Feast of Saint John Gualbert, Abbot
John Gualbert was the son of noble family at Florence. In accordance with the wishes of his father, he became a soldier. While he was in that profession, his only brother, Hugh, was slain by a cousin. On a certain Good Friday, John, armed and accompanied by soldiers, met the murderer, alone and defenceless, in a narrow way, where neither could turn aside. As he was at the point to kill him, the wretch fell on his knees, and stretched out his arms in the form of the Cross, adjuring him, for the sake of that sign, to forgive him; and out of reverence for the Cross he had mercy on him and spared his life. After pardoning his enemy, he went into the Church of St. Minias, which was hard by, to pray. And there he saw the image of Jesus crucified, which had that day received the worship of the faithful, bow its head to him. By this miracle John was so moved, that he laid aside soldiering, even against his father’s wishes; cut off his hair with his own hands, at the Convent of St. Minias, and clad himself in the garb of a monk. In a short while he so shone with all godly and monkish graces, that he became a pattern of excellency to many. When the Abbot of that house died, the monks all chose John to succeed him. But the servant of God desired to obey, more than to command, and, being kept by God for greater things, he betook himself to one Romuald, a dweller in the hermitage of Camaldoli. Through Romuald he received a revelation from heaven, and forthwith founded an Order of his own under the Rule of St. Benedict, in the valley called Vallombrosa.
Many gathered themselves to him, drawn by the fame of his holy life. Them he took for his comrades, and labored earnestly among them to cleanse the Church in those parts from the pollution of heresy and simony, and spread abroad the Apostolic Faith. He and his had to fight with almost countless hardships. Certain enemies broke by night into the monastery of San Salvi, to destroy John and his monks, set the church on fire, pulled down the huts, and mortally wounded all the monks; but the man of God perfectly healed them all by the sign of the Cross. One of his monks named Peter also passed unhurt through a vast and raging fire. At length John and his disciples got the peace which they longed for. He purged Tuscany of the pollution of simony, and restored the faith throughout all Italy to its first purity.
He entirely built several monasteries, and furnished them and others with buildings. He restored in them the strict observance of the Rule, and gave them holy laws. He sold the furniture of the Church to feed the poor, and found the very elements subject to him to bend stubborn hearts withal. He used the Cross like a sword to drive out devils. In his old age, worn out by abstinence, watching, fasts, prayers, and punishing of the flesh, his strength utterly gave way, and he often repeated the words of David: My soul thirsteth for God, for the mighty God, for the living God―when shall I come and appear before God? When he was at the point of death, he gathered his disciples together and exhorted them to love one another, and, after a little while, ordered the following words to be written down, which he wished should be buried with him: I, John, do believe and confess that Faith which the Holy Apostles preached, and which the Holy Fathers have ratified in the four Councils. At length, at Passignano, where he is held in the highest reverence, after a vision of angels which lasted three days, he passed away to be with the Lord, upon the 12th day of July, in the 78th year of his own age, and in that of salvation 1073. He is illustrious for countless miracles, and Celestine III enrolled his name among those of the Saints.
EPISTLE: Ecclesiasticus 45: 1-6
He was beloved of God and men, whose memory is in benediction; He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies; and with his words he made prodigies to cease; He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and showed him his glory; He sanctified him in his faith and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh; for He heard him and his voice, and brought him into a cloud; and He gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction.
GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 43-48
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: that you may be the children of your Father Who is in Heaven, Who maketh His sun to rise upon the good and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have; do not even the publicans this? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? Be you therefore perfect, as also your Heavenly Father is perfect.”
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
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 Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, Save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, Save us.Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament,Save us.Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, Save us.Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging,Save us.Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, Save us.Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, Save us.Blood of Christ, Price of our salvation, Save us.Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, Save us.Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, Save us.Blood of Christ, river of mercy, Save us.Blood of Christ, Victor over demons, Save us.Blood of Christ, Courage of martyrs, Save us.Blood of Christ, Strength of confessors, Save us.Blood of Christ, bringing forth virgins, Save us.Blood of Christ, Help of those in peril, Save us.Blood of Christ, Relief of the burdened, Save us.Blood of Christ, Solace in sorrow, Save us.Blood of Christ, Hope of the penitent, Save us.Blood of Christ, Consolation of the dying, Save us.Blood of Christ, Peace and Tenderness of hearts,Save us.Blood of Christ, Pledge of Eternal Life, Save us.Blood of Christ, freeing souls from Purgatory, Save us.Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, Save 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 Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, Save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, Save us.Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament,Save us.Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, Save us.Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging,Save us.Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, Save us.Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, Save us.Blood of Christ, Price of our salvation, Save us.Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, Save us.Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, Save us.Blood of Christ, river of mercy, Save us.Blood of Christ, Victor over demons, Save us.Blood of Christ, Courage of martyrs, Save us.Blood of Christ, Strength of confessors, Save us.Blood of Christ, bringing forth virgins, Save us.Blood of Christ, Help of those in peril, Save us.Blood of Christ, Relief of the burdened, Save us.Blood of Christ, Solace in sorrow, Save us.Blood of Christ, Hope of the penitent, Save us.Blood of Christ, Consolation of the dying, Save us.Blood of Christ, Peace and Tenderness of hearts,Save us.Blood of Christ, Pledge of Eternal Life, Save us.Blood of Christ, freeing souls from Purgatory, Save us.Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, Save us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, OLord.
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.
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.
Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood,
And made of us a kingdom for our God.
And made of us a kingdom for our God.
Let Us Pray: Almighty and Eternal God, Thou hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant, we beseech Thee, that we may worthily adore this Price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of this present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in Heaven. Through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen
Hail, saving Victim, offered on the gibbet of the cross for me and for the whole human race. Hail, precious blood, flowing from the wounds of our crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world. Remember, O Lord, Thy creature that Thou hast redeemed by Thy precious blood.
Indulgence of 60 days, once a day, at the elevation during Mass.Leo XIII, June 30, 1893
O SACRAMENT most holy! O Sacrament divine! All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment Thine!Indulgence of 100 days, once during each Mass, when said at the elevation of both species. Pius VII, Dec. 7, 1819
Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, shed, in order to obtain mercy for all men, behold us prostrate before Thee; flow upon us abundantly. Behold our heads, our hands, our wills, our understandings, our memories, our thoughts, our affections, our work, our senses, interior and exterior; wash all because all is soiled; purify all because all is corrupt; cure all because all is diseased. Change us by Thy adorable virtue that we may unite ourselves to Thee, O infinite Purity! Purify us, adorn us, save us, and crown us.Amen.
O Precious Blood of Jesus, wash and purify all sinners!
O Precious Blood of Jesus, may Thy powerful voice drive away from us and from our dwellings the scourges merited by our sins!
O Precious Blood of Jesus, through Thee, may the Glory of God be repaired!
O Eternal Father, I most ardently beg, through the Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, the cessation of the evils which afflict the Church, the destruction of heresies, and the rapid propagation of the faith in infidel countries. Amen.
O Precious Blood of Jesus, may Thy powerful voice drive away from us and from our dwellings the scourges merited by our sins!
O Precious Blood of Jesus, through Thee, may the Glory of God be repaired!
O Eternal Father, I most ardently beg, through the Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, the cessation of the evils which afflict the Church, the destruction of heresies, and the rapid propagation of the faith in infidel countries. Amen.
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