Monthly Devotion: Precious Blood of Jesus

Unlimited is the effectiveness of the God-Man’s Blood — just as unlimited as the love that impelled him to pour it out for us, first at his circumcision eight days after birth, and more profusely later on in his agony in the garden,[12] in his scourging and crowning with thorns, in his climb to Calvary and crucifixion, and finally from out that great wide wound in his side which symbolizes the divine Blood cascading down into all the Church’s sacraments. Such sur passing love suggests, nay demands, that everyone reborn in the torrents of that Blood adore it with grateful love." - Pope St. John XXIII on Promoting Devotion to the Most Precious Blood

Festivies resonent compita vocibus
Hymn from Vespers of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

​With glad and joyous strains now let each street resound,
And let the laurel wreath each Christian brow entwine;
With torches waving bright, let old and young go forth,
And swell the train in solemn line.

Whilst we with bitter tears, with sighs and grief profound,
Wail o’er the saving Blood, poured forth upon the Tree,
Oh, deeply let us muse, and count the heavy price,
Which Christ hath paid to make us free.
​
The primal man of old, who fell by serpent’s guile,
Brought death and many woes upon his fallen race;
But our New Adam, Christ, new life unto us gave,
And brought to all ne’er-ending grace.

To heaven’s highest height, the wailing cry went up
Of Him, who hung in pain, God’s own eternal Son;
His saving, priceless Blood, His Father’s wrath appeased,
And for His sons full pardon won.

Whoe’er in that pure Blood his guilty soul shall wash,
Shall from his stains be freed—he made as roses bright--
Shall vie with Angels pure, shall please his King and Lord,
And precious shine in His glad sight.

Oh, from the path of right ne’er let thy steps depart,
But haste thee to the goal in virtue’s peaceful ways;
Thy God who reigns on high will e’er direct thy steps,
And crown thy deeds with blissful days.
​
Father of all things made, to us propitious be,
For whom Thy own dear Son, His saving Blood did spill;
O Holy Spirit, grant the souls by Thee refreshed
Eternal bliss may ever fill.

"This Blood, when worthily received, drives away demons and puts them at a distance from us, and even summons to us angels and the Lord of angels. . . This Blood, poured out in abundance, has washed the whole world clean. . . This is the price of the world; by it Christ purchased the Church… This thought will check in us unruly passions. How long, in truth, shall we be attached to present things? How long shall we remain asleep? How long shall we not take thought for our own salvation? Let us remember what privileges God has bestowed on us, let us give thanks, let us glorify him, not only by faith, but also by our very works." - St. John Chrysostom