Today’s Gospel reading featured the conclusion of Luke’s account of the infant Jesus being presented in the temple, and in a rare moment of inspiration—clearly influenced by the Holy Spirit, because let’s face it, I’m not that brilliant—I had a thought. Jesus was presented at the temple. He is also presented at every single Mass of the Catholic Church when, after the words of consecration, the priest holds up the Eucharistic host—now the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ—and presents Him to the Church and to the Father.
Anyone who is Catholic, or who has attended a Catholic Mass, knows that once the Liturgy of the Eucharist is completed, the priest tells parishioners that the Mass has ended and that we are to go forth into the world, preaching the Gospel to everyone as we walk our different paths. So just as Jesus was presented at the temple as a child and is presented during the Mass, we are to present Christ to the world. But what does that actually look like?
First, it’s important to note that I made this observation during the Christmas season, when Christians all over the world celebrate the Incarnation of God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, who took on the flesh of Mary, entered into history, and lived the human experience. If you don’t understand how mind-blowing this truth is, you haven’t spent enough time meditating on it. I’m guilty of that myself. Thankfully, the Rosary includes this mystery in its meditations, so I at least get the chance to roll it over in my soul a few times a week.
The Eternal clothed Himself in the robe of the finite. God—the most powerful being in all the universe—humbly became man, born of a virgin, and lived a simple, not-so-glamorous life as a carpenter’s son, taking up His adopted father’s trade as an adult. Jesus was a blue-collar kind of guy. The King of the Universe, who made all things, owns all things, and sustains all things, willingly subjected Himself to the limits of humanity. He was likely poor. Jesus experienced thirst and hunger. He suffered the loss of loved ones and friends. Our Creator truly understands the human condition and can relate to His own creation and the struggles it faces every day.
Mind-blowing.
Christ commands us to follow His example by incarnating into the world and culture around us while remaining holy, as He is holy, and refusing to allow sin—the same sin that has corrupted humanity and the societies it has built—to taint us. We are to be “in the world” but not “of the world,” just as Jesus was during His earthly life. Living an incarnate life means participating in the community God has placed us in and seeking to apply the principles of Sacred Scripture for the good of our families, neighbors, and friends.
When we take part in elections by voting—allowing our convictions to guide us as we cast ballots for candidates who hold similar Christian values—we present Christ and His authority over government to those around us while also willing the good of our fellow community members. When a metalhead comes to Christ and still loves his or her favorite style, participates in metal culture, and remains obedient to Christ, that person gains a golden opportunity to shine with the love of Jesus in a subculture that might never encounter the Lord any other way. By doing so, he or she follows in the footsteps of Jesus by “incarnating” into that culture and presenting Christ to others who inhabit it.
We are now the Lord’s temple. Through us, Jesus is presented to others just as He was presented as an infant in the temple and just as He is presented in the Eucharist during the Mass.
When we live obediently to Christ and allow His will to become our will, we present Him to an unbelieving world. That obedience authenticates the message of the Gospel, shining light into the darkness like a beacon of hope, guiding lost souls home as a lighthouse guides ships to shore. This mission does not belong only to priests, nuns, or monks. It belongs to every believer. It is the greater purpose for which you and I were born.
Again—mind-blowing.
