The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews seems to have been a Jewish priest before he became a Christian. For him, then, the notion of "sacrifice" was very vivid. As part of his service in the Temple he would have taken part in the Temple sacrifices. For us, however, even though the word "sacrifice" is a part of our religious vocabulary, the notion of "sacrifice" can be somewhat remote. "Sacrifice" means making something holy and sacred, dedicated to God.

The writer urges us to offer God sacrifice of praise: everything we say, even the most mundane things, can give God praise if we speak from faith. Just as Jesus taught us to honour God, not only with our lips but with our hearts, so too the author of Hebrews takes us beyond the praise expressed in words, and speaks of good deeds and a spirit of generosity. These too are important in making our lives holy.

At Mass, we confess our sins of thought, word and deed. Nowadays, among "thoughts" we must consciously include attitudes, for we also make our lives holy and pleasing to God by cultivating attitudes that are free from injustice, prejudice and, non-acceptance.