HOW COOL IS THIS, THIS PAST SUNDAY AT THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST, I WAS THE CELEBRANT FOR THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST AND THIS SUNDAY, TWO IN A ROW, JULY 1ST, I AM THE CELEBRANT FOR THE CATHEDRAL'S HIGH EF MASS FOR THE FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST! BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, LAFAYETTE SQUARE THAT IS!

 In the Extraordinary Form Roman Calendar, the Solemnity of the Most Precious Blood of Christ is always celebrated on the First Sunday of July thus making July the month of the Most Precious Blood of Christ.

Sadly, however, the feast was removed from the church calendar in 1969, the argument being that the cultus of the Precious Blood is included in the Mass and Divine Office of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Nevertheless, it is still laudable and salutary to continue to see the month of July as dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, just as Blessed Pope Pius IX intended it to be.

Fortunately and a bit unfortunately,  Pope Benedict ordered it returned in the latest edition of the OF Roman Calendar but merely as a votive Mass.

Sadly, due to no fault of my own, I have never preached a Sunday homily on the Most Precious Blood of Christ, until, that is, this coming Sunday. God is Good!

Thus, when there is no Memorial, Feast or Solemnity during the month of July, a priest could celebrate in the Ordinary Form the Votive Mass of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.

FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Double of the First Class – Red Vestments

   Missa ‘Redemisti nos’

TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS PROPERS

INTROITUS – Apocalypse 5: 9-10

Redemisti nos, Dómine, in sanguine tuo, ex omni tribu, et lingua, et pópulo, et natióne: et fecísti nos Deo nostro regnum. Ps. 88.2. Misericórdias Dómini in ætérnum cantábo: in generatiónem et generatiónem annuntiábo veritátem tuam in ore meo. Gloria Patri.

INTROIT

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. The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever: I will show forth Thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation. Glory be to the Father.

ORATIO

OmnÍpotens sempitérne Deus, qui unigénitum Fílium tuum mundi Redemptórem constituísti ac ejus Sanguine placári voluísti: concéde, quǽsumus, 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.

COLLECT 

Almighty and everlasting God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be 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.

EPISTOLA – Hebrews 9: 11-15

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 vítulæ aspérsus, inquinátos sanctíficat ad emundatiónem carnis; quanto magis Sanguis Christi, qui per Spiritum Sanctum semetípsum óbtulit immaculátum Deo, emundábit consciéntiam nostram ab opéribus mórtuis, ad serviéndum Deo vivénti? Et ídeo novi testaménti mediátor est: ut morte intercedénte, in redemptiónem eárum prævaricatiónum, quæ erant sub prióri testaménto, repromissiónem accípiant, qui vocáti sunt ætérnæ hereditátis, in Christo Jesu Dómino nostro.

EPISTLE

Brethren: Christ being come, a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation: neither by the blood of goats or of calves, but by His own Blood, entered once into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and of oxen and the ashes of a heifer, being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: how much more shall the Blood of Christ, who, by the Holy Ghost, offered Himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? And therefore He is the Mediator of the new testament: that by means of His death, for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GRADUALE – I John 5: 6-9

Hic est qui venit per aquam et sánguinem, Jesus Christus: non in aqua solum, sed in aqua et sánguine. V. 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 hi tres unum sunt.

GRADUAL

This is He that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. V. There are three who give testimony in heaven: 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 – I John 5: 9

Allelúia, allelúia. V. Si testimónium hóminum accípimus, testimónium Dei majus est. Allelúia.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. Alleluia.

EVANGELIUM – John 19: 30-35

In illo témpore: Cum accepísset Jesus acétum, dixit: Consummátum est. Et inclináto cápite trádidit spíritum. Judǽi ergo (quóniam Parascéve 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 perhíbuit: et verum est testimónium ejus.

GOSPEL

At that time, Jesus, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day (for that was a great sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs 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 after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs
But one of the soldiers with a  spear  opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony, and his testimony is true.

OFFERTORIUM – I Corinthians 10: 16

Calix benedictiónis, cui benedícimus, nonne communicátio Sánguinis Christi est? et panis, quem frángimus, nonne participátio Córporis Dómini est?

OFFERTORY

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?

SECRETA

Per hæc divína mystéria, ad novi, quǽsumus, testaménti mediatórem Jesum accedámus: et super altária tua, Dómine virtútum, aspersiónem sánguinis, mélius loquéntem quam Abel, innovémus. Per eúmdem Dóminum.

SECRET

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 our Lord.

PREFACE OF THE HOLY CROSS

Vere dignum et justum est, ǽquum 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 resúgeret: et qui in 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:
It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation that we should at 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 dominions worship it, and the powers stand in awe. The heavens and the heavenly hosts, and the blessed seraphim join together in celebrating their joy. With these we pray Thee join our voices also, while we say with lowly praise:

THE SANCTUS

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dóminus Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt cæli et terra glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus qui venit in nómine Dómini. Hosánna in excélsis.

COMMUNIO – Hebrews 9: 28

Christus semel oblátus est ad multórum exhauriénda peccáta: secúndo sine peccáto apparébit exspectántibus se in salútem.

COMMUNION

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.

POSTCOMMUNIO

Ad sacram, Dómine, mensam admíssi, háusimus aquas in gáudio de fóntibus Salvatóris: sanguis ejus fiat nobis, quǽsumus, fons aquæ in vi- tam ætérnam saliéntis: Qui tecum vivit et regnat.

POSTCOMMUNION

We, who have been admitted to the holy Table, O Lord, have drawn waters with joy from the fountains of the Saviour; may His Blood, we beseech Thee, be within us as a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.