Pope Benedict on Devotion to the Blood of Christ

VATICAN CITY, 5 JUL 2009 (VIS) – At midday
today, before praying the Angelus, Benedict XVI recalled how the
first
Sunday of July was once dedicated to devotion to the Most Precious
Blood
of Christ, a tradition confirmed “by Blessed John XXIII who, in
his
Apostolic Letter ‘Inde a primis’ of 30 June 1960, explained its
significance and approved its litanies”.

Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the
Pope
pointed out that “the theme of blood, associated with that of the
Pascal
Lamb, is of primary importance in Sacred Scripture”, and he
recalled
Christ’s words at the Last Supper: “this is my blood of the
covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of
sins”.

“It is written in Genesis that the blood of Abel killed by
his
brother Cain calls to God from the earth. Unfortunately, today as
yesterday, this cry has not ceased as human blood continues to
flow
because of violence, injustice and hatred. When will men learn
that life
is sacred and belongs only to God? When will they understand that
we are
all brothers? To the cry for spilt blood which rises from so many
parts of
the earth, God responds with the blood of His Son Who gave His
life for
us. Christ did not respond to evil with evil, but with good, with
His
infinite love.

“The Blood of Christ is the pledge of God’s faithful love
for
humankind. By gazing at the wounds of the crucified Christ each
man, even
in conditions of abject moral poverty, can say: ‘God has not
abandoned me,
He loves me, He gave his life for me’, and thus rediscover
hope”.