spared
“Thus was innocent blood spared that day.” —Daniel 13:62
Innocent blood was spared for Susanna (Dn 13:62). Innocent blood was not spared in Jesus’ case, so that we might be spared. Guilty blood was not spared for the two wicked elders (Dn 13:61-62), but guilty blood was spared for the woman caught in the act of adultery (Jn 8:1ff). Our own guilty blood was spared, for God “did not spare His own Son but handed Him over for the sake of us all” (Rm 8:32).
The Israelites were spared at the first Passover by the blood of the Lamb sprinkled on their doorposts (Ex 12:7). They were to speak these words at every Passover observance: “This is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, Who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt; when He struck down the Egyptians, He spared our houses” (Ex 12:27). This is key: We are spared by the Blood of the Lamb of God sprinkled on our hearts.
“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin” (from the hymn, How Great Thou Art).
Jesus’ mission is to spare us from the fate our sins have warranted. We are spared from hell by accepting His mercy. Our mission is to spare no effort to lead as many souls as possible to Jesus.
Prayer: Father, I devote my life to loving and serving Jesus.
Promise: “Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” —Ps 23:6
Praise: St. Toribio, bishop of Peru, is the patron of native peoples’ rights and of the Latin American bishops.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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