I didn't realise until Chapel this morning, that today is Candlemas - the day in the church calendar that remembers the presentation of Jesus in the Temple (cf. Luke 2:22-32). In Chapel we reflected on that event and the offering made (a pair of turtle-doves) as required in the Law. In tandem we read Romans 12:1-5, both in Chapel and in my Licensing:
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another."
What a sobering reminder of the call on all of us as Christians as we live our lives and follow God's call to obedience, regardless of whether we're lay or ordained. We all have roles to play. We all have ways in which we are called to offer ourselves to God, like Christ was offered in the Temple. This is our spiritual worship. And it is not an offering of atonement, a sacrifice for sin. That has been taken care of. Nor is it a sacrifice in which we ourselves do ourselves damage. It is not self-destructive. This is a living sacrifice. A willingness to die to our own selves, our own egos and ambitions and to be raised to new life to serve God and others faithfully, wherever we find ourselves.
