As June's devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus gives way to July, the Church invites us to contemplate another profound mystery of Christ's love: His Precious Blood. Throughout Sacred Scripture, blood is the sign of life itself. At the Last Supper, Jesus offered the chalice to His disciples, saying, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Mt 26:28). The Blood poured out on Calvary is the price of our redemption, the source of our forgiveness, and the fountain from which the sacraments flow. Every time we gather for the Holy Mass, we participate in that one perfect sacrifice, receiving the Blood of Christ under the appearance of wine in Holy Communion.
The Church's devotion to the Precious Blood encourages us to meditate on the immeasurable love of Christ, who withheld nothing in His desire to save us. It reminds us that our salvation was won by the very life of the Son of God poured out for us. At every Holy Mass, the one sacrifice of Christ is made sacramentally present, and we are invited to drink from the chalice of salvation, receiving the Precious Blood of Christ under the appearance of wine. The same Blood poured out on the Cross is offered to us at the altar as the source of forgiveness, healing, and communion with God.
The beautiful painting featured on today's bulletin cover, St. Francis Collecting the Blood of Christ by artist Carlo Crivelli, captures this profound truth. St. Francis is shown reverently collecting the Blood flowing from Christ's wounded side into a golden chalice. The chalice reminds us that the Blood shed once on Calvary is the very Blood we receive in the Holy Eucharist. As we contemplate this image and devotion throughout July, may it deepen our reverence for the Mass and awaken in us a renewed gratitude for the gift of Christ's Precious Blood, poured out for our salvation and continually given to His Church in the Blessed Sacrament.