The task of the Precious Blood in Baptism seems a comparatively light one, contrasted with that which it performs in the Sacrament of Penance. In Baptism, original sin is washed away; in Penance, actual sin. The former cleaves to us through no fault of our own; the latter is the result of our own deliberate deed. It makes us the enemies of God in quite a different sense. It places us, or rather, we place ourselves of our own free-will, under the power of Satan; voluntarily we forfeit our inheritance, and proclaim ourselves rebels. The task of reconciliation is a far more difficult one, and is only possible with our own cooperation.

Yet the Precious Blood restores the sinner to his allegiance, and frees him from the power of Satan, when he comes anxious to be delivered. As soon as it touches the soul of the sinner, it washes it as clean and pure as if he had never sinned, and restores him to peace and friendship with God. Who has not witnessed its transforming power, and seen the sinner, before hardened, depressed, almost in despair, now become full of peace and consolation and joy under its Divine influence.

We cannot wonder at our Lord's cry of agony in Gethsemane or at His sweat of blood, when we think what it was that the Precious Blood had to efface from our souls. What an horrible accumulation of pride and selfishness and impurity and covetousness! Such a cleansing could only be gained at the cost of a sacrifice infinite in value. O Jesus! make me to appreciate more Thy Divine love.