#julymonthofthepreciousblood

[anastpaul]

1 July - Feast of the Most |Precious Blood and July Devotion

1 July – Feast of the Most |Precious Blood and July Devotion

1 July – Feast of the Most |Precious Blood and July Devotion In his book, The Precious Blood, Father Frederick William Faber, D.D., calls St. Paul the Doctor of the Precious Blood owing to his evident fondness to preach on It in his epistles (Romans 3:25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12). He recounts that the lives of Saints are replete with devotion to the Precious Blood making special mention of…

[anastpaul]

July Devotion – The Most Precious Blood of Jesus

July Devotion – The Most Precious Blood of Jesus

July Devotion – The Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Catholic doctrine teaches the faithful, that the Blood of Jesus Christ is part of His Sacred Humanity and hypostatically united to the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. And as such, it is worthy of adoration and veneration proper to latreutical worship (cultus latriae) which is rendered only to God.   In other words, we adore the human nature of…

[anastpaul]

The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ:  The feast was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969, “because the Most Precious Blood of Christ the Redeemer is already venerated in the solemnities of the Passion, of Corpus Christi, of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.”   However, as this is the Month of the Most Precious Blood, this day, Sunday is most worthy of celebrating this Feast Day, this year (2018).

Among devotions to the humanity of Christ (e.g., The Holy Name, The Holy Face, Sacred Heart), the Precious Blood of Jesus has the most biblical precedent since it is mentioned so frequently in the New Testament (over 75 times).

Saint Peter, our first Pope, specifically refers to the blood of Christ as “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb unspotted and undefiled” (1 Peter 1:19). In fact, it might even be said that the entire Old Testament is a lesson in “blood sacrifice” as an anticipation of Christ’s obedient and merciful sacrifice on the wood of the life-giving cross. St Paul could rightfully be called the “Theologian of the Precious Blood.” The Apostle even tell us to place our “faith in His blood”: “… whom God set forth as an expiation, through faith, by his blood, to prove his righteousness because of the forgiveness of sins previously committed,” (Romans 3:25). This reveals that the Precious Blood of Jesus is not an abstraction, but a true devotion to the Divine Person of Christ. In Ephesians, the Apostle teaches us that our redemption was purchased “through His blood” (Eph 1:7) and in Hebrews, he teaches that the entire New Covenant is rooted in the Precious Blood of Jesus:

“….he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.   For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, to cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.”(Hebrews 9:12–15)

Saint John the Apostle stresses the love of God and the Precious Blood when he writes: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,” (Rev 1:5).   Elsewhere, Saint John explains that the Blood of Jesus continues to be applied to us:  “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.” (1 Jn 1:7).

St John Chrysostom calls the Precious Blood “the saviour of souls”, St Thomas Aquinas, “the key to heaven’s treasures”, St Ambrose, “pure gold of ineffable worth”, St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, “a magnet of souls and pledge of eternal life”.   The sins of mankind, in their number, in their offence to the Supreme Being, in the effects on transgressors, are immense, yet, the Precious Blood of Jesus is not frightened by numbers, it has in Itself the power to appease an angered God and to heal wounded creatures.

The Precious Blood is a cleansing bath.   Unlike all other blood, which stains, the Blood of Jesus washes clean and white.   According to the words of St John, in the Apocalypse, the Angels wonder and the question is asked:  “These that are clothed in white robes, who are they?”   The Lord answers:  “These are they that have washed their robes and have made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”   For no other reason did the Precious Blood flow but to regain for the souls of men the beautiful dress of innocence and, once regained, to preserve it throughout life and into eternity.

The Blood of the Saviour is a well of consolation for troubled hearts.   Can anyone, confidingly, look at the Sacred Blood trickling down from the Cross without taking courage to carry on, in spite of the difficulties which are the common lot of all?   One glance at the Cross must be able to drive away fear.   And, another, must be able to instil trust in Him who did not rest until the last drop, mingled with water, flowed out of an opened Heart.   He, who was willing to do so much for men, must be willing to overlook and forget the frailties which they deeply regret;  He must be willing to come to their assistance when harassed, to defend them when tempted, to comfort them when afflicted.   The Blood of Jesus must be for Christians what the north-star is to sailors.

Daily Offering to the Father

Eternal Father, I offer You the Most Precious Blood of Your divine Son, Jesus, for sinners everywhere, sinners in my home, in my family and in the universal Church. I offer It too, in supplication, for the holy souls in purgatory and for the needs of holy mother Church. Amen

(via July is the month of the Most Precious Blood)