DEVOTION TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD IN THE WRITINGS OF SAN GASPARE

(...) Although he had in mind to write a real treatise on worship and devotion to the Precious Blood, taken from his ardent and vast apostolic activity and cut short by death, he did not have the possibility.

The collection of his writings forms a complex of about 25 large volumes and other material has certainly been lost.

Contegiacomo says: «The bulk of the writings are formed by the Epistolario: on our subject it is a precious mine. Not that the letters ever deal purposely and expressly with the High Blood, but from each one transpires a ray of light, each one gives us, without pose and artifice, drops of Blood, represented by exclamations that startle, by sentences, by maxims , where theological thought is very dense, with short prayers that reveal the Saint's inflamed soul ».

From these writings we have removed the passages that we publish, because we are certain that they are a matter of deep meditation and therefore of great spiritual utility. We have brought them back with fidelity, using a fine work by P. Rey. For an easier understanding for all we believed it better to translate the Latin sentences.

For those who want a more complete idea of ​​the spirituality of the Saint, based on the Blood of Christ, we recommend reading the following books: Rey: THE BLOOD OF CHRIST IN THE WRITINGS OF THE ROMAN GASPARE DEL BUFALO. L. Contegiacomo S. GASPARE DEL BUFALO: LIFE, TIMES, CHARISM.

I would like to have a thousand languages ​​to soften every heart towards the Precious Blood of Jesus. This is a fundamental devotion that embraces all the others: it is the basis, the support, the essence of Catholic piety. Devotion to the Precious Blood, here is the weapon of our times! (Writings).

Oh! how much I am interested in this devotion. I must confess it, what I have in my limitation (of strength, money, ability) I use everything for such a great good. This is the price of redemption, this is the reason for my trust in order to save me; I want to consecrate my life to this devotion and to apply the Divine Blood I am a priest. (Let. 5, f. 71).

Throughout the Orbe the Divine Blood has to clean up the earth. This is what the spirit of our devotion consists of. (Cr. P. 358).

There is no doubt that the devotion of the Divine Blood is the mystical weapon of the times: ipsi vicerunt draconem propter Sanguinem Agni! And oh! how much more we must propagate its glories. (Let. 8).

The Lord at all times has raised up devotions designed to embed the torrent of iniquities. But if in other times we see the Church ... fought either against one dogma or against another, in our times, however, the war is on Religion in its totality, it is on the Crucified Lord. It is therefore necessary to reproduce the glories of the Cross and the Crucifix ... now it is necessary to give back to the peoples at what price souls are bought back. It is better to make known the ways in which the Blood of Jesus cleanses souls ... it should be remembered that this Blood is offered every morning on the altar. (Regulation, page 80).

Here awaits our devotion, our title! This Divine Blood is offered continuously in the Mass, this applies in the Sacraments; this is the price of health; it is, lastly (finally), the attestation of the love of God made Man. (Cr. P. 186).

If the other Institutes take charge of propagating who one or the other devotion, this of the Missions must be understood as the propagation of that devotion that all the other encloses, of the price, that is, of our Redemption. (L. f. 226).

This Title (of the Most Precious Blood to be given to the Institute) derives from what we have in the Holy Scriptures: You redeemed us, O Lord, with your Blood and made us Kingdom for our God and priests. We ecclesiastics are therefore endowed with the priestly character to apply the Divine Blood to souls. This is offered in the Divine Sacrifice and this is applied in the Sacraments, this is the price of redemption, this is what we can present to the Divine Father for the reconciliation of sinners ... In this devotion we have the treasures of Wisdom and Holiness, in this our comfort, peace, health. (General rule of the Opera page 6).

This devotion is of essence in Christianity, venerated by the Church, quam acquisivit Sanguine sua ... God prescribed the Jews to dye their doors in Egypt with blood, to be free from the avenging sword, as it alludes to that means of eternal health, that would free our souls from the bondage of hell. To this must be added what the Apostle warns, that if the Blood of goats and calves sanctifies the unclean, how much more will the Blood of Christ cleanse our souls? Just conclude with St. Bernard: The Blood of Christ cries like a trumpet and with St. Thomas: The Blood of Christ is the key to Paradise. But to put it in a nutshell, is it not convenient what St. Paul warns: by pacifying with the Blood of his Cross both what is on earth and what is in Heaven?

Sinners abuse it horribly and the Lord is saying in the transport of his love: what use in my Blood? Therefore there may be those who procure the worship of remuneration with sacred solemn worship and at the same time preach its glories to the peoples, pointing out that the faith itself is summed up in this devotion. In fact, the prophetic oracles, the Vatican, the sacrifices of the ancient covenant center in it: He will wash his stole in wine and his pallium in the blood of grapes ... What did Moses do? Taking the book, he sprinkled it with blood saying ... this is the blood of the will that God sent you ... Everything will be washed away in blood ... and without the outpouring of blood there will be no forgiveness. (Regulation page 80 / r).

Sometimes I see in my mind a multitude of evangelical workers who go gradually throughout the earth with the holy cup of Redemption, offering the Divine Blood to the Divine Father ... and together applying it to souls ... and while many abuse the price of Redemption there is a crowd of souls who try to compensate for the wrongs that Jesus receives. (Cr. p. 364).

The other devotions are all means of facilitating Catholic piety, but this is the basis, the support, the essence. The other devotions, produced at various times, present an age of principle, always holy, always commendable; this is so ancient that it comes back from the moment that Adam sinned and therefore was called Jesus: Lamb passed out since the creation of the world! (Regulation page 80).

The Divine Blood is the offering to be presented to the Eternal Parent, being written: Pacificans per sanguinem crucis eius sive quae in coelis, sive quae in terris sunt. This devotion I will say thus, opens the doors of divine Mercy and points to the only means established for conciliation: Justified in his Blood we will be saved from anger for it. (Cr. P. 409).

With apostolic works we seek to give a cult of compensation to the Mysteries of our redemption, of which sinners are so abused, the great idea of ​​the invaluable price of our eternal health is awakened in souls. You have redeemed us with your Blood ... You have indeed been bought ...; the traviati are animated to hope the forgiveness of the fouls committed, while: Christ loved us and washed us in his Blood. St. Catherine of Siena, at the time of the schism, had light from the Lord that the peace of the Church was linked to that devotion. (Regulation page 69).

Devotion to the Blood of Christ opens the doors to divine mercy; we need this devotion today to implore the graces of the Lord; for it oh! how many blessings of the most clement God! If peoples return to the arms of mercy and cleanse themselves in the Blood of Jesus Christ, everything is accommodated: therefore the ministers of the Shrine must apply divine Blood to souls and manifest the fruits of mercy. (Writings).

The Lord presents us with the Red Sea (symbol of the mystery of his Blood) for which the mystical parched earth of souls is cultivated and watered for the sins and the way is prepared for the sinner to come out of Egypt (image of the corrupt world) and the penitent, as well as the ardent souls of love for Jesus, is given stimulation and excitement to go shipwrecked in this mysterious sea, in order to be a triumph of the goodness of a Redeeming God. (Writings).

In current times he publishes the recitation of the Chaplet, devotion and cult of the Divine Blood! In the month of June (then it was June the month consecrated to P. Blood) let the peoples animate themselves to meditate on the mysteries of the love of Jesus in having redeemed us with an invaluable price for his Divine Blood.

We pray in the coming month for the Divine Blood to work wonders. (Lett. 1,125).

The more this devotion spreads, the closer the greater copies of blessings will come (Lett. 3).

Here we are at the feast of the Divine Blood ... what a feast of love ... is this ever! (4 lett.). Oh! blessed day when the heavens ooze sweetness! (lett. 8).

Worshiping the invaluable Price of our Redemption is the most tender object that we can offer ourselves. From this derive from us the treasures of wisdom and holiness, by virtue of the Divine Blood, the holy glory of Heaven. (Pred. Fasc. 13 pag. 39). We trust in the merits of the Divine Blood, devotion of our heart. (Letter f. 333).

Do not cease to promote such an important devotion from which the peace of the Church will derive. (Writings).

The Church belongs to God, because purchased with her Blood! (Pred. Page 423). If in ancient law a drop of that blood that you wanted to offer could not fall except in a virgin land ... will the holy Temple of God no longer be sacred? Are not those vessels that enclose the whole Body, Blood, Soul of Jesus Christ sacred? (Pred. Page 70).

Here are the glories of the Priesthood, instituted to apply the Price of redemption to souls, so that the Divine Blood may not, in our guilt, be scattered in vain. (Cr. P. 311).

(To a priest harassed by the devil). We still have not resisted until the bloodshed. Courage in being with Jesus Christ on the cross to defend holiness, virtue and overcoming the infernal dragon with the Divine Blood ... We begin with courage to suffer, we continue with the hilarity of love and enjoy its merits. Our glory is finally found in the sufferings for our tender devotion. (Pred. Page 441).

And this is the language of truth, as it is well known that hell thrills with this word: Divine Blood. (Writings).

Go, set fire, set everything on fire! (Exhortation to the apostles of the divine Blood).

The devil will do everything to prevent such a good, being written: They won the dragon for the Blood of the Lamb! (Pred. F. 2 page 13). Jesus redeemed her with his Blood, what do you fear? (Lett. X f. 189).

How much was the desire that Jesus had in all his mortal life to shed his Blood ... just as great is his desire, that all take advantage of it, that all souls are involved in it, opening in his wounds ... a source of mercy, source of peace, source of devotion, source of love that all souls call to quench their thirst. And why did he institute the sacraments, which are like the channels through which the merits of this Precious Blood are communicated to us? Why does he continually offer it to the Eternal Father? Why has it awakened in the hearts of so many faithful ... a similar devotion? If not because ardent is the longing of his Heart that all from the most sacred sources of his Wounds obtain through his Blood the waters of his graces? But what a monstrous ingratitude is not taking advantage of it and neglecting such an effective means of saving oneself! (Pred. 3 f. 5 p. 692).

Observe the tenderness of love in the way the Divine Blood spreads it! Alas, wherever I turn my gaze, or in the flagellation, or in the crowning of thorns, everything moves me with tenderness. Jesus is covered in blood. (Regulation p. 441).

The thought ... that grieved the Savior was to note that many would not have taken advantage of the Redemption and his Divine Blood because of them. Now yes this was the main reason for the atrocious spasms. (L. 7 p. 195).

Here we are at the feast of the Divine Blood ... What a feast of love towards Jesus is this ever! Ah! yes, we love Jesus incessantly. Seeing Jesus dripping blood is an apparatus of religion that does great good for our eternal health and for our neighbors. (IV l. Page 89).

From this devotion the memory of Baptism is revived, where the Divine Blood restored our souls. (Regulation page 80). For you, keep your arms open G. Crocifisso. He is waiting for you to welcome you into the Sacrament of Confession ... At the extreme point, the Divine Blood will be your comfort. (Cr. P. 324).

Above all our trust is in the merits of the Precious Blood of G. Christ! (L. III f. 322). Do not forget that Jesus Christ is involved between the Eternal Father and us ... the Blood of Jesus cries out, asking for mercy for us ... (Pred. P. 429).

The SS. Sacramento is the center of our heart. It is the mystical wine cell, where Jesus Christ abducts and calls our affections to himself. Continue also to find Heaven on earth in the SS. Sacramento ... (Cr. 3 f. 232). St. Augustine says that G. Cristo instituted this Sacrament under the species of bread and wine to say that, since the bread is made of many grains ... which are united in one and the wine of many bunches of grapes, so of many faithful who communicate ... make a mystical body. (Phase Did. 16 p. 972). The devotion to the Divine Blood animates me more and more to the glories of the Crucified One. (L. 5 p. 329). May the Crucifix be our book; here we read to operate ... cheerfully among the crosses! (L. 2 page 932). In this book we learn about deep humility, unwavering patience, and sweet industrious charity, in order to call souls to his love. (LV p. 243). The Crucifix is ​​for us a mystical tree of health. Blessed is that soul who stands under the shadow of this plant and is reaping the fruits of holiness and paradise from it. (L. IV. P. 89). Alas! to see Jesus Crucified on the cross victim of charity and to continue sinning? Seeing him bloodless and all wounds and hardening against him? (Pred. Page 464). The cross is a great chair. Jesus tells you: the cross reminds you that I spilled my Blood to the last drop! (Pred. Page 356). But what will we read in the foramen of the wounds of Jesus Crucified, if not that being Jesus the mystical stone passed on by the rod ... for which we have torrents those mystical waters that symbolize the divine graces coming from the Divine Blood? ... (Pred. Ibid.).

Jesus' devotion to the Precious Blood of what riches makes the soul adorned! We distinguish three states in which it can be found:

sinful state,

state of grace,

state of perfection.

Sinful state. The Blood of Jesus is the foundation of hope in Divine Mercy:

1 ° Because Jesus is a lawyer ... He presents his wounds and his Blood melius loquentem quam Abel.

2nd Because Jesus while praying to his Parent ... seeks the sinner in the outpouring of his Blood ... oh! how the streets are purple with blood ... He calls us with as many mouths as there are wounds.

3 ° It makes us aware of the effectiveness of the means of conciliation, its Blood. He is life. He pacifies both the things that are on earth and those that are in Heaven.

4 ° The devil tries to bring it down ..., but Jesus is the comfort: How can you doubt that I am not to forgive you? Look at me in the garden while you sweat Blood, look at me on the cross ...

State of grace. Converted the soul, so that it may be persevering, Jesus leads it to the wounds ... and says to it: Flee, O daughter, from the opportunities ... otherwise you would open these wounds to me again! But to operate Grace, the Sacraments, is it not all a continuous application of the means of the Blood of Christ? But to operate it is better to carry the cross ... The soul grows in cognition and notes how Jesus, innocent, had nothing to pay for himself yet: a drop would have been enough, he wanted to pour a river! And here (the soul) begins to participate in the illuminative life ... and does not yield to the impact of the enemy ... sees Jesus dripping Blood and abominates vanity ... Let's move on to the illuminative life and see how all the riches we have in Sanguine Agni ... Meditate on at the foot of the cross and sees that everyone has been saved in the faith of the coming Messiah ... He continues to point out the glories of the Faith in the propagation of the Gospel ... The Apostles were sanctifying the world in Sanguine Agni ... He continues to consider how by the merits of Jesus he has his riches ... he knows his misery and takes the cup in his hand ... I will take the cup of salvation. He sees the soul as in the Blood of Christ he gives thanks for the benefits received. The soul sees that in order to beg thanks there is nothing else to offer the Blood ... The Church makes no prayer that does not allude to the merits of the Blood of Jesus ...

The soul more than ever meditates for the pain of having sinned ... and the Savior Blood comforts her ... she sees what it is to offend God, she therefore exclaims: «Who will want to open his wounds again? ».

State of perfection. The soul illuminated at the foot of the Cross looks for ways to unite with

intimate love relationship to his beloved Lord, who is saying to the enlightened soul: Amore langueo.

1 ° Love perfection ... think that only God is happiness ... especially meditate on the ideas of Redemption, especially in seeing with what charity Jesus Christ came to shed the Blood to the last drop. He languishes with love and exclaims: Oh! Precious blood of my Lord, may I bless you forever! All this brings together in the soul such concepts of love that the soul concludes: Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

2 ° Study perfection, meditate on Jesus in the image of the fainted Lamb. Oh! meekness of Jesus who, especially in the crucifixion, rendered charity. The soul also sees what is happening today for part of the sinners and, full of love for Jesus, if to hear well for the benefit of others, to meet must suffer pain and martyrdom, she goes saying: “My beloved candid lily, ruddy of Blood! How then am I not willing to suffer for the Truth? If necessary, behold, I am ready for any sacrifice. "

3 ° Practice prayer ... and the soul is given to a delicacy of conscience ... it purifies the intention in operating, it is exact in patience. However, she recognizes all these goods from the efficacy of the Redemption and sees that in all of her the merits of the outpourings of the Blood of Christ apply. He approaches the tribunal of penance and says: the Blood of Christ is being offered. If he loves the SS. Sacrament in the ciborium: behold, he says, my beloved Jesus is offering his Blood ... He climbs the mountain of perfection and: behold, he says, the ways of Calvary are ruddy with Blood and willingly walk the paths of virtue, neither abandon the cross, nor tired of suffering. He therefore loves the way of prayer: .. he cries for those who don't cry, he prays for those who don't pray. On the other hand, he knows that souls cost him Blood; continually seeks God ... to appease the anger of the Parent ... offers the Blood of Christ ... loves to be able to kiss the wounds of Jesus Christ in heaven one day in glory and to always be able to sing the glories of that Blood, which cancels the chirograph of death. On the other hand, since the Cross must be the stairway to Heaven, one no longer becomes terrified at the voice of suffering, but suffers with gentleness. He finally comes to suffer with joy. The derisions, the slanders, the adversity, the events all do not break it down. He is thinking about how Jesus gave sight to the blind, healed cripples, raised the dead, yet the Jews crucifixerunt eum! ... how love activated by faith did great things in the world: O athletes of Religion, who made you so generous? The sight of Jesus dripping blood for men!

What a comfort it will be for us one day in the great Valley of Jehoshaphat, when on the side of the elect, with the palm in our hands, we can sing the praises of that divine Blood, for which we have the wedding garment: Who are they and where did they come from? They are the ones who come from a great tribulation and purified their stoles in the Blood of the Lamb!

Does a redeemed creature offend God at the cost of his Blood? My heart breaks with pain. (Pred. Page 364).

And what has this good God ever done to you? Perhaps you offend him because he created you, because he benefited you so much, because he died for you ... did he shed so much Blood, opened the Ribs, torn from all over? (Pred. Page 127).

And how dare you tear that soul from the Divine Cost ... which cost sweat to this good Jesus, for whom he sweated blood sweat and died? (Pred. Ibid.).

Since you do not feel that you love your brother for himself, love him at least for the love of that Blood that redeemed you. (Pred. Page 629).

The Son poured Blood from the Cross and says St. Bonaventure who poured it into the heart of Mary. Cross, thorns and nails tormented the Son, crosses, thorns and nails tormented her. (Pred. Page 128).

How nice to stay with Mary at the foot of the Cross ... with the Mother of God and our Mother, with the Advocate of sinners, with the sovereign Mediator of the universe, with the Teacher of truth. At the chair of the Cross the Mother learns us to love bloody Jesus Christ. (Pred. Page 369).

O Mary, among the many mercies that you obtain from the most clement God, one may also facilitate ... the path of health, in the practice of doing good; insinuate virtue with sweet and gentle attractions and insert the knowledge of God in the souls entrusted to you by Jesus, dripping blood on the cross. (Writings; Vol. XIII p. 84).

However, we do not lose our relatives, but they precede us and a sweet bond of Religion unites us to them admirably: Do not want to be saddened by the Sleepers ... The Blood of Christ is in fact our hope and health for eternal life. (Lett. I; p. 106).

Your wounds, your Blood, thorns, the cross, the Divine Blood in particular, shed to the last drop, ouch! in what an eloquent voice he cries out to my poor heart! (Pred. Page 368).

Blessed are those who are most enriched by the treasures we have in the application of the Blood of Christ. In proportion that we will apply it, the degrees of glory in Heaven will increase. (Diagrams ... page 459 et seq.).

May the Blood of Jesus be our consolation in life and the reason and cause of our hopes for Heaven. (L. 8 f. 552).

May the Divine Blood be for us the source of ample blessings. The more this devotion spreads, the closer the greater copies of blessings will come. (L. III f. 184).

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Speak Jesus:

"... Here I am in the robe of Blood. See how it exudes and flows in rivulets on my disfigured Face, how it flows along the neck, on the torso, on the robe, doubly red because it is soaked with my Blood. See how he wets his tied hands and goes down to his feet, to the ground. I am the very One who presses the grapes of which the Prophet speaks, but my Love has pressed Me. Of this Blood that I have poured everything, up to the last drop, for Humanity, very few know how to evaluate the infinite price and enjoy the most powerful merits. Now I ask those who know how to look and understand it, to imitate Veronica and dry with her love the Bloody Face of her God. Now I ask those who love me to medicate with their love the wounds that men continually make me. Now I ask, above all, not to let this Blood get lost, to collect it with infinite attention, in the smallest drops and spread it on those who do not care about My Blood ...

So say this:

Most Divine Blood that flows for us from the veins of the human God, come down like dew of redemption on the contaminated earth and on the souls that sin makes like lepers. Behold, I welcome you, Blood of my Jesus, and I scatter you on the Church, on the world, on sinners, on Purgatory. Help, comfort, cleanse, turn on, penetrate and fertilize, or Most Divine Life Juice. Nor do you stand in the way of your indifference and guilt. On the contrary, for the few who love you, for the infinite who die without you, accelerate and spread this divine rain over everyone so that you can be trusted in life, forgive yourself in death for yourself, with you come in the glory of the your Kingdom. So be it.

Enough now, to your spiritual thirst I put my Veins open. Drink at this Source. You will know Heaven and the taste of your God, nor will that taste fail you if you always know how to come to Me with your lips and soul washed with love. "

Maria Valtorta, Notebooks of 1943