July “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ”
On this day, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. This Feast which had been celebrated in some Diocese since the 15th Century, on the Monday after Trinity Sunday, was extended by Pope Pius IX. over the whole Christian world and its celebration prescribed for the 1st Sunday of July. On the tenth day of August 1849, he instituted the Feast of the Precious Blood.
That most Sacred blood is the price of our Redemption and is poured out daily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, whence it flows into the channels of the seven Sacraments, as an atonement for our sins and for our sanctification. For, as in Egypt, God was propitiated by the blood of the paschal lamb, the Type and Figure of the true Lamb of God, so He is propitiated by the Blood of His Son, the true Paschal Lamb which speaketh better than Abel’s. Herein is the strongest evidence of the Infinite Love of Jesus Christ, Who not only once but seven times, shed His Precious Blood amidst the most cruel sufferings, for our salvation. Let this seven-fold shedding of the Precious Blood be the subject of our present meditation. Amen – Cardinal Johann Evalgelist Zollner (1825-1900) Archbishop of Salzburg from 1890 until his death on 5 May 1900
Thought for the Day – 1 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
HUMILITY Meditations for a Month
The Beauty of Humility
Humility is not only sweet and pleasant to others; it is beautiful in itself. Humility is the primary means to attain a likeness to God, since His image in us, cannot be perfect, as long as there is any vestige of pride present in our hearts. When humility has driven out the opposing vice, we then become indeed, like to God. We share the Divine beauty and are the object of the admiration of the holy Angels and even of God Himself, Who then speaks to the soul in the words of the Divine Lover in the Canticles, “Thou art all fair, my beloved and there is no spot in thee.”
Humility is also beautiful because, it is the root whence all other virtues spring. We may say of it that it has, in itself, the combined beauty of all. If we find a man humble, we know that he must, needs be patient, Charitable, unselfish, generous, obedient and, we cannot help admiring and loving him. Might not my deficiency in these virtues be due to my lack of humility? O my God, plant this most indispensable and most attractive virtue firmly in my heart!
Nothing will so quickly render us conformed to the Divine Beauty of the Son of God, as humility. “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” If we desire to draw men to ourselves and to attract them, to be efficient in moving their hearts and influencing them for good, we must first learn this lesson of humility from Him, Whose Soul was beautiful beyond that of all the sons of men because none had humility like His.
Quote/s of the Day – 1 July– “The Feast and Month of the Most Precious Blood”
“Carry me, O Christ, on Thy Cross which is salvation to the wanderer, rest for the wearied and, in which alone, is Life for those who die.”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
Excerpt from the Prayer to the Five Wounds of Jesus By St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
I pray Thee, O most gentle Jesus, that having redeemed me by Baptism from original sin, so now, by Thy Precious Blood, which is offered and received, throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. And by Thy most bitter Death, give me a lively faith, a firm hope and perfect charity, so that I may love Thee with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in Thy service, so that I may be able to please Thee always. Amen.
“Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judeaorum – Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” John 19:19
“HE DIED, THEN But although He died for us and was lifted up on the Cross, those who refuse to look upon Him, will surely die, for there is no other redemption but in this Cross.
O God, how spiritually beneficial and profitable is a consideration of Thy Cross and Passion! Can we contemplate our Saviour’s humility on the Cross, without becoming humble and, having some affection for humiliations? Can we see His obedience, without being obedient? Certainly not! No-one has ever looked upon Our Lord Crucified and remained dead or sick. On the other hand, all who have died, have done so because. they were unwilling to gaze upon Him, just as the Israelites died. who were unwilling to gaze upon the serpent which Moses had raised upon the pole.”
One Minute Reflection – 1 July – “The Feast and Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Hebrews 9:11-15,; John 19:30-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But one of the soldiers opened His side with a lance and immediately there came forth, Blood and water.” – John 19:34
REFLECTION – “Today the Cross is advancing, creation exults. The Cross, path for those who have gone astray, hope of Christians, the Apostles’ preaching, security of the universe, foundation of the Church, fountain for those who are thirsty… In great gentleness, Jesus is led to the Passion – He is brought to Pilate’s judgement seat; at the sixth hour, people mock Him; until the ninth hour, He bears the pain of the nails, then His Death ends His Passion. At the twelfth hour, He is taken down from the Cross. You could say, He is a sleeping lion …
While He is judged, Wisdom remains silent and the Word says nothing. His enemies despise and Crucify Him … Those, to whom yesterday, He gave His Body as food, watch from a distance as He dies. Peter, the first of the Apostles, is the first to flee. Andrew also took flight and John, who rested at His side, did not prevent the soldier from piercing that side with a lance. The Twelve fled – they did not say one word in His favour, they, for whom He is giving His Life. Lazarus is not there, he, whom He called back to life. The blind man did not weep for Him Who opened his eyes to the light and the crippled man, who could walk thanks to Him, did not run to Him.
Only a bandit who was crucified next to Him confessed Him and called Him his King! O thief, precocious blossom from the tree of the Cross, first fruit of the wood from Golgotha! … The Lord reigns, creation rejoices. The Cross triumphs and all nations, tribes, languages and peoples (Apoc 7:9) come to adore Him … The Cross gives Light to the whole universe, it chases away the darkness and gathers the nations … into one single Church, one single Faith, one single Baptism in charity. It stands at the centre of the world and is made firm on Calvary.” – St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily attributed to St Ephrem from the Lectionary).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who made Thine Only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world and, willed to be reconciled by His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to worship in this Sacred rite the price of our salvation and to be so protected, by its power against the evils of the present life on earth, that we may enjoy its everlasting fruit in Heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Aspiration:Precious Blood, ocean of Divine Mercy, Flow upon us.
Saint of the Day – 1 July – St Domitian (c347-440) Abbot, who had been the first Hermit of the surrounding region in France, Founder of a Monastery which became the foundation of the spiritual, cultural and social teachings of its region and day. Born in c347 in Rome and died in 440 at the Saint Rambert de Joux Abbey in the Diocese of Lyons in France of natural causes. Also known as – Domitian of Bebron, Domitian of Lerins, Domiziano… Additional Memorial – 1 September in the Diocese of Belley
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In the Diocese of Lyons, the decease of St Domitian, Abbot, who was the first to lead there, an eremitical life. After having assembled, in that place, many servants of God and gained great renown for virtues and miracles, he was gathered to his fathers at an advanced age.”
Information about the life of Saint Domitian comes mainly from an anonymous ‘Vita’ written many centuries after Domitian’s had died. According to this source, Domitian lived in the 5th Century, initially dedicating himself to the life of a Hermit in Gallia Lugdunensis, a region which today includes part of south-eastern France. His vocation as a Hermit led him to settle in the area of Bebron, in the Alps, where he led a life of prayer and asceticism.
However, Domitian’s fame for sanctity soon attracted disciples eager to follow his example. A community gathered around him, giving life to a monastery which became a centre of spiritual reference for the region. Domitian became the Abbot of this community, leading his brothers with wisdom and compassion.
The Monastery founded by him in Bebron played a significant role in the spread of monasticism in the region. Known as the Monastery of Bebron or theAbbey of Saint-Rambert-de-Joux, it became a place of intense spiritual and cultural activity. The Monks, under the guidance of Domitian, devoted themselves to prayer, study and manual labour, contributing to the economic and social development of the area.
The fame of the sanctity of Saint Domitian spread rapidly beyond the confines of his Monastery. His death, which occurred at an advanced age, was marked by deep mourning on the part of his community and the faithful of the region. His body was buried inside the Monastery C hurch, becoming an object of veneration for pilgrims, who came from all over to ask for his intercession. The cult of Saint Domitian consolidated, over the centuries, as attested by several mentions in calendars and martyrologies. The Roman Martyrology commemorates him on 1 July, while the Diocese of Belley celebrates him on 1 September. His memory is particularly alive in the Bugey region, where the Monasterywhich he had founded prospered for centuries, taking the name of Abbey of Saint-Rambert-en-Bugey, see below.
St Aaron of Caerleon St Aaron the Patriarch St Arnulf of Mainz St Calais of Anisole St Carilephus St Castus of Sinuessa St Cewydd St Concordius of Toledo St Cuimmein of Nendrum St Domitian (c347-440) Abbot Bl Elisabeth de Vans St Eparchius of Perigord St Eutychius of Umbria St Esther the Queen
St Gall of Clermont St Golvinus of Leon St Gwenyth of Cornwall Bl Huailu Zhang St Julius of Caerleon St Justino Orona Madrigal St Juthware St Leonorious of Brittany St Leontius of Autun St Martin of Vienne St Nicasius of Jerusalem
St Secundinus of Sinuessa St Servan of Culross St Theobald of Vicenza St Theodoric of Mont d’Or St Veep
Martyrs of Rome – 6 Saints: Six Christians who were Martyred together. No details have survived except their names – Esicius, Antonius, Processus, Marina, Serenus and Victor. They were martyred in Rome, Italy, date unknown.
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