the one who became sin (2 cor 5:21)
"There is no further offering for sin." —Hebrews 10:18
Priest after priest ministered day after day and offered "again and again those same sacrifices which can never take away sins" (Heb 10:11). Countless priests spent centuries offering hundreds of thousands of animals to take away sin. At the end of it all they were no closer to taking away sins than when they started.
"But Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins" (Heb 10:12). "By one offering He has forever perfected those who are being sanctified" (Heb 10:14). Jesus did what the whole world could not do. Jesus accomplished at the moment of His death what could never have been done in all the time in the world. One drop of Jesus' blood achieved what could never have been done by rivers of blood from sacrificing animals and killing humans.
Therefore, let us totally give our lives to Jesus and accept Him as our Savior from sin. Let us thank Jesus always and forever for His saving death. Let us go to Confession frequently and apply the blood of Jesus to our sins. Let us tell a world in sin that Jesus is "an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world" (1 Jn 2:2).
Prayer: Father, I rejoice in "the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" (Jn 1:29)
Promise: "Those sown on good soil are the ones who listen to the word, take it to heart, and yield at thirty- and sixty- and a hundredfold." —Mk 4:20
Praise: St. Francis has yielded more than a hundred-fold through his book, Introduction to the Devout Life.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Edward J. Gratsch, July 15, 2000
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 17, 2000