Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament

Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus

Jesus said, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day" (Jn 6:56).

The Pelican The Pelican is an ancient symbol for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Early Christians observed and concluded that, by pecking at her breast, the Mother Pelican was drawing blood from her heart to feed her young. The Mother Pelican's self-sacrifice reminds us of Jesus, Who feeds us, with His own Flesh and Blood.

"Bring the tender tale true of the Pelican; Bathe me, Jesu Lord, in what thy bosom ran Blood that but one drop of has the worth to win All the world forgiveness of its world of sin" (Excerpt from Adoro Te Devote, St. Thomas Aquinas).

"Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near through the blood of Christ. It is he who is our peace, and who made the two of us one by breaking down the barrier of hostility that kept us apart . . . reconciling both of us to God in one body through his cross" (Eph 2:13-16).

"May the Body and Blood of Christ be your daily spiritual food, so that you may advance further and further on the path of holiness. May it be for you, dear sick people, your support and comfort in suffering. And may it help you, dear newly-weds, to instill in your family the love to which Christ bore witness for our sake by giving himself to us in the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, General Audience, June 18, 2003).

"Sing my tongue, the Savior's glory, Of his flesh the mystery sing; Of the blood, all price excelling, Shed by our immortal King. Destined for the world's redemption From a noble womb to spring" (Excerpt from Pange Lingua, St. Thomas Aquinas).

"To contemplate the face of Christ, and to contemplate it with Mary, is the 'programme' which I have set before the Church at the dawn of the third millennium, summoning her to put out into the deep on the sea of history with the enthusiasm of the new evangelization. To contemplate Christ involves being able to recognize him wherever he manifests himself, in his many forms of presence, but above all in the living sacrament of his body and his blood. The Church draws her life from Christ in the Eucharist; by him she is fed and by him she is enlightened (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia).

Our Lady of Mount Carmel--Feast, July 16 Prayer: Flower of Carmel, Blossoming Vine, Splendor of Heaven, Mother Divine, None like to thee. Mother of Our King, Peerless and fair; To thy children of Carmel, Favors grant ever, Star of the Sea. Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!

St. Benedict, Priest, Founder of the Benedictines, Italy (c.480-547)--Feast, July 11 The Father of Western monasticism, St. Benedict, was devoted to the Eucharist. He wrote: "O gracious and Holy Father, give us wisdom to perceive You, diligence to seek You, patience to wait for You, eyes to behold You, a heart to meditate upon You, and a life to proclaim You; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

St. Mary Magdalene, Repentant Sinner and Disciple of Jesus--Feast, July 22 "When Jesus gives Himself to us in this Sacrament, we possess Him . . . as Magdalen did when she caressed and kissed his feet" (Fr. Lukas Etlin, The Holy Eucharist).

St. Bridget of Sweden, Wife, Mother and Religious (1303 -1373)--Feast, July 23 "Oh Jesus! Sweetness of hearts, delight of the spirit, by the bitterness of the vinegar and gall which Thou didst taste on the Cross for Love of us, grant us the grace to receive worthily Thy Precious Body and Blood during our life and at the hour of our death, that they may serve as a remedy and consolation for our souls. Amen" (St. Bridget of Sweden).

St. Charbel Makhluf, Priest and Hermit, Lebanon (1828-1898)--Feast, July 24 A Lebanese Maronite Order priest, St. Charbel spent many hours each day in prayer before the Holy Eucharist. He became a hermit in the order and spent the first part of his day preparing to offer Mass and the second half in thanksgiving for the gift of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Many miracles have been wrought through his intercession.

St. Martha, Friend of Jesus, Bethany--Feast, July 29 "It took me a long time as a convert to realize the presence of Christ as Man in the Sacrament. He is the same Jesus Who walked on earth, Who slept in the boat as the tempest arose, Who hungered in the desert, Who prayed in the garden, Who conversed with the woman by the well, Who rested at the house of Martha and Mary, Who wandered through the cornfields, picking the ears of corn to eat. Jesus is there as Man. He is there, Flesh and Blood, Soul and Divinity. He is our leader Who is always with us. Do you wonder that Catholics are exultant in this knowledge, that their Leader is with them? 'I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world'" (Dorothy Day).

St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor of Church, Italy (c. 380-450)--Feast, July 30 "Christ works the first of his signs from heaven by turning water into wine. But water [mixed with wine] has still to be changed into the sacrament of his blood, so that Christ may offer spiritual drink from the chalice of his body, to fulfill the psalmist's prophecy: How excellent is my chalice, warming my spirit" (St. Peter Chrysologus).

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest, Founder of Jesuits, Spain (1491-1556)--Feast, July 31 "Jesus in the Tabernacle protects me against all my enemies: against the evil spirits, the world, my own wicked passions and evil inclinations. He is my support in weakness, my comfort in suffering, my weapon in combat, my refreshment in heat, food for my hungry soul, my stimulus when I am exhausted--He is my Heaven on earth" (St. Ignatius).

In unison, help us call down the protection of the Precious Blood of Jesus on our world, by adoring Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Help us with prayers and donations, we need money to translate and print more of our materials in Spanish and other languages.

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