In the secret Roman catacombs, where persecuted early Christians practised their faith, one of the carved symbols that survives is the anchor. It is found on Christian tombs as a sign of hope in the life of the world to come. Yet why would the early Christians choose an anchor to symbolize hope?

In the Jewish Temple, the most sacred place was the holy of holies, a hallowed place separated off by a curtain. It was the place of the Tabernacle, the place where God dwelt. Only the high priest could enter here and he would do so once a year on the Day of Atonement.

In the letter to the Hebrews today we hear that, through his death and resurrection, Jesus, the ultimate high priest, has passed through this curtain. He has run before us beyond the curtain of death and into eternal life. More than this, he is an anchor. He is our solid and immovable hope. Where he has gone, we too can follow.

We believe that Jesus is waiting for us in heaven. Let us not be sluggish but diligent, then, in living out our faith. While we are here on earth, let us be open to doing whatever he calls us to do.