Ancient people took covenants and agreements very seriously - they sealed them in blood! The people of Israel all promised to obey everything that God had commanded and Moses sprinkled them with blood to seal this solemn commitment. Unfortunately, they failed many times - much as we do, even though we have promised to obey God. God is compassionate and merciful and we are always able to repent and begin anew. Promising something is easy but living up to the promises is a lot more difficult. The letter to the Hebrews portrays another covenant - the covenant that we have with God in Jesus. There is no longer any need for blood or sacrifice. The blood that Jesus shed once and for all purifies us from sin when we fail. As Jesus entered into his Passion, he desired to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. That Last Supper is our Passover - the time when we pass from death to life. As we celebrate this sacred Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we remember that Jesus washes us with his blood and sustains us with his body every day, not just on this feast day or on Sunday. He gives life to the world in this fashion and as we partake of his Body and Blood we renew our commitment to be a source of life and hope to others. The Lord's Body and Blood is an expression of love and service and it is to this that we are called.