Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Save Us!

The month of July is dedicated to honoring the Precious Blood of Jesus, the price of our salvation.

Chaplet of the Precious Blood

This devotional chaplet composed of seven Mysteries, meditating upon the seven times in which Jesus Christ for love of us shed blood from His most innocent Body. For the first six mysteries, five Our Fathers and a Glory Be; the last mystery is comprised of only three Our Fathers and a Glory Be; together, the Our Fathers total thirty-three, commemorating the thirty-three years of our Lord's life during which His Precious Blood flowed through His sacred veins before being poured out for our salvation. 

Praying the Chaplet: Brief Meditations on the Mysteries

V. God, come to my assistance.
​R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

The First Mystery: The Circumcision

​The first time our loving Saviour shed His Precious Blood for its was on the eighth day after His birth, when He was circumcised in order to accomplish the law of Moses. While, then, we reflect that Jesus did this to satisfy the justice of God for our dissolute lives, let us excite ourselves to true sorrow for them, and promise, with the help of his all-powerful grace, to be henceforth truly chaste in body and in soul. Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Second Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

​Next, in the Garden of Olives, Jesus shed His Blood for us in such quantity that it bathed the earth around. Thus took place at the sight of the ingratitude with which men would meet His love. O, let us, then, repent sincerely because we have hitherto corresponded so ill with the innumerable benefits of our God, and resolve to make good use of His graces and holy inspirations. ​Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Third Mystery: The Scourging

​Next, in His cruel scourging, Jesus shed His Blood, when His flesh was so torn that rivers of Blood flowed from His body in every part, all of which He offered all the time to His Eternal Father in payment of our impatience and our delicacy. How is it, then, we do not curb our anger and our self-love?  Henceforth we will indeed try our very best to bear our troubles well, and, despising ourselves, to take peacefully the injuries which men may do us. ​Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Fourth Mystery:
​The Crowning with Thorns

​Again, from the sacred Head of Jesus Blood poured down when it was crowned with thorns, in punishment of our pride and evil thoughts. Shall we, then, continue to nurture haughtiness, foster foul imaginations, and feed the wayward will in our minds?  Henceforth let there be ever before our eyes our utter nothingness, our misery, and our weakness; and with generous hearts let its resist all the wicked suggestions of the devil. ​Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Fifth Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

But O! how much of His Precious Blood did our loving Lord pour forth from His veins when laden with the heavy wood of the cross.  He made His mournful way to Calvary, so that the streets and ways of Jerusalem, through which He passed, were watered with it! this was done in satisfaction for the scandals and the bad examples by which His own creatures had led others astray on the way to ruin.  Who can tell how many of us are of this unhappy number?  Who knows how many he himself alone has by his own bad example brought down to hell?  And have 

we done anything to remedy this evil? Let us henceforth at least endeavor all we can to save souls by word and by example, making ourselves a pattern to all of good and holy life. ​Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Sixth Mystery: The Crucifixion

​Still more copiously the Redeemer of mankind shed Blood in His Crucifixion; when His veins being rent and arteries burst, there gushed forth in a torrent, from His hands and His feet, that saving balm of life eternal, to pay for all the crimes and enormities of the universe. Who ever after this would continue in sin, and so renew the cruel crucifixion of the Son of God?  Let us weep bitterly for our bad deeds, and let us detest them at the feet of the sacred minister of God; let us amend our evil ways, and henceforth begin a truly Christian life, with the thought ever in our hearts of all the Blood which our eternal salvation cost the Savior of men. ​Five Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

The Seventh Mystery:
​The Piercing of His Heart

Last of all, after His death, when His sacred Side was opened by the lance and His loving Heart was wounded, Jesus shed Blood, and with the Blood there came forth water, to show us how the Blood was all poured out to the last drop for our salvation. O the infinite goodness of our Redeemer!  Who will not love Thee, my Savior?  What heart will not consume itself away for love of Thee, who hast done all this for our redemption?  The tongue wants words to praise Thee: let us, then, invite all creatures upon earth, all angels and all saints in Paradise, and, most of all, our dear Mother Mary, to bless, to praise, and to celebrate Thy most Precious Blood.  Glory to the Blood of Jesus! Glory to the Blood of Jesus now and ever throughout all ages.  Amen. Three Our Fathers and a Glory Be.

​Closing Prayer

​V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, by Thy Blood.
R. And hast made us a kingdom to our God.

Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Savior 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 by its power upon earth 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.