A Reflection on the Second Reading for June 3: The Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:11-15
​11But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)12he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.13For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.

I can’t help myself: are those the three longest sentences ever written? And why are we talking about goats, bulls and heifers, here? According to the Old Law (pre-Christ), bulls and goats were slain in order that their blood could be used for cleansing and purifying (Lev 16:16, 21). Not my idea of a bath, but, no judgement. The blood of a sacrificed heifer was mixed with ashes to cleanse folks from legal corruption (Num 19:18); an external washing which represented their desire for an internal conscience purge. Just the same, these sacrifices were not made lightly. To sacrifice livestock was to give up physical sustenance and financial provision. Imagine how many mouths a hefty heifer would feed. There was surely a giving of self alongside the spilling of blood. Then came our beloved Jesus; son of God and sacrifice for us all (and all the people… and animals, rejoiced). The fulfillment of "the promised eternal inheritance", He was a sacrifice of the utmost purity; He was entirely faultless, and freely gave up His life so that we may experience eternal life. His sacrifice not only cleanses our external selves (our actions or conduct), but our interior selves (the gifts of virtue). Better still, our acknowledgement of the truth of this sacrifice can give us glimpses of heaven right here on earth. 

This coming Sunday is my re-birthday. On Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015, my “conscience was purified” while praying in the chapel at Saint Benedict Parish. On Wednesdays we have the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, so I was in the company of Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. At this time in my life, my mind was chock full of dead works. That is, my worries and fears consumed me. My anger consumed me. If I’m honest, it was more than anger—I had hatred in my heart. All that was not of God was taking up residence in my heart and mind. I wanted to let it go, though. I really, truly, wished not to be angry, and to achieve forgiveness somehow. So I asked for His help, and then I waited and listened intently for an answer. He soon responded "through the eternal Spirit", cleansing my soul like a rush of warm water pouring into my heart, breaking apart its hard, crusty exterior. Going forth from that moment, joy, peace, love and honest-to-goodness forgiveness was achieved. He indeed “purified my conscience from dead works to serve the living God ". I was unburdened from guilt, shame and my harsh perspectives of others. I received a glimpse of heaven.
Jesus is the “high priest of the good things that have come”. He is calling us—all of us—to receive our eternal inheritance, and this involves sacrifice. But these things He is calling us to let go of… were they ever really worth hanging on to?

Lori MacDonald

"His sacrifice not only cleanses our external selves (our actions or conduct), but our interior selves (the gifts of virtue)."  
​Ora reflections (Lori MacDonald)