Our Offer

When the choir sings "Our Offer" during the preparation of the gifts, the words guide the congregation right to the heart of the Eucharistic mystery. The lyrics speak plainly about bringing the works of human hands—the bread and the cup—and anticipating their transformation into the body and blood of Christ. It is a humble, direct prayer asking the Father to receive our hearts and consecrate us along with the gifts we bring to the altar.

This handwritten solfa manuscript by Lawrence Xavier also includes a short setting of the "Lamb of God" (Agnus Dei). Singing these pieces from a shared sheet reminds us of the natural flow of the Mass, moving from the joyful sacrifice of the Offertory to the solemn petition for mercy and peace before Communion. The melody of the offertory hymn is structured to let the choir build a sense of offering, verse by verse, culminating in a final surrender of all we have and all we are.