TwT 9-23-25

As we look ahead to next Wednesday’s Blood Drive, my thoughts turned to the topic of…blood. Yes, blood. Apologies to the squeamish out there. Have no worries — there are no gory images. Even with Halloween approaching (perhaps part of the reason for this theme), there are no gruesome demons, no grotesque zombies.

In reflecting on how folks have understood “blood” in various ways throughout history, I was struck by how often we emphasize blood — its shedding in war, its sharing in family. Today, on this Feast of Padre Pio, we recall a saint who shed blood, and by doing so, shared in Christ’s suffering. Pio experienced the stigmata, the condition of bearing the wounds of Jesus. In our own ways, though perhaps not as dramatic, we, too, participate in our Savior’s suffering.

We may be those who appreciate, and indeed cultivate, our shared humanity as “blood” brothers and “blood” sisters. We are in this together. By virtue of our common humanity, we are connected. The blood coursing through our arteries and veins, and the tremendous need for that blood today, remind us that we belong together.

Blessings on your week. Go Crusaders!

Click here for the full edition of TwT 9-23-25