July 2008

The Month of the Most Holy Precious Blood of Jesus

"I place my trust in You, O adorable Blood, our Redemption, our regeneration. 
 Fall, drop by drop, into the hearts that  have wandered from You and soften their hardness".
St. Albert the Great. 

 

 

 

 

This month of July is dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus.  Prior to 1962, this feast was celebrated July 1.  After the Second Vatican Council, this feast was merged with Corpus Christi, the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, and was celebrated as the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Ordinary Mass and occurs on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday.  Because Easter was very early this year, this feast was also very early, May 25.  

Today, in the Extraordinary Mass of 1962, the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, continues to be celebrated on July 1.

 

It is called Precious Blood because, according to Pope Clement the VI, "the value of the blood of Christ, on account of its union with the Logos, is so great that one little drop would have sufficed for the redemption of the whole human race" Unigenitus Dei Fillus.

            An object of adoration as part of the Sacred Humanity, it is hypostatically united with the Second Person of the Trinity.  Moreover, it is an integral part of Christ, who is really present in the Blessed Sacrament. (Modern Catholic Dictionary, John A. Hardon, S.J.)    

 

The traditional Christian Virtue for July is Simplicity.  Virtue is defined as a good habit that enables a person to act according to right reason enlightened by faith.  Simplicity as a character trait is the quality of not being affected; unassuming and unpretentious.  A simple person is honest, sincere and straight forward.

            Simplicity is single-mindedness.  As a supernatural virtue, it seeks only to do the will of God without regard to self-sacrifice or self-advantage.  In other words, these  natural qualities are to be focused on doing the will of God without thought of the sacrifice or benefit one could receive. 

 

St. Monica practiced this virtue and intercedes for us not to become distracted from prayer and sacrifices for our loved ones. Their only true and lasting happiness is to return to God. 

 

"I place my trust in You, O adorable Blood, our Redemption, our regeneration. 
 Fall, drop by drop, into the hearts that  have wandered from You and soften their hardness".
St. Albert the Great. 

 

 

The next St. Cyril & Methodius monthly Mass dedicated to their return is Sunday,

July 27 at 1:30 P.M.  Contact person: Gerald (586) 731-1065.

 

The next monthly Mass at Assumption Grotto Shrine, is First Saturday,

August 2 for the 4 p.m. Mass.  Contact person: Mary (313) 885-6910.