In the Catholic tradition, the month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Sacrifice has been accepted in the history as the highest form of religious worship, as an act of praise, thanksgiving or an act of atonement.
In the Old Testament, the preeminent sacrifice was the immolation of the Paschal Lamb. This old sacrifice took a new form in the New Testament, when the Immaculate Lamb of God, Jesus Christ offered Himself on the Cross, in order to redeem the humankind from sin and the slavery of Satan. This Precious Blood shed on Calvary is made present on our altars by the words of Consecration during the Holy Mass.
St. Paul in his letter to the Romans underlines the truth that we are made holy and saved by the blood of Jesus Christ:
“… we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:9)
St. John in his first letter recalls that we are cleansed from sin by the blood of Jesus:
“If we say that we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness we lie … but if we walk in the light, … we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1John 1:6-7).
In order to understand the value of the Precious Blood of Jesus, we must get an understanding of the gravity of sin, of the awfulness of offending God. Unfortunately, we are living in an age in which to sin has become fashionable.
Devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ means that we have deep sensitivity to the awfulness of sin. It requires the Blood of Christ for us to forgive our sins. Many saints have spoken of the devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus; St. Catherine of Siena is notable among them. Constant prayer of St. Catherine of Siena to the Precious Blood of Jesus is this:
Precious Blood, ocean of divine mercy: Flow upon us! Precious Blood, most pure offering: Procure us every grace! Precious Blood, hope and refuge of sinners: Atone for us! Precious blood, delight of holy souls: Draw us! Amen.
God bless you,
Fr. Arul Joseph V.
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