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Month of the Precious Blood (July 12)

July 12, 2026

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Day 12

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

RESPONSORY

Know that in this bread is the body of Christ which hung upon the cross, and in this cup, the blood of Christ which flowed from his side. Take, therefore, and eat his body; take and drink his blood, – and you will become members of his body.

Eat this sacred food, so that your bond of unity with Christ may never be broken. Drink this sacred blood, the price he paid for you, so that you may never lose heart because of your sinfulness. – and you will become members of his body.

From the “Commentary on Psalm 1” by St. Ambrose of Milan (+397)

First drink from the Old Testament, so that you may drink from the New as well. You cannot drink from the second without drinking from the first. Drink from the Old Testament to slake your thirst, and from the New to quench it completely. Compunction is found in the Old Testament; joy in the New.

Notice how the Lord, on his servants’ behalf, countered the wiles of the devil. With deceitful cunning the devil beguiled one man in order to overthrow all mankind in his person; but with salutary food Jesus redeemed all mankind, in order to restore with him all, even him who had been beguiled.

The Lord Jesus poured out water from the rock and everyone drank. Those who drank from the symbol were satisfied, but those who drank from the reality were inebriated. That was a good inebriation that steadied the walk of the sober mind; that was a good inebriation that watered the gift of eternal life. Drink of this cup, then, of which the Prophet said: Your cup that inebriates, how noble it is! Drink the cup of the Old Testament and of the New, for in both you drink Christ.

Drink Christ because he is the vine; drink Christ because he is the rock that poured out water. Drink Christ because he is the fountain of life; drink Christ because he is the river whose running waters give joy to the city of God, and because he is peace, and because out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Drink Christ to drink the blood which redeemed you; drink Christ to drink his words: the Old Testament is his word; the New Testament is his word. Holy Scripture is drunk and swallowed when the power of the eternal Word penetrates the depths of the mind and the virtue of the soul. In short, we do not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Drink this word, but according to its own order. Drink it first in the Old Testament; then hasten to drink it also in the New.

Musical Selection

One Bread One Body One bread, one body, One Lord of all, One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth, We are one body in this one Lord.

Gentile or Jew, Servant or free, Woman or man, No more.

One bread, one body, One Lord of all, One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth, We are one body in this one Lord.

Many the gifts, Many the works, One in the Lord, Of all. One bread, one body, One Lord of all, One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth, We are one body in this one Lord.

Grain for the fields, Scattered and grown, Gathered to one, For all. One bread, one body, One Lord of all, One cup of blessing which we bless. And we, though many, throughout the earth, We are one body in this one Lord.

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