March 16, 2018: PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD
March 16, 2018: THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF OUR LORD
[Friday after IV Sunday of Lent]
“And the blood shall be unto you for a sign in the houses where you shall be: and I shall see the blood, and shall pass over you: and the plague shall not be upon you
to destroy you, when I shall strike the land of Egypt.”
(Exod, xii. 13)
“Because in him, it hath well pleased the Father,
that all fulness should dwell: And through him to reconcile all things unto himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things on earth, and the things that are in heaven.”
(Col, i. 19-20)
Prayer (Collect).
O Almighty and eternal God, who hast appointed thy only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and wouldst be appeased by his blood; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate with solemn worship the price of our salvation, and to be protected on earth by its virtue from the evils of this present life, that we may rejoice in the perpetual fruit of it in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember, Christian soul, that our Lord Jesus Christ shed His life-blood upon the Cross for you and all mankind; thus making atonement for our sins, and opening to us the gates of Paradise. To this all-precious Blood the tenderest devotion of our hearts is due; and we cannot, therefore, be too earnest in obtaining a clear idea of the doctrine which Holy Church sets before us concerning it. Here, then, are a few simple points upon which you may enlarge at your leisure.
1. Incomparable excellence of the Precious Blood.
The Precious Blood is incomparably excellent; first, because of the exquisitely pure created nature which, in union with our Lord’s Body and Soul, it constituted, and now, in His glorified state, inseparably constitutes. Jesus came as a Lamb without spot, to take away the sins of the world. He assumed our flesh and blood, but He assumed it free from the corruption of the fall, and of an Immaculate Virgin Mother, purer than the very angels. Words cannot express, nor heart conceive, the perfection of the human nature thus assumed.
The Precious Blood is incomparably excellent; secondly, and in a sublimer manner, because of the peculiar union which it has with Deity. Faith teaches us that in Christ the Manhood is united with the Divine Word by means of a personal union, in such sense, that it never at any moment had a personality of its own. The one sole Person in whom it subsisted from the first, and, now subsists, is the second Person of the eternal Trinity. Thus, not by any figure of speech, but in strictest reality, the precious Blood is the Blood of God, and, as the price of our Redemption, of a value simply infinite.
2. The Worship due to the Precious Blood.
It will follow from what has been just said, that the worship due to the Precious Blood can be nothing less than that of Latria—the same adoration, namely, that is paid to God Himself. In virtue of the personal or hypostatic union above referred to, both the whole, and every portion of our Lord’s human nature is equally His, equally divine. So true is this that during the time His sacred Body and Soul were separated one from another by death, each remained united with the eternal Word no less than before. And as Christ being risen again from the dead dieth no more (Rom, vi. 9), so now re-united inseparably forever, His Soul, His Body, His Blood, whether viewed as a whole, or mentally regarded as apart from each other, are alike objects of divine adoration; nor through all eternity can they cease to be so, any more than Christ can cease to be God. Rejoice, Christian soul, in this thought, and while thou lamentest thy sins which caused our Lord to suffer, glorify that precious Blood, so living, so life-giving, with which thou hast been redeemed.
3. Oblation of the Precious Blood.
It is of faith that Jesus, in shedding His Precious Blood upon the Cross, offered a complete and perfect Sacrifice for all the sins of all mankind. Entered now into the Holy of Holies, He still unceasingly offers in our behalf to the Eternal Father the Blood of the everlasting Testament (Heb, xiii. 20), and in this principally consists His intercession for us. The great ablation thus continued in heaven, is meanwhile on earth perpetually renewed by means of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in which the priests of Jesus, day by day, offer up, according to His own divine institution, the Body and Blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine. When, therefore, you behold the priest, in the Holy Mass, consecrating the Blood of the Lamb, and elevating the Chalice, reflect that the precious price of your redemption is then ineffably pleaded in your favour, and join your intention to that of the sacred minister in devout oblation of it to the blessed Trinity. Nor let this be all. Remember that there is a certain kind of Priesthood common to all the faithful, and that in this capacity it becomes you often to recollect yourself interiorly, and to offer up the Precious Blood, in the devout intention of your heart, both for yourself and all men, for which purpose Holy Church supplies you with forms of prayer specially indulgenced to this end.
Ejaculatory Offering of the Precious Blood
(An Indulgence of 100 days, is granted to all the faithful every time they make the following ejaculation.)
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus in satisfaction for my sins, and for the wants of Holy Church.
4. Application of the merits of the Precious Blood.
Without the application of the Precious Blood to our souls, we can have, it is certain, no spiritual life. This application was made in the first instance to us in our baptism, in which we were born again and became the children of God. Nevertheless, though cleansed in baptism from the guilt of original sin, there still remains in us concupiscence, which is the source of much frailty and various spiritual infirmities. Hence the necessity of often applying to our souls this balm of salvation and grace to purify us from our daily transgressions. And oh! what numerous and easy methods has our Lord supplied us with to this end! Holy Communion incorporates us with Christ, and brings us as it were into contact with His very veins! The sacrament of Penance is the pouring forth upon us of Christ’s Blood with all its merits. So too, with the other sacraments in their degree. So, too, with Holy Mass, with prayer, vocal and mental, and other acts of piety, amongst which we may number especially various direct devotions to the Precious Blood itself, which have originated from time to time among the faithful, and received the sanction of the Church. Such, for example, are the month of the Precious Blood, the Red Scapular, the Chaplet of the Precious Blood… O Christian soul, learn to value all that brings thee nearer to the Precious Blood; and reflect in particular that,… you, above all, are bound to be diligent in honouring this pledge of our redemption, as in other ways, so especially by abstaining from sin, both mortal and venial, to the utmost of your power; it being sin, and sin only, which caused this Precious Blood to be shed. Next to this be earnest in the practice of intercessory prayer, remembering that as our Lord’s Blood was shed for all mankind, so intercession for all peculiarly becomes those who have made that Divine Blood their special devotion.
Little Chaplet of the Seven Blood-sheddings, and Thirty-Three Years.
(An Indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines is granted to all the faithful, once a day, on saying this Little Chaplet; and a plenary Indulgence once a month to all who having said it daily for a month, shall confess and communicate,
and pray for Holy Church. The thirty-three Pater Nosters (Our Fathers) thus repeated are in remembrance of the thirty-three years during which the Precious Blood of Jesus flowed in His veins, before it was poured out for our salvation.)
℣. O God, come to my assistance.
℟. O Lord, make haste
to help me.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
First
Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood at His Circumcision.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We
therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Second Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood in the Agony
in the Garden.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants,
whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Third Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood in His Scourging.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Fourth Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood in His Crowning with Thorns.
Five
Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Fifth Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood in carrying His Cross.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Sixth
Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood in His Crucifixion.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We
therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Seventh Mystery—Jesus shedding Blood and Water
from His wounded Side.
Five Paters. One Gloria.
Ejaculation.—We therefore pray Thee, help Thy
servants, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood.
Act of Reparation to the Precious Blood
(An Indulgence of 300 days is granted to all who say this prayer.)
Most Precious Blood of life eternal! Price and ransom of the whole universe! Drink and bath of the soul! Ever pleading the cause of man before the throne of heavenly Mercy! I adore thee most profoundly; I would, if I were able, make Thee some compensation for the outrages and wrongs Thou dost ever suffer from men, and especially from those who in their rashness dare to blaspheme Thee. Who will not bless this Blood of value infinite? Who does not feel himself inflamed with the love of Jesus, who shed it all for us? What should I be but for this Blood which hath redeemed me? And who drew Thee out of the veins of my Lord, even unto the last drop? It was Love! O immense love, which gave us this saving balsam! O Balsam beyond all price streaming forth from the fount of immeasurable love! Give to all hearts, all tongues, power to praise, celebrate, and thank Thee now and ever, and throughout all eternity. Amen.
℣.
Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, with Thy Blood:
℟. And hast made us a kingdom to our God.
Let us pray.
Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast appointed Thine only begotten Son, the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased with His Blood; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate this Blood, the price of our salvation, and so to be defended on earth by its power from the evils of this present life, that in heaven we may enjoy its everlasting fruit, who liveth and reigneth, with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.
Litany of the Precious Blood of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Lord, have mercy
on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us: Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.
Jesus, who for love of us wast crucified, and didst shed all
thy Blood, Have mercy on us.
O Precious Blood, springing from the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Flow upon us.
Precious Blood, vast sea of divine mercy, Overwhelm us.
Precious Blood, most pure offering, Reconcile us.
Precious Blood, pledge of immortality, Give us joy.
Precious Blood, sweet refreshment of holy souls, Comfort us.
Precious Blood, inexhaustible treasure, Enrich us.
Precious Blood, furnace of love, Inflame us.
Precious Blood, sweet delight of the faithful, Charm us.
Precious Blood, fount of chastity, Purify us.
Precious Blood, shed by the stroke of the lance which opened to us the heart of Jesus, Enlighten us.
Precious Blood, the hope and refuge
of sinners, Answer for us.
Precious Blood, the seed of Christians, Multiply us.
Precious
Blood, admiration of the Angels, Exalt us.
Precious Blood, the love and the joy of the seraphim, Inflame us.
Precious Blood, faith of the patriarchs, Enlighten us.
Precious Blood, hope of the prophets, Confirm us.
Precious Blood, charity of the apostles, Inflame us.
Precious Blood, strength of martyrs, Sustain us.
Precious Blood, reward of confessors, Animate us.
Precious Blood, beauty of virgins, Adorn us.
Precious Blood, delight of all the saints, Strengthen us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the
world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Hear us, O Lord.
Lamb
of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us.
Anthem: The fountains of the cast abyss are poured forth abundantly from the heart of Jesus, and the gates thereof are opened to us.
℣. Hasten, O thirsty soul,
℟. And wash thyself seven times in this Jordan of blood.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast vouchsafed to shed thy precious Blood freely for us, make us speedily feel its admirable virtue, and salutary help, by its constant application to our souls, Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
Taken from: Confraternity Manual of the Precious Blood, 1861;
The Manual of the Scared Heart, Edition 1866; and
The Missal for the Laity according to the use of the Holy Roman Church, 1846.
Related Links –
1.
The Holy Season of Lent.
2. Laws of Fasting and Abstinence.
3. Perfect Contrition.
4. The Seven Penitential Psalms.
5. Devotion to our Lord’s Passion.
6. Devotion to our Lady’s Sorrows.
Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, with Thy Blood: And hast made us a kingdom to our God.