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From the Pastor’s Desk...


The Blood of Christ, and Our Judgment


The weeks ahead of us are the most important weeks of our redemption. The readings of the Mass tell us of the Death of Christ on the Cross. The Death of Christ brings to us Judgment, and so the reading leading up to the Passion of Christ refers to something like “blood of Christ.” The phrase “blood of Christ” refers to the Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Blood represents judgment--judgment for our sins while Christ was bearing them on the Cross. By His Death on the Cross, He has freed us from our sins. The modern generation often forgets the truth: that Christ redeemed us through His Death on the Cross. We live in times when images of the Cross are basically reduced to a piece of jewelry. Lots of people wear it around their neck, in gold, silver or other forms; however, fewer people seem to understand its meaning. There is also secular opposition to Cross. Some countries have banned the Cross or the Crucifix in public spaces, despite deep Christian and Catholic roots. People see it as too religious, too exclusive and too offensive for some.


I often think of St. Paul, who had persecuted the church and murdered many Christians immediately after the Pentecost; when he later converted and became a builder of the Church, he preached so strongly about the Cross of Christ. I love this passage of St. Paul: “...for Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning” (1Cor.n1:17); and another quote from St. Paul, “But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal. 6:14-15) The Cross essentially represents the paradox of Christian faith. It is neither an embarrassment, nor a mere artistic decoration. We may not understand the mystical experience of the Cross, though it is stumbling block for some, we cannot comprehend how suffering, especially innocent and underserved suffering, can help the world. Christ Crucified is what we proclaim, and we should not rob the Cross of its power by domesticating it.


We cannot deny Christ's Death on the Cross, nor can we deny the blood He shed on the cross for our sins. “But when Christ came as high priest... Passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands &.he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” (Heb 9: 11; 12)

Every animal sacrifice which took place in the temple of Jerusalem spoke of the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” “Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers; he was silent and opened not his mouth.” (Isa. 53:7)


The animal had done nothing wrong, but was judged anyway. In the judgment, the animal died physically. Jesus Christ had done nothing wrong, in fact He was impeccable. In His Judgment, the sins of the whole world were poured out on Him. The phrase “blood of Christ” sets up a representative analogy with the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. 

After Jesus Christ's work on the Cross was completed, He said, “It is finished!” Then He said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” He dismissed His spirit; He did not bleed to death on the Cross.

After Jesus Christ had died physically, the soldier ran a spear into His side, and blood and water (serum) came out. The separation of the serum and blood indicated that He had already died physically. Hence, He did not bleed to death. And His throat was not cut as was the animal’s in the sacrifice. His Death on the Cross has brought us the Judgment. By His Death on the Cross, “He has made peace through the Blood of His Cross, He has reconciled all things unto himself;  whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” 

“And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” This judgment served to remove the barrier between man and God. There is a meeting between the two sides of the Cross, and that meeting is in the phrase “blood of Christ”. There is no longer a need for animal sacrifices, because Christ's sacrifice on the Cross is once for all. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.” Eph. 1:7

God bless you all,

Fr. Tom