Today the traditional Roman Liturgy honours the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The desire of the Church is that we turn our minds and hearts to the contemplation of how much our redemption cost our dear Saviour, and the infinite value of that Blood shed once on Calvary, and daily poured out on our altars in atonement for sin.
Many of the saints came to understand the importance of spending time with Jesus on Calvary, allowing His Precious Blood to purify them and becoming a channel through which it could reach many others.
Among them St Thérèse of Lisieux writes: St. Thérèse: “One Sunday, looking at a picture of our Lord on the Cross, I was struck by the blood flowing from one of the divine hands. I felt a great pang of sorrow when thinking this blood was falling to the ground without anyone’s hastening to gather it up. I was resolved to remain in spirit at the foot of the Cross and to receive the divine dew. I understood I was then to pour it out upon souls. The cry of Jesus on the Cross sounded continually in my heart: ‘I thirst!’ These words ignited within me an unknown and very living fire. I wanted to give my Beloved to drink and I felt myself consumed with a thirst for souls. As yet, it was not the souls of priests that attracted me, but those of great sinners; I burned to snatch them from the eternal flames.” (Story of a Soul).
Let us then turn ourselves towards the crucifix; let us kneel there for a long time in adoration and thanksgiving; let us unite our little sacrifices with His big sacrifice, confident that it will contribute to the salvation of souls. “I complete in my flesh the sufferings that are wanting to the Passion of Christ for the sake of His Body which is the Church” (Col 1:24).