|
Chaplet of the Precious Blood
|
This chaplet consists of seven mysteries in which we meditate on the seven times on which Jesus shed blood for love of us. At each mystery, except the last, five Our Fathers and One Glory be are recited, thus making up the number of 33, in remembrance of the 33 years during which the Precious Blood of Jesus was enclosed in his veins before it was poured out for our salvation. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. V: O God, come to my aid First Mystery - The Circumcision of Christ: Our Most loving Saviour shed His Precious Blood for us, for the first time, on the eighth day after His birth, when, to fulfill the law of Moses, he was circumcised. While, then, we think on all that Jesus did to satisfy God's justice for our wanderings, let us rouse ourselves to true sorrow for them, and promise, with the help of His powerful grace, to be henceforth truly chaste in body and in soul. Second Mystery - The Agony in the garden: Jesus, in the Garden of Olives, shed His blood for us in such streams that it bathed the earth around. This He did at the vision He then had of the ingratitude with which men would meet His love. Oh! let us, then, repent sincerely for the past, considering how poorly we have met the countless benefits of our Lord, and resolve henceforth to make good use of His graces and holy inspirations. Third Mystery - The Scourging at the pillar: Jesus, in His cruel scourging, shed His blood when, from His lacerated skin and wounded flesh, on every side, that precious blood flowed in streams, while our gentle Lord kept offering it to His Eternal Father in payment of our impatience and our wantonness. How is it, then, that we do not curb our wrath and self-love? Oh! let us henceforth try to be more patient in our trials, to despise ourselves, and to bear in peace the injuries men do us. Fourth Mystery - The Crowning with thorns: The sacred head of Jesus poured forth blood when it was crowned with thorns, all for our pride and evil thoughts. And shall we continue to nourish haughtiness and to foster foul imaginations, and the evil thoughts of our mind? Henceforth let there be ever before our eyes our utter nothingness, our misery and our weakness, and with generous hearts let us resist the evil suggestions of the devil. Fifth Mystery - Carrying the Cross to Calvary: Oh! what streams of blood of our loving Jesus, laden with the heavy wood of the Cross, on the mournful way to Calvary, poured forth from His veins! Then were the very streets and ways of Jerusalem, through which He passed, bathed with His precious blood. And all this was done in satisfaction for the scandals and bad examples by which His own creatures had led others astray on the way to ruin. Ah! who can tell whether we too are not of this unhappy number? Who knows how many our bad example has thrust down to hell? And have we done nothing to remedy this evil? Alas! let us henceforth endeavor to do all we can to save souls by word and example, making ourselves to all a pattern of a good and holy life. Sixth Mystery - The Crucifixion: More and yet more blood flowed from the Redeemer of mankind, in His most barbarous crucifixion; when His veins and arteries were rent and broken, and the saving balm of life eternal, which blotted out all the crimes and enormities of a whole world, flowed in torrents from out of His hands and feet. What man is he that still will choose to continue in his sin, renewing thus the cruel crucifixion of the Son of God? Bitterly, bitterly will we weep then for our bad deeds done, and at the feet of God's minister detest them; now will we mend our evil ways, and henceforth begin a truly Christian life, with the thought ever in our hearts of all the blood which our eternal salvation cost the Savior of men. Seventh Mystery - Christ's Sacred side is pierced with a lance: Last of all, Jesus shed His blood, when He was dead, when the lance opened His sacred side and cleft His loving heart; and with the blood gushed forth water, to show us how His blood was all poured out, even to the last drop, for our salvation. O infinite goodness of our Redeemer! who will not love Thee? What heart will not melt away for very love of Thee who has done all this for our redemption? Our tongues want words to praise Thee: wherefore, we invite all creatures upon earth, all the angels and all the saints in paradise, and most of all, our dearest Mother Mary, to bless, to praise and to hymn Thy Most Precious Blood. Yes, glory to the blood of Jesus, now and forever, throughout all ages! Amen. Concluding prayers: Most Precious Blood of life eternal, price and ransom of the world, whose saving streams nourish and cleanse our souls, every pleading man's cause before the throne of heavenly mercy, from the depths of my soul I adore Thee: fain would I, were I able, make Thee some compensation for the outrages and wrongs Thou dost suffer from men, Thy creatures, and most of all, from those who, in their rashness, cease not to blaspheme Thee. Who will not bless this blood of infinite value? who not burn for love of Jesus, who shed it all for us? What were I but for this blood which hath redeemed me? Love, assuredly love. O boundless love, which gave to us this saving balm beyond all price, welling from the fount of immeasurable love! Give to all hearts, to all tongues, power to praise, hymn, and thank Thee, now and forever, and throughout all eternity. Amen. V: Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, with Thy blood. R: And made us a kingdom to our God Let us pray: Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast appointed Thine only begotten Son the Saviour of the world and hast willed to be appeased with His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate this price of our salvation, and by its might so to be defended upon earth from the evils of this present life, that in heaven we may rejoice in its everlasting fruit. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen. (Source: The Raccolta (1910)) |