The Bible reminds us often of the true humanity of Jesus. The tendency to forget that he shared “flesh and blood” seems to be a constant danger since we confess Him as Lord and Son of the Most High. But, as the Letter to the Hebrews insists: “he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way.” Today’s feast of the Presentation of the Lord reminds us that Jesus was like us in developing the practices of his faith. He observed the prayers, rituals, and customs of any observant Jew. His daily fidelity to the duties of religion during his youth and young adulthood equipped him with the spiritual resources he needed when confronting the crises which occurred during his public ministry.
