Happy Feast of the Most Precious Blood!

A happy and most blessed feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus! Only a few days ago we celebrated the feast of the Sacred Heart, which many parishes celebrated yesterday as an External Solemnity, and today’s celebration stands as a great complement to that feast. The Precious Blood of Our Lord flows from His Sacred Heart, and was poured out as a fountain of mercy and salvation for us when this Heart was pierced upon the Cross. It is this same Blood that becomes present for us upon our altars at every Mass, and incidentally, we recently commemorated the feast of Corpus Christi, the great celebration of the gift of the Eucharist. Three feast days and the most eloquent praises are insufficient to render adequate thanks for such a superabundance of gifts: the love of this Heart, the salvation won for us by this Blood, the spiritual sustenance given us by the Eucharist! “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly,” says Our Lord in St. John’s Gospel, and certainly He spared nothing of Himself in granting us this abundance, giving Himself totally for us and for our salvation.

In addition to attending Holy Mass if you can today, we recommend taking a moment to recite the beautiful Litany of the Precious Blood. We also wish a happy patronal feast day to Most Precious Blood Parish, our apostolate in Tulsa, Oklahoma! +

The Litany of the Most Precious Blood

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us. (after each line)
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God,
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament,
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony,
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging,
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns,
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross,
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation,
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness,
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls,
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy,
Blood of Christ, victor over demons,
Blood of Christ, courage of martyrs,
Blood of Christ, strength of confessors,
Blood of Christ, bringing forth virgins,
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril,
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened,
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow,
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent,
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying,
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts,
Blood of Christ, pledge of Eternal Life,
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory,
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor,

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.

V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood.
R. And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray:
Almighty and eternal God, Thou hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant, we beg of Thee, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.