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!