The sacrifice that pleases God is a contrite heart.
St. Josemaría: “In what can we take glory? I am nothing but wretchedness. If I have anything that is acceptable, it comes from God. And this isn't false humility. With my human intellect, in God's presence, all I see is wretchedness. I see it as clearly as two plus two equals four. But I have God's grace: I can do all things in him who strengthens me. And I struggle to convert my wretchedness into something divine. Everyone who struggles is on the road to sanctity. My children, make good use of this light from God, because - as you have heard me say many times - even though God doesn't want our shortcomings, nevertheless he uses them to help our humility and our sanctification."
Our faults serve to reveal the inadequacy of our human condition. We are like the servant in the parable who had no way of repaying his master. A humble person feels the need to ask God for pardon many times each day. And a sure path to humility is contrition.
Tell God, “You know that I love you in spite of my weaknesses. That way our wretchedness doesn't separate us from God. Rather it brings us closer to him, just as a child who has fallen down does not turn away from his mother. ‘Mummy!’ he shouts, and he runs to his mother's arms. Or if he is a bit older, he runs to his father, whose arms are stronger... If we have made a mistake, big or small, let's run to God! God will not disdain a contrite and humble heart."
Contrition brings joy and peace. “How can we keep our calm? As I've told you before, by keeping a right intention. And now I add: by making acts of contrition. With acts of contrition, our spiritual life improves, and we are serene, at peace; and at times even our physical health improves."
St. Josemaría: “The Christian vocation is one of sacrifice, penance, expiation. We must make reparation for our sins - for the many times we turned our face aside so as to avoid the gaze of God - and all the sins of mankind. We must try to imitate Christ, always carrying about in our body the dying of Christ, his abnegation, his suffering on the cross, so that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies. Our way is one of immolation and, in this denial, we find both joy and peace."
God doesn't want us to be unhappy, nor does he take delight in our suffering. He “is not a tyrannical master or a rigid and implacable judge; he is our Father. He speaks to us about our lack of generosity, our sins, our mistakes; but he does so in order to free us from them, and promise us his Friendship and his Love."
Video: