Homily: 13th Week of Ordinary Time - Friday - Power in the Blood

The month of July is traditionally devoted to the Precious Blood of Jesus.  In the past, the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Christ was celebrated on the first Sunday of July.  Now, in some places the it is still observed on July 1.

When Jesus teaches today that “God desires mercy, not sacrifice” he is quoting the prophet Hosea who denounced the Israelites who were trying to cover up their grave sins with external acts of piety such as sacrifice.  He is condemning empty sacrifice.

 

The Holy Mass is not an empty sacrifice of bread and wine, but rather, it is a participation in the one saving sacrifice of Jesus.  When we come to Mass, the veil of time and space are pulled away and we kneel at the foot of the Cross on Calvary where Jesus’ Body and Blood are offered to the Father in covenantal love. 

Saint Paul, tells the Romans, “to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, pleasing and perfect to God”.

Jesus fulfills the notion of sacrifice on the cross, which was not an act of empty sacrifice, but a true act of love, in which his precious blood on the cross was poured out as an act of love for you and for me.

When Christians take part in the sacramental life of the Church, we do so, not as empty rituals, but with the desire to really be changed by them, to really be strengthened by God through them, to be converted more deeply by them. 

Jesus says, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners”.  Imagine the person that comes to Mass believing that they are already perfect, that they have achieved the perfection on earth for which they were created.  They are closed to God’s transforming grace.  On the other hand, the person that truly and humbly acknowledges their sinfulness before God, can identify those parts of their lives where they hold back, selfishly or out of fear. In those souls the power of Christ’s blood brings great transformation. 

There is an old southern Baptist hymn that goes “would you be free from your burden of sin?  There’s power in the blood, would you over evil a victory win?  There’s wonderful power in the blood.  Would you be free from your passion and pride? There’s power in the blood.  Come for a cleansing to Calvary’s tide.  There’s power in the blood.”

Through the power of the body and blood of Jesus, may we be free from all that keeps us from experiencing the conversion God desires for us, that we may be strengthened in holiness for the spreading of the Gospel, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.