The Precious Blood (Friday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent)

Traditional Catholics will be familiar with the fact that the Feast of the Body of Christ (Corpus Christi) is kept on a separate date than the Feast of the Precious Blood.  The Feast of the Precious Blood is kept on July 1st.  The monthly is July is also especially dedicated to the Precious Blood Devotions.

However, there is also a Lenten Votive Mass that may be said on Friday after the 4th Sunday of Lent.  This was one of the Mass in Some Places that was part of the traditional Missal.

FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD.—For many dioceses there are two days to which the Office of the Precious Blood has been assigned, the office being in both cases the same. The reason is this: the office was at first granted to the Fathers of the Most Precious Blood only. Later, as one of the offices of the Fridays of Lent, it was assigned to the Friday after the fourth Sunday in Lent. In many dioceses these offices were adopted also by the fourth Provincial Council of Baltimore (1840). When Pius IX went into exile at Gaeta (1849) he had as his companion the saintly Don Giovanni Merlini, third superior general of the Fathers of the Most Precious Blood. Arrived at Gaeta, Merlini suggested that His Holiness make a vow to extend the feast of the Precious Blood to the entire Church, if he would again obtain possession of the papal dominions. The pope took the matter under consideration, but a few days later sent his domestic prelate Jos. Stella to Merlini with the message: "The pope does not deem it expedient to bind himself by a vow; instead His Holiness is pleased to extend the feast immediately to all Christendom". This was June 30, 1849, the day the French conquered Rome and the republicans capitulated. The thirtieth of June had been a Saturday before the first Sunday of July, wherefore the pope decreed (August 10, 1849) that henceforth every first Sunday of July should be dedicated to the Most Precious Blood.

ULRICH F. MUELLER

 

July 1st: The Precious Blood of Our Lord 1st Class Introit: Apocalypse v: 9-10 Redemisti nos, Dómine, in sánguine tuo, ex omni tribu, et lingua, et pópulo, et natióne: et fecísti nos Deo nostro regnum. [Ps. lxxxviii] Misericórdias Dómini in ætérnum cantábo: in generatiónem et generatiónem annuntiábo veritátem tuam in ore meo. Gloria Patri. Redemísti nos. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation, and hast made us to our God a kingdom. [Ps. lxxxviii] The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever. I will show forth Thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation. Glory be.... Thou hast redeemed.... Collect: Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui unigénitum Fílium tuum mundi Redemptórem constituísti, ac ejus Sánguine placári voluisti: concéde quæsumus, salútis nostræ prétium (solémni cultu) ita venerári atque a præséntis vitæ malis ejus virtúte deféndi in terris; ut fructu perpétuo lætémur in cælis. Per eúmdem Dóminum. O almighty and everlasting God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased by His blood; grant unto us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate (with solemn worship) the price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended against the evils of this life, that we may enjoy the fruit thereof for evermore in heaven. Through the same our Lord. Epistle: Hebrews ix: 11-15 Léctio Epístolæ beáti Pauli Apóstoli ad Hebræos: Fratres: Christus assístens póntifex futurórum bonórum, per ámplius et perféctius tabernáculum non manufác­tum, id est, non hujus creatió­nis neque per sánguinem hir­córum, aut vitulórum, sed per próprium sánguinem introívit semel in Sancta, ætérna re­demptióne invénta. Si enim sanguis hircórum et taurórum, et cinis vitulæ aspérsus, in­quinátos sanctíficat ad emun­datiónem carnis: quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui per Spíritum Sanctum semetípsum óbtulit immaculátum Deo, emmundábit consciéntiam nostram ab opéribus mórtuis, ad serviéndum Deo vivénti? Et ideo novi testiménti mediátor est: ut morte inter­cedénte, in redemptiónem eárum prævaricatiónem, quæ erant sub prióri testaménto, repromissiónem accípiant, qui vocáti sunt ætérnæ hereditátis: in Christo Jesu Dómino nostro. A reading from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews: Brethren: When Christ ap­peared as High Priest of the good things to come, He en­tered once for all through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this cre­ation, nor again by virtue of the blood of goats and calves, but by virtue of His own blood, into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkled ashes of a heifer sanctify the unclean unto the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the Holy Ghost offered Him­self unblemished unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And that is why He is mediator of a new covenant; that whereas a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed un­der the former covenant, they who have been called may have eternal inheritance according to the promise, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Gradual: 1 John v: 6,7-8 Hic est qui venit per aquam et sánguinem, Jesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sánguine. Tres sunt, qui testimónium dant in cælo: Pater, Verbum, et Spíritus sanctus; et hi tres unum sunt. Et tres sunt, qui testimónium dant in terra: Spíritus. aqua, et sanguis; et he tres unum sunt. This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. There are three in heaven who give testimony: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and these three are one. Alleluia, Allelúja. Si testimónium hóminum accípimus, testimónium Dei majus est. Allelúja. Alleluia, Allelúja. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. Allelúja. In votive Masses, after Septuagesima, the Allelúja verse is replaced by the Tract, as given below: Tract: Ephesians i: 6-8 & Romans iii: 24-25 Gratificávit nos Deus in dilécto Fílio suo, in quo habémus redemptiónem per sánguinem ejus. Remissiónem peccatórum, secúndum divítas grátiæ ejus quæ superabundávit in nobis. Justificáti gratis per grátiam ipsíus, per redemptiónem, quæ est in Christo Jesu. Quem propósuit Deus propitiatiónem per fidem in sánguine ipsíus. God hath graced us in His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood. The remission of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which hath superabounded in us. Being freely justified by His grace, through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in His Blood. In Paschaltide, both Gradual and Tract are replaced by the Allelúja Verse: Apocalypse v:9 & Exodus xii: 13 Alleluia, Allelúja. Dignus est Dómine, accípere librum et aperíre signácula ejus: quoniam occísus est, et redemísti nos, Deo in sánguine tuo.  Allelúja. Erit autem sanguis vobis in signum; et vidébo sánguinem, et transíbo vos: nec erit in vobis plaga dispérdens. Allelúja. Alleluia, Allelúja. Worthy art Thou, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: because Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God in Thy Blood.  Allelúja. And the Blood shall be to you a sign: and I shall see the blood and pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you. Allelúja. Gospel: John xix: 30-35 + Sequéntia sancti Evan­gélii secúndum Joánnem. In illo tempore: Cum accepísset Jesus acétum, dixit: «Consummátum est.»  Et inclináto cápite trádidit spíritum. Judæi ergo (quóniam Paracéve erat) ut non remanérent in cruce córpora sábbato (erat enim magnus dies ille sábbati), rogavérunt Pilátum, ut frangeréntur eórum crura, et tolleréntur. Venérunt ergo mílites: et primi quidem fregérunt crura, et altérius, qui crucifíxus est cum eo.  Ad Jesum autem cum veníssent, ut vidérunt eum jam mórtuum, non fregérunt ejus crura, sed unus mílitum láncea latus ejus apéruit, et contínuo exívit sanguis et aqua. Et qui vidit, testimónium perhibuit: et verum est testimónium ejus. Credo. + The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John. At that time, Jesus, when He had taken the vinegar, said: "It is consummated!" And bowing His head, he gave up the ghost. The Jews, therefore, since it was the Passover, in order that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, besought Pilate that the legs of those crucified might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore came, and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus; when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers opened His side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he who saw it has borne witness, and his witness is true. Credo. Offertory: 1 Corinthians x: 16 Calix benedictionis, cui benedícimus, none communicátio sánguinis Christi est? Et panis, quem frángimus, nonne participátio córporis Dómini est? The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the Body of the Lord? Secret: Per hæc divína mystéria ad novi, quæsumus, testaménti mediatórem Jesum accedámus: et super altária tua, Dómine virtútum, aspersiónem sánguinis mélius loquéntem quam Abel, innovémus. Per eúmdem Dóminum. We pray that through these divine mysteries, we may draw near to Jesus, the mediator of the New Testament: and upon Thine altars, O Lord of Hosts, may we renew the sprinkling of that blood which pleadeth better than that of Abel. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ.... Vere dignum et iustum est, æquum et salutáre, nos tibi semper et ubíque grátias ágere: Dómine, sancte Pater, omnípotens ætérne Deus: Qui salútem humáni géneris in ligno Crucis constituísti: ut unde mors oriebátur, inde vita resúrgeret: in quo ligno vincébat, in ligno quoque vincerétur: per Christum Dóminum nostrum. Per quem majestátem tuam laudant Angeli, adórant Dominatiónes, tremunt Potestátes. Cæli cælorúmque Virtútes, ac beáta Séraphim, sócia exsultatióne concélebrant. Cum quibus et nostras voces, ut admítti júbeas deprecámur, súpplici confessióne dicéntes: Preface of the Holy Cross It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, that we should in all times and in all places give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty and everlasting God. Who didst set the salvation of mankind upon the tree of the Cross, so that whence came death, thence also life might rise again, and that he who overcame by the tree might also be overcome on the tree; through Christ our Lord. Through whom the angels praise Thy majesty, the dominations adore, the powers are in awe, the virtues of highest heaven and the blessed seraphim unite in blissful exultation. With them we praise Thee; grant that our voices too may blend, saying in adoring praise: Communion: Hebrews ix: 28 Christus semel oblátus est ad multórum exhauriénda peccáta: secundo sine peccáto apparébit exspectántibus se in salútem. Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time He shall appear without sin to them that expect Him, unto salvation. Postcommunion: Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui unigénitum Fílium tuum mundi Redemptórem constituísti, ac ejus Sánguine placári voluísti: concéde quaésumus, salútis nostræ prétium solémni cultu ita venerári, atquae a præséntis vitæ malus ejus virtúte deféndi in terris; ut fructu perpétuo lætémur in cælis. Per eúmdem Dóminum. We who have been admitted to the holy table, have drawn waters with joy from the fountains of the Savior. May His Blood, we beseech Thee, be within us as a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life; Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, World without end. Amen.