Imitating the Original Blood Donor this Lent
By Deacon Rod Knight
We are in the season of Lent and are called to sacrifice. As Catholics we know that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. We are also to be little Christs, imitations of Jesus. Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, became man to fulfill the will of God the Father and bring us back into communion with Him after the fall of man.
The shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ through the Paschal Mystery was the only sacrifice capable of redemption of sin. The Blood of Christ, the New Covenant, establishes us as adopted sons and daughters of God. Jesus Christ is the original Blood Donor. His eternal life saving blood has conquered sin, death, and restored us to God in eternal life with Him, if we so choose by doing our part. John 15:13 “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”, and Christ did this.
The Martyrs have given their blood for love of God and our faith. Not everyone is called to martyrdom. I am not asking you to spill your blood. I am asking you to consider donating blood. What could be more loving than giving of yourself, your blood.
Donating one unit of blood can save up to three lives. Seven to eight percent of our body weight is blood. An average man has about twelve pints of blood and an average woman about nine pints. The donation collected is a pint and one can donate every fifty-six days. In the United States someone requires a blood transfusion every two seconds. Blood cannot be manufactured and is perishable, so a constant supply of donors is needed.
A single car accident victim can require up to one hundred units of blood. Blood is vital for cancer patients, sickle cell patients, and for surgeries. Only about three percent of the people eligible to donate blood do. Red blood cells have a shelf life of forty-two days. The average blood transfusion is three units.
I was in the Army when my father was dying, everyone was doing all they could to get me home. My father died an hour and a half before I got there. I cannot express to you the things I wish I could say to him and did not get to. A member of our Knights of Colombus Council 2137 was dying. Blood and platelets provided by the American Red Cross kept him alive long enough to say goodbye to his family who were also coming from other states, what a gift. The donors never knew of the impact or peace their donation had provided. What I would give for that conversation or those last moments.
I volunteer and I donate at all our blood drives. Our Council 2137 has been running Red Cross Blood Drives for fourteen years, four to five on a year average. Thank you Alan Burmester for leading this effort. Thanks to all of my brother Knights for supporting the cause, and thank all of you who have given of yourself to help a neighbor you may not know. It is amazing how much of my Catholic family shows up to love for the sake of their neighbor.
Instead of giving up chocolate, consider giving up blood. Be a hero and save a life!