Grace and peace to you in this month dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Last week, we marked the solemn Feast of the Most Precious Blood, a celebration that invites us to reflect deeply on the infinite value of the Blood shed by our Saviour for the redemption of the world. Although the feast day has passed, the graces it brings remain ever present. The Church continues to honour the Precious Blood throughout July as the entire month is devoted to the adoration and glory of the Precious Blood of Christ.
The Precious Blood of Jesus is not merely physical blood but is united to His divinity, becoming the price of our salvation. As St. Peter teaches, “You were ransomed…with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). It is through His Blood that our sins are washed away, our hearts converted, and our souls restored to grace and life. Let us continue to contemplate with reverence the moments our Lord shed His Blood for us: during His agony in the garden, the cruel scourging at the pillar, the crowning with thorns, the wounds of the nails on the Cross, and finally, the piercing of His Sacred Side.
From this wound flowed blood and water, giving birth to the Church and her life-giving sacraments. In a special way, the Precious Blood is sacramentally made present to us in the Holy Eucharist. Every time we receive the Body and Blood of Christ at Mass, we partake in the very sacrifice of Calvary and are nourished by His redeeming love. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the cleansing power of His Blood heals and restores us to friendship with God. I encourage all of you, dear faithful, to continue cultivating a strong devotion to the Precious Blood of Jesus throughout this month.
The offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the most important means of honouring the Precious Blood of Jesus, for the Mass is in all reality the renewal of the bloody Sacrifice Christ offered the Eternal Father on Calvary. Pray the Litany of the Precious Blood, offer acts of reparation, and reflect daily on His supreme sacrifice. Know that the Precious Blood is a powerful spiritual weapon. It protects us from evil, brings solace in suffering, and strengthens us with hope for eternal life. May the Precious Blood of Jesus cover you, your families, our Archdiocese, and the entire world with mercy, healing, and peace.
• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
