Why Is Our Apparel Red?
July is a good month to wonder why Handmaids wear wine red habits. Our Founder picked our color scheme deliberately…white veils for the Eucharist as a tribute to our lives of Adoration and wine red habits to honor the Precious Blood shed by Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. Seeking to imitate him, our very religious name “Of The Precious Blood” is a constant reminder (like our habits) that we are to pour out ourselves for Christ in His Priest.
CRIMSON ROBES
Why is Thy Apparel red my Bridegroom?
The bleeding grapes make answer on Thy way.
Oh, tread the wine press not alone, Beloved.
Behold I follow, Jesu, trahe me!*
Thy own most Precious Blood adorns Thee, Jesus.
This “garment” I desire – Oh, make it mine!
Immerse me in Thy overflowing Chalice
That I find raiment, too, in Love’s Pure Wine.
Thou art Thyself the one Eternal High Priest,
And yet thy boundless Goodness doth impart
To many souls a Sacerdotal calling,
To offer LOVE to LOVE with LOVE’S own Heart!
For such as these accept my life’s oblation—
I daily pray their number be increased,
And beg for each already consecrated,
The grace to live and die a Holy Priest.
* Latin for “Jesus, Draw Me”