PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSE ME!
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 Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, Blood of
Christ Courage of martyrs, Blood of
Christ, river of mercy---- all of these
short invocations are taken from the
LITANY OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS.
May is the month of Mary; October is
the month of the most Holy Rosary; November, customarily, we pray for the
release of the souls in Purgatory; June, is the month of the Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus. Finally, the month of July is
the month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.
This essay will be dedicated to fostering an authentic devotion, love,
appreciation and adoration for THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS!
Jesus had two natures, the Human and
the Divine. Divine, He was always God, the second Person of the Most Blessed
Trinity. As man, He came into existence through the consent of the Blessed
Virgin Mary who gave Him--- Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—His Human
nature. His eyes, ears, head, brain,
arms and legs, heart, and even His Most Precious Blood were all given to Him
through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Therefore, love and devotion to Mary,
necessarily leads us to knowledge and love of Jesus her Son, and a true love,
appreciation, and adoration for His Precious Blood!
What is of paramount importance is
the fact that Jesus shed His Precious Blood for the salvation of the whole of
humanity but also for me individually!
Briefly, in an attitude of prayer, reverence and gratitude, let us
briefly call to mind and contemplate the various moments in His earthly life
that Jesus shed His Most Precious Blood!
1.
PRESENTATION, PURIFICATION,
CIRCUMCISION. At 40 days Jesus was
presented in the Temple, Mary observed the Judaic rites of Purification, and
St. Joseph, the foster Father of Jesus, carried out the rite of circumcision,
thereby causing the first Precious drops of Blood that Jesus shed for us! Jesus we thank you and praise you for your
Precious Blood shed for me!
2.
AGONY IN THE GARDEN. In His most Sorrowful Passion, in the Garden
of Gethsemane, as Jesus prayed intensely and as the sins of humanity descended
upon Him like a torrential downpour, large drops of Blood started to seep
from his capillaries, form huge droplets
on His Body and drip to the ground. (Call to mind the film of Mel Gibson, The
Passion of the Christ). Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, comments that all
of the sins of humanity came crashing down on His Sacred Body, causing Jesus in
Agony to shed Blood. His greatest
suffering was that many, despite His agony and excruciating pains, would
willfully reject this act of love! Love reject, caused the intensity of His
agony and Blood loss!
3.
SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR. To relive and contemplate Jesus stripped,
bound to the pillar, mocked and derided, beaten with rods and then mercilessly
and brutally scourged with the Roman flagellum , resulting in His Precious
Blood flowing freely to the ground, can move the most hardened hearts to
compassion! According to the saints,
this ruthless and diabolic torture, Jesus willingly suffered for the salvation
of the world, but specifically in reparation for the sins against the 6th
and 9th Commandments, the sins against the virtue of chastity! “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they
will see God.” (Mt. 5:8). O Lord, grant
us purity of mind, eyes, body, heart, will and intention!
4.
CROWNING WITH THORNS. His Body basically an open wound as a result
of the Scourging at the Pillar, Jesus continues, as Victim for our sins and my
sins and now offers His Sacred Head for torture. Forced into a dingy, small and
suffocating room, bound, forced to sit on a stone, blind-folded and punched,
slapped and spat upon, the derision and mockeries culminate with “The
Mock-King” ceremony! If He is a King,
then He needs a crown! The demonic
torturers, cut off thorn branches, weave it into a crown, enter into the room
where Jesus was and mercilessly press the “CROWN OF THORNS” into His Sacred
Head. The sharps thorns not only pierce
His Sacred forehead, but even to the brain.
His Precious Blood comes out in streams, dripping from His forehead,
cheeks, and to the ground! Lord Jesus, through your Precious Blood shed in the
Crowing with thorns, purify my impure thoughts, ugly thoughts, proud thoughts
and give me your Mind!
5.
CARRYING OF THE CROSS: WOUND IN HIS SACRED
SHOULDER. According to St Bernard, one
of the most painful sufferings of Jesus came about upon Him carrying His cross,
falling and the heavy, splintery cross cutting into His shoulder and causing a
gaping wound! Upon falling several times, the wound opened all the more
provoking incredible pains! Lord Jesus,
grant me patience in carrying my cross for love of you!
6.
CRUCIFIXION! In the crucifixion of Jesus we see most
clearly the love of Jesus manifested by the Precious Blood that He shed for all
of humanity and for me individually!
Contemplate and relive the Blood Jesus shed for you on Calvary in the
moment of His CRUCIFIXION! The hammer
pounding the nails and piercing hands, then feet, and then the cross lifted on
high. As He hangs on the cross,
suspended between heaven in earth, pleading to the Eternal Father for the
salvation of the world and my salvation, contemplate the Precious Blood slowly
dripping from those four Sacred Wounds.
Our Lady of Sorrows, she who gave Jesus His Sacred Humanity, including
His Most Precious Blood, contemplated every moment of His Agony and saw every
drop of His Precious Blood, ooze out and fall to the ground! Gibson’s film depicts Our Lady at the foot
of the cross, with her face to the cross, smearing her face with that Most
Precious Blood!
7.
THE PIERCING OF THE SACRED HEART OF
JESUS! Finally, after Jesus breathed
forth His spirit into the hands of the Eternal Father, the soldier thrust the
lance through the side of Jesus, thereby, opening His side and Sacred
Heart. Blood and water came gushing
forth! The Church was born from the
opened Heart of the Redeemer. The water
is symbolic of Baptism and confession; the Precious Blood—the price of our
salvation, symbolizes the greatest of all Sacraments, the Most Holy Eucharist,
the BODY BLOOD, SOUL, AND DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST!
APPLYING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD TO OUR
SOULS AND SANCTIFICATION.
There are two specific ways in which
we can derive graces and unspeakable graces and blessings form the Precious
Blood of Jesus.
First, PRAYING THE CHAPLET OF DIVINE
MERCY. We pray, “ Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, BLOOD Soul, and Divinity, or Our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ, in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world.” Pray the Chaplet every day to draw down the
Precious Blood of Jesus for mercy upon the whole universe!
Second, and most important, HOLY
MASS! In the celebration of the Holy
Sacrifice of the Mass, the Precious Blood of Jesus, the spotless Victim the
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, is offered to the Eternal
father for the salvation of the whole world.
In concrete, by participating fully, actively and consciously in Mass,
but especially by receiving Holy Communion--- the Body and BLOOD of Jesus we console Jesus most. We receive
His Blood which cleanses, washed, purifies, ennobles, sanctifies, protects,
fortifies, and is a pledge of Eternal life.
Jesus, we praise you, thank you worship
you now and always, but especially for having shed your Precious Blood for the
salvation of my soul and the whole world!