Letting the Blood of Christ Inebriate Us

There is an old hymn that is popular for after the reception of Holy Communion called the Anima Christi, or Soul of Christ. It is a beautiful prayer asking Jesus to take possession of us and be with us throughout our life and at the hour of death. One of the petitions is Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Let’s take a closer look at this line and how we can let the Blood of Christ live in us, particularly during this month dedicated to the Precious Blood.

Usually when we say the word inebriated, it has a negative connotation and we are referring to someone who has drunk too much alcohol. However, being drunk can also mean being dominated by an intense feeling or characteristic, as if this feeling or characteristic has taken possession of our very self. Blood is an essential fluid needed for our survival. When we ask the Blood of Christ to inebriate us, we are asking Jesus to let His own Blood wash over us and take possession of us. We are reminded that we are dependent on Him for survival and happiness, and that it is only through His complete possession of us that we can ultimately achieve this. We want to be drunk with love for and trust in Him, so we ask that His Blood become a part of us so that we may be dependent on Him for everything, much like our organs rely on the blood in our bodies to function.

Having the interior disposition to be receptive to the workings of the Body and Blood of Christ in us means that we need to cultivate a prayer life that seeks Him in every situation and seeks to learn how to depend on Him in every situation. This requires a time for silent prayer every day so that we become accustomed to hearing His voice and becoming receptive to it. Once we become less attached to the world and more attuned to God and His Word in us, when we are on fire for Jesus and His Church and completely trust in His plan for us, then we can say that the Blood of Christ has inebriated us and taken possession of us.

The Litany of the Precious Blood of Jesus is also a good prayer to pray to ask for the Blood of Christ to save us and be our protection. During this month of the Precious Blood, let us ask for this price of salvation to truly inebriate us and lead us to dependency on God in everything.