Have you ever noticed how many Catholic religious communities are named after the Precious Blood of Jesus? There is an order of priests called the Missionaries of the Precious Blood and at least two orders of sisters, the Daughters of the Precious Blood and the Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood. There is even an Anglican order of contemplative sisters known as the Society of the Precious Blood! Similarly, I have friends, both Catholic and Protestant, who talk about “calling upon the blood of Jesus” in their prayer. Why such a devotion to Christ’s blood? Is there something special about it?

When people “call on the blood of Jesus,” they are recalling the sacrifice he made on the cross for each of us. They are focusing their minds and hearts on the way Jesus’ death has redeemed us from the power of sin and has “washed away” our own sins. It may sound a little foreign to some of us, but we all pray in a similar way when we say “Amen” to the Precious Blood of Christ that we receive at Communion. While restrictions related to the coronavirus may prevent us from drinking from the chalice, Jesus is still present, “whole and entire,” in his Body and in his Blood (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1377). So even if we can receive only the Host, we can still receive every blessing present in Jesus’ blood.

Calling on the blood of Jesus isn’t like repeating magic words that make all our problems go away. It isn’t like a credit card that we pull out of our spiritual wallets when we need it. Instead, calling on the blood of Christ can help draw us to the most central and foundational act of love in all of history, Jesus’ free gift of his life, given for us at Calvary.

The Power of His Blood. This Lent, we want to invite you to deepen your love for and understanding of the blood Jesus shed on the cross. We want to invite you to experience the power of the blood that wipes away your sins so that you can come into God’s presence with confidence every single day (Hebrews 9:14; 10:19).

If, by the end of this Lenten season, you know Jesus’ unconditional forgiveness a bit more deeply, then you have experienced the merciful power of his blood. If, as Holy Week arrives, you are more confident that God is completely committed to you, then you have experienced the power of his blood to bring you into a new relationship, a new covenant, with him. If receiving the Eucharist has grown to be more than a good habit and helps you meet Jesus face-to-face, then you are receiving the grace flowing from the sacrifice of his blood.

As we live our lives, we value so much in this world. We want to be respected and loved. We hope for physical and financial security. We look forward to a long and healthy life. But Jesus set aside all of these good things because he loved you and valued you above them. He freely chose to die for you and for me. This Lent, may we all be transformed by the crucified and risen Christ who shed his blood for us!

Jeff Smith
President, jeff_smith@wau.org