Sanctification, a Reflection on Hebrews 10:8-10

Although the Advent readings began with reminders of apocalyptic events, we shifted into focus on the birth of Jesus. And that's the focus of the away-from-church part of our lives too. We see manger scenes all round. We hear Christmas carols.

But, even this week with the long passage from Luke 1, we are reminded of the inseparability of Christ's birth, incarnation, and death.

And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (10).

And through this sanctification, we too can respond to God's desire to offering our total lives. Showing up at church once or twice a month and putting something in the offering plate that won't affect any fun we're planning to have is not the lesson that the epistle to the Hebrews is teaching.

Christ's death made his life understandable to us. A life of love and sacrifice. Let us too be able to say, as Christ said,

See, I have come to do your will (9).