Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, 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. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

The Blood of Christ has been offered up to heaven for us and it is through Jesus’ sacrifice that we are made clean. However, in order to be washed of our sins and come before God with unblemished hearts, we must accept that Jesus has not only died for us, but also given us an example to follow. Just as he made himself into a living sacrifice to God for others, so must we be willing to do the same. If we are unwilling to imitate Christ in this way, then we turn our backs on the Blood of Christ and refuse to drink of the chalice of self-surrender we are all called to drink from. We have a choice to make, either we choose to partake in the Blood of Christ and the sufferings we are asked to endure or we choose to avoid the blood and sweat that are needed to live holy lives and perish.

Do we recognize God as the source, center, and summit of all the good things in our lives? Do we realize how important it is to accept the Blood of Christ and all the sacrifices its reception asks of us? How can we cleans our consciences so that we might accept God’s Will in regards to our sufferings?

O Lord, sanctify us and make us into living tabernacles of your Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity.

Amen.