Dear Saints,

For centuries - long before it became popular practice in secular circles - the Church has dedicated entire months to particular devotions. June, for example, is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

It’s pretty easy to understand why the Church would encourage us to spend a whole month contemplating the Holy Spirit (April), the Seven Sorrows of Mary (September), and St. Joseph (March). But what of July? How often does the Precious Blood of Jesus cross our mind and heart? Probably not too often, and yet it should be one of the first things we turn to when we feel far from God. Especially when we fear that he’s the one who moved away.

Sometimes it’s tempting to believe that Jesus never would have laid down his life for us if he truly understood our many mess-ups, or if he really knew how undeserving we are of his friendship. But Scripture tells us that his death and resurrection “cleanses us from all sin,” (1 John 1:7), and that “by his wounds [we] have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). In other words, Jesus didn’t shed his precious blood for us because we’re worthy of the sacrifice. He shed it for us because we aren’t.

Surely that’s a love worth being devoted to.

Christ’s Peace,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ