A Solemn Feast

Solemnity of the Most Precious Blood
July 1

Feast instituted in 1848, Pius IX, First Class Feast, 1934, Pius XI, 19th centenary of the redemption; After the Second Vatican Council it was joined to the feast of Corpus Christi, changing that feast to the Solemnity of the Body and Blood. The Solemnity of the Most Precious Blood is still observed in Precious Blood Communities.

Introit
By your Blood, O Lord, you have redeemed us from every tribe and tongue, from every nation and people: you have made us into the kingdom of God. (Rev 5:9-10)

Opening Prayer

Father,
by the blood of your Son
you have set all men free and saved us from death.
Continue your work of love within us,
that by constantly celebrating the mystery of our salvation
we may reach the eternal life it promises.
We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, One God
For ever and ever.
Amen.

First Reading
Exodus 12:21 27 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them, "Select lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood which is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the LORD will pass through to slay the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to slay you. You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. And when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?' you shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8,11

R./ You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits--

The Lord who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

The LORD works vindication and justice
for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.

The LORD is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Second Reading
Hebrews 9:11 15 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.

Gospel
Mark 14:12 16, 22-26 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?" And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the householder, 'The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?' And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us." And the disciples set out and went to the city, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover. And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Prayer Over The Gifts
Lord,
by offering these gifts in this Eucharist
may we come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant,
find salvation in the sprinkling of his blood
and draw closer to the kingdom
where he is Lord for ever and ever.
Amen.

Preface
Father, all powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Him you sent into this world,
that, as paschal victim,
he might free all people from the power of evil,
and redeem the lost sheep
cleansed from all sin in his Precious Blood.
All who have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb
will follow him,
and share in eternal glory.

And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven
we proclaim your glory
and join in their unending hymn of praise:

Communion
The cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ; and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. (1 Cor 10:16)

Prayer After Communion
Lord you renew us with the food and drink of salvation.
May the Blood of our Savior
be for us a fountain of water
springing up to eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.