The Feast of the Precious Blood
by Fr. Johann Evalgelist Zollner, 1883
"Converse in fear during the time of your sojourning here; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled."
-- Pet. 1: 18.
On this day, the Church celebrates the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. This feast, which had been celebrated in some dioceses since the fifteenth century, on Monday after Trinity Sunday, was extended by Pope Pius IX. over the whole Christian world, and its celebration prescribed for the first Sunday of July. The time of persecution and suffering had already begun for the Sovereign Pontiff. Compelled by a revolution to leave Rome, he repaired to Gaeta, in the kingdom of Naples, where he lived in exile for seventeen months, till April, 1850. Here it was that on the tenth day of August, 1849, he instituted the feast of the Precious Blood. That most sacred blood is the price of our Redemption, and is poured out daily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, whence it flows into the channels of the seven Sacraments, as an atonement for our sins and for our sanctification. For, as in Egypt, God was propitiated by the blood of the paschal lamb, the type and figure of the true Lamb of God, so He is propitiated by the blood of his Son, the true Paschal Lamb, which speaketh better than Abel's. Herein is the strongest evidence of the infinite love of Jesus Christ, who not only once, but seven times, shed his precious blood amidst the most cruel sufferings for our salvation. Let this seven-fold shedding of the precious blood be the subject of our present meditation.
1. The first shedding of blood was at His Circumcision:
Jesus shed His blood the first time when He was circumcised. According, to the law of Moses, every Israelitish male child was to be circumcised eight days after his birth. This circumcision was a sign of the covenant which God had made with the children of Israel. The circumcised belonged only to the people of Israel, and partook of the graces which God bestowed on this people; they were also obliged to observe the law of Moses. Out of obedience to the laws Jesus permitted himself to be presented in the temple, to be circumcised, but thereby he had a far higher purpose; he wished to indicate the mystery that he would redeem us by the shedding of His precious blood. When our Saviour was born in Bethlehem, the holy angels announced Him as our Redeemer, without intimating, however, in what manner He was to redeem the world. Eight days later Jesus himself revealed this mystery of blood by His circumcision. As a rosy morn announces an evening rain, so this rosy morn of circumcision means nothing else than that in the evening of His life His blood was to flow, like rain, from all the veins of His sacred body.
This first shedding of the precious blood is an exhortation to us to serve Jesus from our earliest childhood. When He shed His blood as a mere infant, is it not becoming that we should devote to His service the years of our childhood? But, alas! how many of us have urgent reasons to exclaim with David: "The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember."--Ps. 24: 7. Think of the years of your childhood; did you not pass them in levity? Did not some of you suffer shipwreck of your innocence and commit grievous sins in those years. Call to mind the years of your youth. Did you not commit sins then, which perhaps on your death-bed will lie on your conscience as a heavy load? Let us then repent of the many sins of our childhood and youth and let us at least henceforth lead a penitent life. You, Christian parents, possess a special means of atoning for the sins of your youth by educating your children in the fear and love of God.
2. The shedding of blood in the garden of Olives:
The Evangelist says: "And being in an agony, He prayed the longer And His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground."--Luke, 22: 43. 44. The love of Jesus was so great that He would not wait for the scourges, thorns and nails, but, as the myrrh sends forth its precious oil through the foliage before its bark is cut, so His infinite love and His desire to redeem us urged Him to shed for us His innocent blood in the garden of Olives as a sacrifice of propitiation. This sheding of blood in the garden of Olives was the most painful of all His sufferings; for it was not caused by external, bodily wounds, but by internal sufferings, by the agony of His soul. Jesus anticipated in it His entire Passion, which was vividly represented before His eyes. He trembled at the thought of the loss of so many souls for whom he foresaw he would die in vain; who might be saved, but will not. When the death agony is very severe, you notice with heartfelt compassion, large drops of sweat on the brow and face of the dying. But there was never heard of a dying man who sweat drops of blood. Our Saviour alone exhibited this sign of mortal anguish at the moment when He commenced His sacred Passion.
A legend says that on every place where a drop of Jesus's blood trickled down, a flower sprang up. Spiritually explained, this legend is literally true. Meditation on our Saviour's shedding blood in the garden is the fruitful seed of virtue. Can you be so cruel as to offend Jesus again by sins, when you remember his sadness of spirit and his agony caused by your sins, which was so vehement that he sweat blood? Or can you be indifferent to your own salvation and persevere in an impenitent spirit when you reflect that the remembrance of His sacred Passion being fruitless in regard to many sinners because of their obduracy, made the Son of God sweat blood?
3. Jesus is scourged. The four Evangelists narrate that Jesus was Scourged:
Thus St. Matthew says that ''Pilate having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to the Jews to be crucified. The Jews were forbidden by law to inflict more than forty stripes. The Romans had no number of stripes fixed by law. That Jesus was scourged after the manner of the Romans is evident from the fact that it was a Roman judge that passed sentence upon Him, as also from the words of Jesus: "They shall deliver the Son of Man to the Gentiles to be mocked, and to be scourged, and to be crucified."--Matt. 20: 19. This punishment, as inflicted by the Romans, was one of excessive cruelty. Many expired before it was finished. As Pilate by the punishment of scourging intended to move the Jews to compassion, it is to be inferred that it was inflicted on Jesus with the utmost cruelty. The prophets who saw in spirit our scourged Saviour, say of him that "from the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein; wounds and bruises and swelling sores."--Isaiah, 1: 6. They say there was no beauty in Him, nor comeliness; that they thought Him, as it were, a leper, and as one struck by God.--Is. 53: 2-5. Our Saviour was so cruelly scourged that even Pilate, the heartless Gentile, cried out at the pitiable sight: "Behold the man."
St. Bridget, when a child of ten years, saw in a vision our Saviour in the act of being scourged. The good child, moved to compassion, said: "Who has disfigured you thus?" Jesus answered: "Not the Jews only have done it, but all those who despise my love." And who are these? Especially those Christians who do not endeavor to restrain the passions of their flesh. If your conscience reproaches you with having scourged your Redeemer anew by committing such heinous sins, repair the outrage by a virtuous and penitential life. "Let not sin therefore, reign in your mortal body so as to obey the lusts thereof," (Rom. 6: 12); on the contrary, "mortify your members which are upon the earth," (Col. 3: 5); and make no provision for the flesh in its concupiscences.--Rom. 13: 14.
4. Jesus shed His blood the fourth time, when he was crowned with thorns:
The Evangelist, St. Matthew, relates this cruel coronation, in the following manner: "Then the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto Him the whole band, and stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him saying: Hail, king of the Jews. And spitting upon Him, they took the reed and struck His head."--Matt. 27: 27-30. The adorable head of Jesus had thus its own sufferings. The coronation was as ignominious as it was painful; ignominious, because in order to jeer at His pretensions, they put a crown of thorns upon his head; painful, because of the many wounds the thorns made in His head.
The coronation is to us an earnest exhortation to banish all proud and ambitious thoughts from our minds. Jesus crowned with thorns says to us: "Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart."--Matt. 11: 29. "Far be it from me," said St. Elizabeth of Hungary, "that I, poor creature that I am, should appear with a bright crown upon my head before my God and Saviour, who, being king of heaven and earth, wore a crown of thorns."
5. Jesus shed his blood the fifth time, carrying the cross:
We cannot doubt that Jesus shed blood when He carried the cross. When he took the cross upon his shoulders, he was already bruised, and full of wounds, which, being fresh, bled continually; He also fell several times under the heavy weight of the cross, whereby He received new wounds, out of which blood flowed; He was also struck by the soldiers and executioners, and this could not be done without shedding blood.
The precious blood which Jesus shed when carrying the cross, points out to us the way that leads to heaven. It is no other way than that which He trod before us; the way of the cross. Jesus Himself declares: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."--Matt. 16: 24. Both the sinner and the just man must tread this bloody way; the sinner, because without mortification he is not able to overcome his passions and do penance; the just man, because without self-denial it is impossible to resist the many temptations with which all are assailed, to make progress in virtue, and to persevere in justice to the end. Let us follow Jesus on the way of the cross, let us suffer with Him, that we may be glorified with Him.--Rom. 8: 7.
6. Jesus shed his blood the sixth time, when He was crucified:
St. John (19: 18) says: "Bearing His own cross, he went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him." Having arrived at the place of execution, the soldiers stripped off His clothes, and crucified Him, by piercing His hands and feet with heavy nails, and fastening them to the wood of the cross. Who is able to describe the torments of our dear Lord, when He was nailed to the cross and hung thereon, supported by His own wounds? How truly can He cry out with the Prophet: "O all ye that pass by the way, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow."-- Lam. 1: 12.
Cast one glance at your crucified Redeemer and take to heart the words of St. Bernard: "I need no other evidence to convince me how grievous an evil sin must be. I know sufficiently from the nature of the medicine; the nature of my wound, and the remedy being so painful, I clearly see how dangerous my disease was. God himself, the holy and innocent God, would suffer in His human nature for the sins that we regard so little; for the guilty pleasures we enjoy so easily, God Himself would die the death, the most ignominious death, of the Cross." O let us make the resolution, never again to offend God by a mortal sin.
7. The seventh and last time Jesus shed His blood was when His side was opened:
"When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one of the soldiers opened His side with a spear and immediately there came out blood and water."--John, 19: 33, 34. Blood and water came out as an evidence that these were the last drops of the Sacred Blood. Thus it is literally true, that our Redeemer shed the last drop of his blood for us. We are reminded of this infinite charity by the separate consecration of bread and wine in holy Mass, for after the Elevation the Body and the Blood of Christ appear separated, the sacred species being separated on the altar.
By the shedding of the precious blood from the wound of the Sacred Heart our Saviour gave us the last proof of His infinite love. Let us return the love of Jesus by devoting to Him all the affections of our heart. Let us give Him a proof of our love by fulfilling His divine will and fearing nothing so much as to offend Him. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me."--John, 14: 21.
Peroration:
Thus Jesus shed His precious blood seven times, and the price of these seven sheddings of blood is found in the seven Sacraments, by which we are cleansed from sin and sanctified. These seven sheddings of blood remind us also of the three Theological and the four Cardinal virtues; also of the seven virtues opposed to the seven deadly or capital sins, which are infused into us by baptism; also of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, which we receive in confirmation, and finally of the seven days of the week, which we should dedicate to the service of God. The covenant between God and the Israelites was sealed with blood. The new covenant was sealed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The covenant between God and men is sealed again as many times as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God. Assist, whenever you can, at the tremendous Sacrifice of the Mass, and frequently receive holy communion.
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Offering of the Precious Blood
Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in
Atonement for my sins, and in supplication for the holy souls in purgatory
and for the needs of Holy Church.
(500 days indulgence. An indulgence of 3 years if recited
during the month of July)
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Devout Aspiration to the Precious Blood
(An Indulgence of 100 days)
Glory be to Jesus!
Who in bitter pains
Poured for me the life-blood
From His sacred veins.
Grace and life eternal
In that blood I find:
Blessed be His compassion,
Infinitely kind!
Blessed through endless ages
Be the precious stream,
Which from endless torment
Doth the world redeem.
There the fainting spirit
Drinks of life her fill.
There, as in a fountain,
Laves herself at will.
O the blood of Christ!
It soothes the Father's ire,
Opens the gate of heaven,
Quells eternal fire.
Abel's blood for vengeance
Pleaded to the skies;
But the blood of Jesus
For our pardon cries.
Oft as it is sprinkled
On our guilty hearts,
Satan in confusion,
Terror-struck, departs.
Oft as earth exulting
Wafts its praise on high,
Hell with terror trembles,
Heaven is filled with joy.
Lift ye, then, your voices,
Swell the mighty flood;
Louder still and louder,
Praise the precious blood!
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Invocations and Prayers
O Father! O Son! O Holy Ghost!
O most holy Trinity! O Jesus! O Mary!
Blessed angels, and all ye saints of heaven! obtain for me these graces which
I ask through the most precious blood of Jesus Christ:
1. To do always the will of God.
2. To be always united with God.
3. To think only of God.
4. To love only God.
5. To do everything for God.
6. To seek only the glory of God.
7. To become a saint solely for God.
8. To know well my nothingness.
9. To know always more and more the will of God.
10. (Here ask for some particular grace which you may desire to obtain.)
Mary most holy! offer to the eternal Father the most precious blood of Jesus Christ for my soul, for the holy souls in purgatory, for the wants of holy Church, for the conversion of sinners, and for the whole world.
Then say the Glory be to the Father three times, in honor of the most precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Hail Mary once, to Mary, Mother of Sorrows, and once the Requiem Aeternam, for the souls in purgatory.
(An Indulgence of 300 days, once a day)
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Prayer to Jesus
We therefore pray Thee, help Thy servants: Whom Thou hast redeemed with thy precious Blood.
(Indulgence of 300 days)
Prayer of Petition
Lord Jesus Christ, who camest down from heaven to earth from the bosom of the Father, and didst shed Thy Precious Blood for the remission of our sins: we humbly beseech Thee, that in the day of judgment we may deserve to hear, standing at Thy right hand: "Come, ye blessed." Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
(ROMAN MISSAL: Indulgence of 5 years)
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Litany of the Most Precious Blood
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ,
Wash us O Saving Blood. *
Blood of the New Testament, *
Price of our redemption, *
Fountain of divine grace, *
Source of eternal life, *
Reparation for our sins, *
Pledge of everlasting happiness, *
Oblation of divine justice, *
Key of heaven, *
Purification of our souls, *
Deliverance from sin, *
Healing balm for our wounds, *
Remission of our sins, *
Infinite ransom paid for our debts, *
Life-giving fountain, *
Hope of the poor, *
Solace of the afflicted, *
Support of the weak, *
Remedy for the sick, *
Reconciliation of sinners, *
Joy of the just, *
Refuge of all Christians, *
Admiration of Angels, *
Consolation of Patriarchs, *
Desire of Prophets, *
Strength of Apostles, *
Hope of Martyrs, *
Justification of Confessors, *
Sanctification of Virgins, *
Crown of the Blessed, *
Be merciful,
Spare us, O Lord.
Be merciful,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
From all evil,
Lord Jesus, deliver us. **
From all injustice, **
From all pride and vanity, **
From all envy and ill-will, **
From all uncleanness and gluttony, **
From all anger and hatred, **
From all sloth, **
From eternal damnation, **
Through Thy Most Precious Blood, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed in Thy Circumcision, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed on Mount Olivet, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed under the maltreatment of Thy enemies, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed at Thy scourging, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed at the crowning with thorns, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed on Thy road to Calvary, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst shed when Thou wert stripped of Thy clothes, **
Through the most Precious Blood Thou didst shed when Thy Sacred Heart was pierced, **
Through the Precious Blood Thou didst give to Thy Disciples at Thy last Supper, **
Through the same Precious Blood which is still daily consecrated at the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, **
We poor sinners,
Beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou wouldst spare us,
We beseech Thee, hear us. ***
That Thou wouldst pardon us, ***
That Thou wouldst grant us true piety, ***
That Thou wouldst fill our hearts with gratitude and love, ***
That Thou wouldst fill our hearts with a holy fear, ***
That Thou wouldst give us true repentance for our sins, ***
That through Thy Precious Blood Thou mayest assist us in our last agony, ***
That through the same Precious Blood Thou mayest grant us a happy death, ***
That through it Thou mayest save us from Purgatory, ***
That through it Thou mayest redeem the poor souls from their sufferings, ***
That through it Thou mayest show mercy to all, ***
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:
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ, graciously here us.
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Our Father (secretly). Hail, Mary (secretly).
V. Jesus Christ has loved us.
R. And through His Precious Blood washed us from our sins
V. Assist Thy servants, O Lord.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy Precious Blood.
Let us pray:
Most merciful Redeemer, through the price of Thy Precious Blood, and through the merits of Thy bitter passion and death: grant that we may make ourselves worthy to enter that happiness which Thou didst purchase for us. Amen.
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Ejaculation to be Said in Reparation for Blasphemies
Eternal Father, by the most precious Blood of Jesus Christ,
glorify His most holy name, according to the intention and
the desires of His adorable Heart.
(Indulgence of 300 days. --Pius X, 1908)
How few there are who avail themselves of the precious Blood of Jesus
to purchase their salvation!--St. Ignatius
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The Most Precious Blood
Homily of St. Augustine, Bishop
Treatise 120 on John
A suggestive word was made use of by the Evangelist, in not saying: he pierced His side; or: he wounded; or anything like that, but: he opened; that therein might, as it were, be thrown open the door of life, from which have flowed forth the sacraments of the Church, without which there is no entrance into life that is truly life. The blood that was shed, was shed for the remission of sins. That water makes up the health-giving cup; and gives at the same time a bath and a draught. This was announced beforehand, when Noe was commanded to make a door in the side of the ark, through which the animals, not destined to perish in the flood, might enter, and by which the Church was prefigured. Because of this, the first woman was made from the side of the man while he slept, and she was called Life and Mother of the living. For the name signified a great good, before the great evil of her sin. This second Adam bowed His heads fell asleep on the cross, in order that from there a spouse might be formed for Him from that which He shed from His side as He slept. O death whereby the dead are raised anew to life! What is purer than this blood? What more health-giving this wound?
Men who were held in slavery under the devil served the devil and served the demons; but they have been redeemed from captivity. For they could sell themselves, but they could not redeem themselves. The Redeemer came, and paid the price; He shed His blood, and bought the world. Do you ask what He bought? See what He gave, and you will find out what He bought. The blood of Christ is the price. What is it worth? What, but the whole world? What, but all nations. Very ungrateful for their price or very proud, are they who say that the price is of such small worth as to buy only the Africans; or that they are so great, that it was given for them alone. Therefore let them not rejoice or be proud. What He gave, He gave for the whole world.
He had His blood, by which He redeemed us; and to this end He took blood, that He might shed it in order to redeem us. If you wish it, the blood of your Lord was given for you; if you do not wish it, it was not given for you. For perhaps you will say: My God had blood, with which He redeemed me, but now since He has suffered, He has given it all; what has remained to Him, that He may also give for me? This is a great thing, because He gave once, and He gave for all. The blood of Christ is salvation to him who wishes it, punishment to him who does not wish it. Why, therefore, do you hesitate to be set free from the second death, you who do not wish to die? By this you are set free, if you are willing to take up your cross, and follow the Lord; for He took up His cross and looked for His servant.
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A Chaplet of the Precious Blood of Jesus
They, who recite devoutly the following Chaplet of the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, may every day gain an indulgence of seven years and seven quarantines; they Who recite it daily, may, once a month gain A Plenary Indulgence, by complying with the usual conditions. They who recite only the concluding prayer: O most precious Blood, etc., may every day gain an indulgence of Three Hundred Days. All these indulgences are applicable to the souls of the faithful departed.
This Chaplet is composed of seven mysteries, in which are considered the seven times that Jesus shed his Blood for the love of us. After each mystery, the Lord's Prayer is said five times, and Glory be to the Father, once, except at the last mystery, when only three paters are said, to complete the number 33, corresponding to the 33 years which our loving Saviour, Jesus Christ, lived upon earth; during which this adorable Blood flowed in His sacred veins before it was shed for the redemption of the world.
Note: July is the month of devotion to the precious Blood of Jesus.
V. O God, come to my aid.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. world without end. Amen.
FIRST MYSTERY.
Our most amiable Redeemer shed, for the first time, His most precious Blood on
the eighth day after His birth, when He was circumcised to fulfill the law of Moses; reflect that Jesus did so to satisfy the Divine Justice for our transgressions. Oh! let us excite in our hearts sincere sorrow for them, and let us promise, with his all powerful grace, to be henceforward truly chaste in body and soul.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
SECOND MYSTERY.
Our most amiable Redeemer shed His sacred Blood in the Garden of Olives in so great a quantity, that the earth all around was moistened with it; and this was at the sight of the ingratitude with which he was to be repaid by men. Oh! let us then repent of having hitherto corresponded so ill to the innumerable favors of the Lord, and let us resolve to make in the future, good use of His grace and holy inspirations. Amen.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
THIRD MYSTERY.
Our most amiable Redeemer shed His precious Blood, the third time, when He was cruelly scourged at the Pillar. Then as the skin and flesh were torn, gushed out abundantly those precious streams, which He offered to His eternal Father, in satisfaction for our impatience and dislike of suffering. Why, therefore, do we not subdue our anger and self love? Oh! let us labor for the time to come, to be more patient in tribulations, to despise ourselves, and to endure peacefully the injuries that may be done us.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
FOURTH MYSTERY.
Our most amiable Redeemer's Blood flowed from His most sacred Head, when crowned with thorns, to expiate our pride and wicked thoughts. And shall we still cherish haughtiness in our breast, and impure and perverse ideas in our mind? Oh! let us always be mindful of our own nothingness, wretchedness, and frailty, and let us generously resist all the sinful suggestions of the devil.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
FIFTH MYSTERY.
Oh! how much Blood flowed from the veins of our amiable Jesus, in His most painful journey to Calvary, burdened, as He was, with the heavy wood of the Cross. This precious blood was sprinkled along the streets of Jerusalem, and every place through which He passed. He suffered this in satisfaction for the scandals and bad examples, by which His creatures drew others into the way of perdition. Oh! who knows whether we do not belong to the number of these unhappy wretches? Who knows how many have been cast into hell by the wicked example of our lives, and yet we do not overcome it? Ah! let us for the time to come contribute to the salvation of souls by advice, by edification, and by setting the example of good and holy works.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
SIXTH MYSTERY.
The Redeemer of mankind shed His Blood still more copiously in His barbarous crucifixion, when the veins were torn, and the arteries broken, there issued from the wounds of His sacred hands and feet, that saving balm of eternal life. His blood flowed in torrents to wash away the wickedness and iniquity of the world, and to give us eternal life. And can there still be found men who will continue in sin, and thus renew the cruel passion of the Son of God? Oh! let us lament bitterly the faults we have committed; let us detest them at the feet of His sacred Minister; let us reform our ways, and enter on a Christian life, from this day forward, considering how much blood our salvation has cost our amiable Jesus.
Say the Lord's Prayer five times, and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
SEVENTH MYSTERY.
Our most amiable Redeemer shed His precious Blood even after His death, when His loving heart and sacred side were opened by the spear; water also issued from this sacred wound, to show that His Blood was entirely exhausted, having been shed to the last drop for our Redemption. Oh, infinite goodness of our divine Redeemer! who will not love Thee? who will not melt with tender affection for thee, after so much toil and pain endured for our Redemption? Ah! since we want words to express ourselves, let us invite all the creatures of the earth; let us invite all the angels and saints in heaven, and especially Mary, our dear Mother, to bless, to praise, and to glorify Thy most precious Blood! Yes, praised be the Blood of Jesus, now and at all times, and for all eternity. Amen.
After this last mystery, say the Lord's Prayer only three times,
and Glory be to the Father, once.
V. We beseech thee, O Lord, to help Thy servants.
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood.
Then recite the following Prayer :
O most precious Blood, source of eternal life, the price and ransom of the entire world, refreshment, and laver of our souls, which dost continually advocate the cause of man before the throne of the Sovereign Mercy, I adore thee profoundly, and wish, as far as in me lies, to compensate the injuries, and the barbarous treatment, which thou continually receivest, and especially from those who rashly dare to blaspheme Thee. Oh! who will not bless this Blood of infinite value? Who will not feel his heart inflamed with love for Jesus, that shed it? What would have become of me, if I were not redeemed with this divine Blood? But what has drained the sacred veins of my Lord of His Blood, even to the last drop? Ah! it was surely His love. O infinite love, which has bestowed on us this all-healing balsam! O inestimable balsam, springing from the fountain of immense love! Oh ! make all hearts and all tongues praise, glorify, and thank Thee, now and for all eternity. Amen.
V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, by Thy Blood.
R. And hast made us a kingdom to our God.
Let us Pray.
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, we beseech Thee, that we may so venerate with solemn worship, this price of our Redemption, as to be protected by its virtue from the evils of this present life, and enjoy eternal rewards in Heaven: Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Blessed are they who wash their robes in the Blood of the Lamb; that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.--Apocal. xxii. 14
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