by Dillon Naicker

I shared in my last blog how I learned about and felt ‘called’ to the Sacred Heart devotion. Again, there are quite a few devotions in my personal life of faith and there is one that I felt an especially strong call to: The Most Precious Blood of Jesus. Herewith, I’d like to be a witness of this powerful devotion in the hope that God will inspire many hearts.

It was early 2014. I had been a lay missionary for almost a year and had much free time to nurture my spiritual life. There was a little book on a shelf in our dining room that caught my attention on various occasions. The first time I grabbed it to take a look I thought, “It’s just another Catholic devotion. I have enough already”. However, this book kept drawing my attention until I eventually decided to give it some of my time one morning. Little did I know what awaited me as opened this book.

Every line captivated my heart as I read this touching story. Here’s the very first paragraph that pierced my soul:
“This is the Devotion to the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ as given by Our Lord and Our Lady and a multitude of angels and saints to a nearly illiterate Nigerian teenage boy, Barnabas Nwoye, in the village of Olo, Enugu State, Nigeria, from 1995 – 2003. Our Lord told young Barnabas this is the greatest devotion He has ever given the Church and the last one He will give in this age. This is the ark that will protect and bring the Holy Catholic Church, the remnant faithful and all those you love and pray for safely through the bitter trials of the coming chastisement and into the promised Era of Peace.” (Adorers of the Precious Blood, 2007:10)

You might wonder why these words moved me so greatly. I believe the reason is simple; it was the Spirit of God at work in me, calling me to this devotion as many others around the world have since been called. The prophetic message that lies in the above quote touched me deeply. I was moved to tears or what some might call “crying in the Spirit” or “tears of consolation”. I just knew that God was speaking to me in that moment. I knew in my heart that this devotion would be part of me for the rest of my life – and it has been since!

I consecrate myself and my family to the Precious Blood of Jesus everyday by praying the Rosary, Precious Blood Chaplet and Precious Blood Litany. At times I pray the Consecration of the Precious Blood and in the month of July – the month of the Precious Blood of Jesus – I try to pray the other prayers that belong to this devotion. It is certainly no easy task remaining faithful every day. But with faith in the power of prayer and the power of the Blood of Christ and in the face of this broken world we live in, I am fuelled enough to take up this daily cross. The Precious Blood of Christ has triumphed and will continue to triumph.

I would hereby like to exhort you. Jesus died not in vain. His blood was shed not in vain. It was given up and remains given up for you and me. Claim it for your salvation, that of your family, your community – the whole world. As the hymn goes…

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus!

Get the Precious Blood prayers here. You can download the entire devotion in pdf for free. Save it on your mobile device and carry these prayers with you wherever you go.

“Rejoice that you are called to this devotion”
-Jesus

O Most precious blood of Jesus, save us and the whole world. Amen.