The Madonna of the Precious Blood

It was fitting on this last Saturday of July to remember the Madonna of the Most Precious Blood. The First Lesson at Mass (Exodus 24:3-8) also suggested a Votive Mass in her honour. For more on the Mother of God of the Most Precious Blood visit Father Keyes at the Refugio San Gaspare.

Collect
Almighty and ever-living God
by whose will the Most Precious Blood of Your only-begotten Son
was formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
and poured out for the salvation of the world on the altar of the Cross;
mercifully grant, through her intercession,
that we who partake of the Chalice of the New and Eternal Covenant,
may so adore the Mystery of Faith
as to experience within ourselves the fruit of that Redeeming Blood.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.

Preface
Truly it is right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
Christ, upon coming into the world,
offered to You the Body you had prepared for Him
together with the Precious Blood formed by the Holy Spirit
in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This is the Blood in which Mary, the Daughter of Zion,
recognized the fulfillment of the ancient forms and shadows
and the end of every other sacrifice and offering.
This is the Blood shed by her Son when,
after eight days, He was circumcised and called Jesus,
the name given him by the Angel
before she bore Him in purest love.
This is the Blood she saw streaming from His wounds
when, with deepest sorrow, she followed Him in His Passion
even to the place of His sacrifice.
This is the Blood that flowed with water from His piercèd side,
the Blood that she offered to you, standing at the foot of the Cross
united to the redeeming work of her Son, both Priest and Victim.
This is the Blood by which,
in virtue of a wonderful disposition of your providence,
Mary was preserved from every stain of Adam’s sin
so as to be a Mother full of grace
and worthy of the Lamb without blemish.
This is the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant,
the Blood in which the martyrs above have washed their robes,
the Blood by which the Church on earth is, day by day, renewed in joy.
This is the Blood
by which we have confidence to come into your presence
where together with the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints,
we join our voices to the jubilation of the angels of heaven
to sing the ceaseless hymn of praise: