12/31/17: Feast of the Holy Family: Offering Jesus Back to God (a.k.a. Why We Go to Mass)

Today we hear the Gospel of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. By presenting the Lord in the Temple, Mary and Joseph fulfill two of the requirements of Jewish Law: they make the necessary purification offering in the form of two turtledoves (the offering of the poor) and the presentation of their first-born son, who belongs to God. Focusing on this offering of Jesus at the Temple helps us to recognize when we do on Sunday when we go to our own "temple" -- in the Eucharist we offer ourselves to God and He offers Jesus back to us.

• Likes
• Download31
• Share