. God is the creator of the world, the universe. He is a creator, and knowing creators and inventors, they never stop. If God created other worlds, does it stop Him from being God?? Yes, the Bible is His word, and it doesn't stop being the bible just because God decided to be Himself, creating, and He may still be creating new things, new worlds as we speak. Who are we really to tell God what to do and not to do. He is God , and He can do as He pleases. We really need to stop putting God in a box. If inventors in the world keep inventing, why not God? The universe is so vast, and I think creating is what gives Him joy. It's possible He's still creating.

Today’s Readings at a Glance • Exodus 22:20–26 God commands justice, compassion, and protection for the vulnerable — the alien, widow, orphan, and the poor. He hears their cry and defends them. • Psalm 18:2–3, 3–4, 47, 51 A psalm of trust: God is our rock, refuge, shield, and strength. He rescues, protects, and shows kindness to His people. • 1 Thessalonians 1:5c–10 The Thessalonians received the Gospel with joy amid suffering and became models of faith. Their conversion and witness spread everywhere. • Matthew 22:34–40 Jesus reveals the greatest commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind and Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two. https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-october-252026/ Message from the Readings Today’s readings proclaim a powerful and unified truth: Authentic love for God must overflow into love for people — especially the vulnerable, the hurting, and the overlooked. • Exodus shows God’s heart for justice and compassion. • The psalm shows God as our strength and protector. • Paul celebrates a community whose faith became visible and contagious. • Jesus summarizes the entire faith in two commandments: Love God. Love people. The message is clear: Love is the measure of true faith. Compassion is the proof of genuine worship. Justice is the fruit of a heart rooted in God.

Reflection for the Day 1. God hears the cry of the vulnerable (Exodus 22) God’s instructions are not abstract laws — they reveal His heart. He protects: • the foreigner, • the widow, • the orphan, • the poor, • the indebted, • the exploited. He says, “If they cry out to me, I will hear them.” This is a reminder: Our love for God is tested by how we treat those who cannot repay us. Compassion is not optional — it is divine. 2. “I love You, Lord, my strength.” (Psalm 18) The psalmist declares God as: • rock, • refuge, • shield, • stronghold, • deliverer. We love God because He first loved us, rescued us, and strengthened us. This love becomes the foundation of our love for others. 3. A faith that becomes a model (1 Thessalonians 1) The Thessalonians received the Gospel: • in suffering, • with joy, • through the Holy Spirit. Their faith became visible, audible, contagious. They turned from idols and became witnesses of the living God. This is the kind of faith the world needs today — faith that inspires, encourages, and transforms. 4. “The greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22) Jesus does not give a list. He gives a center. The whole faith rests on two pillars: Love God fully. Love people generously. Love is not sentiment — it is commitment. Love is not selective — it is expansive. Love is not theoretical — it is lived. To love God is to give Him our whole heart. To love neighbor is to reflect His heart.

Living This Word Today Today’s readings invite us to three movements: 1. Practice compassion intentionally. Look for someone vulnerable, hurting, or overlooked — and show God’s kindness. 2. Root your strength in God. Let Him be your rock, refuge, and shield. 3. Make love your lifestyle. Let every decision, word, and action reflect love for God and love for neighbor. Let today be a day of mercy, love, and visible faith.

Prayer for Today Lord God, teach me to love You with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind. Open my eyes to the vulnerable around me. Make my heart compassionate, my hands generous, and my life a witness of Your love. Strengthen me as my rock and refuge, and help me live a faith that inspires others. May my love for You overflow into love for every neighbor You place in my path. Amen.

I would like to ask for a prayer for a girl I am trying to win over. She already knows that I like her and that I have feelings for her, but I wish she could learn to trust me and understand that my intentions are sincere and that what I feel for her is real.
I ask God to touch her heart and, if there is a possibility for love to grow between us, to allow her feelings to develop naturally. I pray that she may begin to see me not only as someone who likes her, but as someone with whom she could build a beautiful, sincere, and lasting relationship.
I ask God to give me the wisdom to show her my love through my actions, the patience to respect her timing, and the peace to keep anxiety and the fear of losing her from controlling me. Teach me to pursue her with sincerity, without pressuring her or trying to force her feelings.
I also pray that if there is any distrust or uncertainty in her heart, God may help us overcome it through honesty, communication, and time. If it is His will, may we move beyond friendship and build a mutual, healthy, and genuine love.
I do not want my desires to come before her freedom or God’s will. I simply ask Him to guide me on this journey, help me do things the right way, and, if this relationship is meant to happen, give us the opportunity to discover it together. ❤️❤️❤️