Chaplet of the Precious Blood

Chaplet of the Precious Blood

with meditations by
Father Gerald Fitzgerald, s.P.

(as prayed with the Handmaids of the Precious Blood on June 6th, 1947 shortly after their foundation.)

Opening Prayer:

The Precious Blood is a treasure of the Sacred Heart. It is a deep mystery concerning the redemption of man. It was the Will of God that the shedding of the Blood of Christ should flow to save mankind. Oh Lord, wrap us in the Mantle of Your Precious Blood; do not only remove our sin, but keep us free from sin, and Yours forever.

First Blood Shedding: The Circumcision

Our Blessed Mother was the first to witness the Blood shedding. The first sign of redemption was with blood. The first mystery was in the Circumcision, signing, as it were, in His Own Infant Blood, the initial act to save mankind. Let us consecrate ourselves to the Sacred Heart for the salvation of the world, and recite these five Our Fathers for the pain that came through a Little Child. Resolve to be always generous in love, always all things for God! Oh, Eternal Father, we offer You the Blood of Jesus Christ in His Infancy for the salvation of mankind and especially for the souls of priests.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

 

 

Second Blood Shedding: Gethsemane

Just as Jesus began His life on earth by shedding His Precious Blood in the Circumcision, so He began the Passion by shedding His Blood, two-fold, as it were, at the Last Supper and in the Agony in the Garden: At the Last Supper He changed the wine into His Blood. Then, in the quietude of Gethsemane, as in a pool of prayer, that pool was disturbed by torrential rain. There were the tears of the world; tears of converted souls who felt the terrible weight, the stones of ingratitude. This pool held the prostrated figure of Christ. He suffered the weight and the stones of ingratitude and it crushed Him down. As He was crushed there, as the crushed grapes, He was crushed to strengthen, delight, and refresh humanity, and from Him the wine of Redemption flowed.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

Third Blood Shedding: Scourging at the Pillar

The scourging, with torn flesh, deep wounds and cuts, with the Precious Blood flowing, is the beginning of the River of Salvation. It is the Dew, as from the mountain brook, for the end of time. So until the end of time the Dew of this River of Salvation will mantle the Mystical Body with the Precious Blood. The Mystical Body will be garmented in red only as a symbol of that Blood shedding of Christ. The Shedding is a reality that spoke of the symbolism.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

Fourth Blood Shedding: Crowning with Thorns

Our Blessed Lord willed to suffer in every part of His Humanity because every part of our humanity would offend God. Jesus desired to reach inwardly to the mind and intellect. His desire was expressed by cruel thorns. The Sacred Brow, the Sacred Forehead, suffered to express the mental anguish of our Lord. The return of love He has received from souls especially consecrated to Him is nothing but coldness and indifference. Oh, beloved Jesus, if we be thorns, please dear Heart, by the power of Your Love, by the generosity of Your Sacred Heart, soften those thorns. Let them blossom into roses. Change the thorn we are into a rose that will express only the fragrance of Your Sweet love.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

Fifth Blood Shedding: The Way to Calvary

O Lord Jesus, we offer the Blood of Jesus that was shed on the Way to Calvary. It was a mystical way, as Christ left His Footsteps outlined in red. Are we not to be followers of CHrist, to follow in His Footsteps lined with His Precious Blood? The Handmaids must follow as Mary followed on the way to Calvary. To follow lovingly after Christ, to warm, refresh and bring back to Our Savior, the souls of sinners.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

Sixth Blood Shedding: The Crucifixion

Eternal Father, we offer the shedding of the Precious Blood in this sixth mystery for the conversion of sinners. Jesus was nailed to the Cross. No one can know how much pain was caused by the nailing. Oh Jesus, we cannot undo the past or take back the blows we have dealth by indifference and ingratitude, but as an eraser can undo mistakes, so out of Your Heart take the Precious Blood to eradicate the sad, imperfect record of our past. You can make all things new by Your Blood. We will aspire to personal sanctity. All is folly except to love You above all earthly creation and affection. Our hearts will go out to Your Sacred Heart. By the Precious Blood give us the grace to ever love You more and more.

5 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.

Seventh Blood Shedding: The Piercing

Eternal Father, we offer this seventh mystery for priestly souls. Longinus’ spear struck a haven of Mercy as it pierced the side of Christ. Mystics have seen the holy women gathering up the Precious Blood during the Passion so It would not be lost. The Blessed Mother consoled her Divine Son at the end of His life. As the first Handmaid, she closed the red-lipped wounds by bathing and bandages. It is a privilege to assist Mary, to follow her. Oh Jesus, let us help to keep the chalice of priestly souls worthy of Your Divine Love. May her Immaculate Heart fashion the hearts of the Handmaids of the Precious Blood, even as she mothered the Heart of Jesus, for the glory of God in the Precious Blood.

3 Our Fathers 1 Glory Be

We therefore pray You, help Your servants whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood.