Friday after Judica (Passion) Sunday
Posted on March 31, 2023 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 9:15-22 (NKJV)
9:15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Devotion
St. Paul teaches plainly in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There was no bloodshed and death in the beginning, but Adam and Eve’s sin made death a necessity. The sons of Adam would make that spiritual reality manifest bodily. Abel made a faithful offering to the Lord with the bloody sacrifice from his flock, and the Lord accepted it. Cain served his own vanity and sought the blood and death of his brother.
Hebrews gives us the Lord’s profound wisdom in taking the need for bloodshed and death that resulted from man’s faithless wickedness and making those things work together for the good of His people, called and blessed according to His will. Fulfilling the prophetic types, Christ Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, came as the Great High Priest and Sacrifice: He offered up His own holy blood and innocent death to establish our eternal inheritance.
The Communion of Saints is sanctified by His blood shed on the holy cross. He did this bodily, once for all, yet as we faithfully receive the Sacrament of His Supper, even today we are sanctified by it. So, also, we are baptized into His death (Rom. 6:3). From this reality come the blessed liturgical practices of His people: the sign of the cross and the name of Jesus mark and identify all the things that are used for the purpose of teaching, helping, and strengthening people in His holy Church!
Prayer: We beseech Thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon Thy people, that by Thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
