Word of the Day

Oblation

o•bla•tion
Pronunciation: \uh-BLAY-shuhn; oh-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Oblation derives from Latin oblatio, from oblatus, past participle of offerre, "to carry to, to bring to, to offer," from ob-, "to" + ferre, "to bring."

1. The act of offering something, such as worship or thanks, especially to a deity.
2. (Usually capitalized) The act of offering the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
3. Something offered in a religious rite or as a charitable gift.

"There is another kind of spiritual courage as well, quieter and less celebrated, but just as remarkable: that of making each day, in its most conventional aspects — cooking, eating, breathing — an oblation to the absolute."

— Philip Zaleski, "A Buddhist from Dublin," New York Times, July 24, 1994

Thanks to Constant Comment for today's WOTD entry