A LITANY IN HONOR OF
THE PRECIOUS BLOOD

In a private church approved revelation given to Sister Josefa Menendez, a Spanish nun in 1923 concerning the Blood He sweat in what is known as the Agony in the Garden at Gethsemane, Jesus lamented “Oh sinners who thus torture me..will this Blood bring salvation and life, or will it be shed in vain for you? How can I express My sorrow at the thought of this sweat, this anguish, this agony…the Blood..useless for so many souls!”

This certainly relates to the litany printed below, "In Honor of our Lord’s Precious Blood", which was approved for public use by Pope John XXIII in 1960.

It is worth noting that the Catholic liturgical calendar provides some wonderful ways during the year that we can meditate on various aspects of the life of our Lord, His Blessed Mother and the church itself through her Saints, martyrs and devotions.

July is traditionally the month dedicated to devotion to our Lord's Precious Blood. Blood is a necessity for life, and as such, the blood of bulls, goats, and lambs was considered a key sacrifice for sins in Old Testament rituals.

As we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church “The Old Testament always considered blood a sacred sign of life. This teaching remains necessary for all time” (CCC 2260).

But in the New Covenant, as covered in the New Testament, our Lord made himself the Lamb of God, that the blood that he shed in His Passion might “take away the sins of the world” as we pray at Mass.

We see references in this litany below, among other things, to our Lord's Passion in its various forms. It's worth noting here that in the first of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, noted earlier, Jesus was overwhelmed with visions of all of humanity’s sinfulness according to Blessed Anne Emmerich in a church approved private revelation. Our Lord literally sweat blood as a result no doubt, as Saint Luke notes in his Gospel (22:44).

And in the Second Sorrowful Mystery, the Scourging at the Pillar, we can meditate on our Lord's Precious Blood flowing out of him from the many lacerating lashes that He received then. In another Church approved private revelation Jesus told Sister Menendez about His great suffering in His Passion.

Describing His Scourging he said, using the present tense, that His “blood flows from every limb, and I am reduced to such a state of pitiful disfigurement as no longer to resemble a human being.” We get an idea of just how severe His wounds were from Mel Gibson’s famous movie The Passion of the Christ.

May this litany inspire you to follow our Lord as you partake of the graces he wishes to give you in the sacraments of the Eucharist and Penance, that His Precious Blood was not shed in vain for you!

And may you extend this intention to as many souls as possible, your loved ones, your friends, even your enemies, whomever you see fit, with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in your prayers!

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Blood of Jesus, the Son of the Eternal Father,
Cleanse us, O Precious Blood! (after each line)
Blood of Jesus, formed by the Holy Ghost in the heart of the Virgin Mother,
Blood of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,
Blood of Jesus, of infinite majesty,
Blood of Jesus, of infinite worth,
Blood of Jesus, shed in the circumcision,
Blood of Jesus, shed in the agony on Mount Olivet,
Blood of Jesus, shed in the scourging,
Blood of Jesus, shed in the crowning of thorns,
Blood of Jesus, shed on the Way of the Cross,
Blood of Jesus, shed at the crucifixion,
Blood of Jesus, shed at the opening of the Sacred Side,
Blood of Jesus, shed in love for mankind,
Blood of Jesus, shed in obedience to the Father,
Blood of Jesus, Sacrifice to Divine Justice,
Blood of Jesus, memorial of the bitter Passion
Blood of Jesus, seal of the New and Eternal Testament
Blood of Jesus, which formed the Church, our Mother,
Blood of Jesus, which ransomed us from the slavery of Satan,
Blood of Jesus, which reopened Heaven for us,
Blood of Jesus, which cries more loudly than the blood of Abel,
Blood of Jesus, which pacifies the wrath of the Father,
Blood of Jesus, which mitigates or averts punishments,
Blood of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,
Blood of Jesus, cleansing bath for the wounds of the soul,
Blood of Jesus, balsam for the wounds of the soul,
Blood of Jesus, source of peace and reconciliation,
Blood of Jesus, flowing in the Eucharistic Heart,
Blood of Jesus, imploring grace for us,
Blood of Jesus, flowing mystically in the Holy Sacrifice,
Blood of Jesus, inebriating drink of the children of God,
Blood of Jesus, healing drink of the sick and weak,
Blood of Jesus, refreshing drink of the banished Children of Eve,
Blood of Jesus, love-potion of God-loving souls,
Blood of Jesus, celestial wine of virgins,
Blood of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Blood of Jesus, source of love and mercy,
Blood of Jesus, source of life and holiness,
Blood of Jesus, medicine of immortality,
Blood of Jesus, reviled and despised,
Blood of Jesus, worthy of all praise,
Blood of Jesus, comfort of the patriarchs,
Blood of Jesus, desire of the prophets,
Blood of Jesus, power and strength of the Apostles and martyrs,
Blood of Jesus, sanctification of virgins and confessors,
Blood of Jesus, terror of evil spirits,
Blood of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in Thee,
Blood of Jesus, consolation and refreshment of the Poor Souls,
Blood of Jesus, key of Heaven,
Blood of Jesus, pledge of eternal blessedness,
Blood of Jesus, delight of all the Saints,
Blood of Jesus, the Lamb without spot or blemish,
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Lord!

V. Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood,
R. And hast made us a kingdom to our God

Let Us Pray
Almighty and Eternal God, Who hast given Thine only-begotten Son as a Saviour to the world and Who didst will to be reconciled by His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, the grace so to honor the Price of our Salvation, and through its power to be protected against all the evils of the present life, that we may enjoy the fruit thereof in Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

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