The Precious Blood of Jesus

2020-07-01 16:41:23
In the Bible we see that the blood of animals was used as a gesture of commitment, loyalty and mutual trust of the people towards God. In the Book of Exodus the blood of the lambs was shed on the doors of the houses of the Jews on the night of the liberation from Egypt, when the Lord wounded the firstborn to spare those who had the sacred sign on their doors and jambs. We are no longer anointed with the blood of animals, but we have been redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of Christ, the evangelist John quotes: "here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world". And this Blood is in the Eucharist. At every Communion we are inebriated by it. Jesus' anguish, pain and loneliness began in the place that recalls his agony: Gethsemane. In the Basilica of Nations, this stone reminds us that we are on holy ground, on which drops of Christ's sweat turned into blood and fell to the ground. In the same place this mass celebrates the most precious blood of Jesus. In his homily Brother Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, said: "Commemorate, celebrate and receive the gift of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. These three verbs summarize the meaning of today's feast". Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land “Of course when we speak of the Blood of Jesus, Most Precious, we also refer to the gift of the Eucharist, where the chalice of the new alliance is blessed. And all this refers in reality to the sacrifice of the cross, that is, to the moment in which Jesus gave his whole life". On this stone, according to tradition, Jesus suffered his agony. Here his sweat was transformed into blood, symbolized by these rose petals. In this holy place we lay the pain and agony of humanity. Br FRANCESCO PATTON, ofm Custos of the Holy Land "Many people are at home right now, suffering, and cannot attend the celebrations because of the lockdown due to the coronavirus. I believe that for them, knowing that there is this infinite love of Jesus that reaches them even if they cannot participate in a celebration is a great consolation." Br BENITO JOSÉ CHOQUE, ofm Guardian of the Basilica of Gethsemane “Gethsemane, school of prayer and love. Also school of humanity. Here Jesus feels the comfort of God the Father. Jesus himself consoles his disciples in the sad hour of his Passion. Also today Jesus comforts the suffering of the whole world, especially the people who have contracted the coronavirus".

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