Jesus quoted (Mt 9:13) from the prophet Hosea: “It is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The prophetic word continues to call the people of God today to examine our lives. For example, the reality that vast numbers of the younger generation no longer attend church must be cause for self-examination. The point of the sacrifice that is the Mass is that we develop “love” and “knowledge of God.” Gen Xers might say that they are good, spiritual people who don’t need Church. Those of us who are church-goers have found that by joining in a community of worship we get over ourselves and learn the true depth of love and God’s saving mystery of the cross.
