Presentation of Jesus Year C 2/2/25
Scripture: Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 24; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40
In the Bible and in our liturgy we use the words ‘offering’, ‘to offer’, ‘toentrust’. Today is the feast of the offering back to God of the baby Jesus by Mary, his mother.
In the front of our church we have the stand of the scripture reading andthe alter of the Eucharist. What should our attitude be when we attendmass? In short: LISTEN and OFFER.
Last week we considered the word of God. The Scripture readings are aliving voice message from God to us. Let us LISTEN. Turn our ears to hear.Today let us consider the liturgy of the Eucharist. At our Mass we arefollowing the words of Jesus at the last supper—which was the first Mass.Jesus is giving us a memorial of his death. Jesus says: “Do this in memoryof me.”
During the whole life of Jesus, he offered his life to God the Father andoffered that life for us. Jesus often prayed Psalm 31. Jesus prays Psalm 31as he is dying on the cross. “Father, into your hands I give my spirit. Father,into your hands I entrust my life.”
When we attend Mass let us have this attitude of offering ourselves withJesus to God. Let us come to Mass saying to ourselves: “Jesus, with you Ioffer all my actions for this whole week to God.”
“All our actions” means everything! Our daily work, at the company orworkplace at home, the house-work, cocking and cleaning, study at school,recreation too—our TV watching, our smart phone use, our joys and oursuffering, our sleeping etcetera, and of course, our prayer. In a word: ourlives.
Such an offering will give deep meaning to our Mass and give a specialtaste to our daily ordinary lives.
But to make such a complete offering of ourselves, we need to recall towhom we are offering ourselves. Because to make such an offering needsTRUST. We are offering ourselves united to Jesus who shores our humanlife. We unite with Jesus and say: “Father, my God, I entrust my life to you.”God is gentle, kind, compassionate and understanding of our human frailty.God really loves us. So, we can trust God with our daily lives.
This attitude of offering ourselves to God, united with Jesus, is very, veryimportant in our lives as followers of Jesus. So, at our Mass and everymorning say to God.
“O God, into your hands I give my life.”
