Ephesians 1:1-10 / Luke 11:47-54
Whether it is used in the secular or religious sense, the word "blood" has a connotation to the aspect of life.
In a blood transfusion, it can be said that life is given to another person who has lost much blood.
When blood is shed, it means that people are injured or killed in a spate of violence or war.
In the religious sense, and especially in the Christian sense, when blood is shed, it means that there is forgiveness of sins and a new life is given.
That is what the 1st reading means when it says that through the blood of Christ, we gain our freedom and the forgiveness of our sins.
And of all the spiritual blessings that God has blessed us with, the most precious is the Blood of Christ that was shed to save us.
What we receive at Holy Communion is the Body of Christ. And the Body of Christ points specifically to His Heart. At Holy Communion we received the Heart of Christ.
And just as the heart pumps blood to all the parts of the body, we receive the Heart of Christ at Holy Communion and it is His Blood that flows in us that brings us forgiveness and healing and brings us to life in Christ.
And just as Christ shed His Blood on the cross to save us, He now sends us forth into the world to bring about forgiveness and healing and salvation.
We carry the Blood of Christ in our bodies. May we also like Christ, offer our lives for the salvation of the world through reparation and making sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins.