There will be blood

In movies, blood is the stuff of fear, of horror, of anger, and even of perversion.

In reality, blood is the stuff of life – blood is sacred.

Tonight’s readings remind us how sacred blood can be.

In the first reading (Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14), the blood of the Passover lamb is a symbol of God’s protection

Then, with the whole assembly of Israel present,
the lamb shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
…the blood will mark the houses where you are.
Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;
thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,
no destructive blow will come upon you.

The true Lamb of God, of course, is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who shed his blood on the cross to protect us from the evil we have brought upon ourselves as individuals and as a race and also to give us new and everlasting life.

This is what we celebrate tomorrow: on that most precious and wonderful day known as Good Friday.

This is also what we celebrate every week and even every day, as Saint Paul reminds us in tonight’s second reading (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) – the first written account we have of that most special of nights and of what we celebrate this very night:

I received from the Lord
what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus,
on the night he was handed over,
took bread,
and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said,
“This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread
and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord
until he comes.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your life, your grace, your blood.

Wash away our sins
and make us live forever
in your name, dearest Lord Jesus