Today is the 100th anniversary of the bloodiest day in British military history, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, a battle that was to last almost four and a half months. For many people, the Battle of the Somme was the battle that symbolised the horrors of warfare in World War One; this one battle had a marked effect on overall casualty figures and seemed to epitomise the futility of trench warfare. By the time it petered out in the rain and snow of the following November 2016, more than one million soldiers from both sides had died without making any appreciable alteration in the opening position.
We may wonder how many of the young men who went over the top on the Somme that Saturday morning in July knew that it was the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Too few perhaps: but those who gave their lives for Christian civilisation, however poorly understood, made a sacrifice which He surely did not spurn. Every tiny drop of that Most Precious Blood is worth the salvation of the souls of everyone who has ever lived. If there are any souls of those who died on either side in that battle still in Purgatory, may they rest at last in peace.
From the ‘Saint Andrew Daily Missal’:
Let us do homage to the precious Blood of our Redeemer which the priest offers to God on the altar.
Introit:
Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue, and people and nation, and hast made us to our God a kingdom. The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever: I will show forth Thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.
(Apoc. 5:9-10 and Psalm 88:2)
Collect:
O almighty and everlasting God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and hast willed to be appeased by His blood; grant unto us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate with solemn worship the price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended against the evils of this life, that we may enjoy the fruit thereof for evermore in heaven. Through the same our Lord.
Gradual:
This is He that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. * There are three who give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are one.
Alleluia, alleluia. * If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater. Alleluia.
(1 John 5:6-8 and Alleluia ibid. 9)
Gospel:
At that time, Jesus, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day (for that was a great sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came: and they broke the legs of the first and of the other that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony, and his testimony is true.
(St John 19:30-35)
Catholicism Pure & Simple 
“…but those who gave their lives for Christian civilisation,”
The problem is, these young men were, nominally, at least, Christians fighting Christians. The Germans had “Gott mit uns,” on their belt buckles. Both armies , no doubt, blessed by priests or clergymen of some stripe, (good shepherds?) before being sent to the slaughterhouse.
“We may wonder how many of the young men who went over the top on the Somme that Saturday morning in July knew that it was the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus,”
We may also wonder whether it struck those who did know – as somewhat ironic.
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Thats fallen human reasoning Toad.
Sadly there is nothing new in the murder of the innocent it started with Abel.
The Great War? 1914 saw a run on the Banks!
The coming War was well known and talked about and yes financed.
Many went into battle with Rosaries and sacramentals.
St Therese was especially dearly loved and invoked by soldiers on all sides.
Think that both St Paul and St Stephen are in Heaven!
The Word was made Flesh.
Man is extrodinary he is Flesh and Spirit and a Living Soul.
Go back to the science of Naturalism which excludes Spirit and Soul. Then look at the Animal called Man wallowing in self interests. Fast forward to Soviets and their contempt of Man the animal, Animals are culled to breed and preserve species. That is what breeders have done for years, culled and weeded out the mutants. Behind this war was considerable self interests.
Perhaps 9/11 was excuse the destruction of the Middle East and the now global war of terrorism that we see daily in out papers. Well War is again on the agenda isn’t it? Guess what is preached Evolution (Man the Animal)? Perhaps you in your intelligence can now make the connection? Evolution mean War is inevitable!
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“Evolution mean War is inevitable!”
I don’t know what on earth bizarre points you’re trying to make in the rest of your comment, Rerbot, but Evolution does not mean war is either evitable, or inevitable.
Except, possibly – if you believe that there has always been war, just as there has always be evolution, so we can’t have one without the other, then yes, I’d see a sort of point.
[Moderator – one sentence deleted.]
I thought you didn’t believe in Evolution anyway – that the world is only 8,00 years old. Is that correct?
*Though that would make more sense
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My late father (Samuel) participated throughout WW1 with 5 different regiments due to the slaughter which occurred. After his death we discovered he had been awarded the Military Medal for valour. The only thing he ever said was that the war was necessary to prevent Europe being taken over. Thank God we voted to leave the EU which was the fulfilment of his concerns. Whilst we are all, geographically, Europeans our concerns are quite different & , I believe, so are our values.
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Pingback: 100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme – and the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ — | Solutio Problematis Omnes (aka "The Catholic Linker")
Toad
The crisis right now is over the very Nature of Man. This is manifesting itself in a world that rejects deny’s the spirit and hence spiritual Authority and instead sees man as just another Animal a creature whose motives are pure self centred (comfort, sense stimulations, etc.. etc..). Man was Created and if not forget Christ and the Church because the Messiah came expressly to repair for Original Sin.
The Apostles Creed could not be more clear Creator!
[The Moderator – Enough with the evolution schtick, Roger. You’ve flogged that dead horse until even the bones have worn away.]
St Vincent Ferrer
“..God created man in his substantial being different than other creatures. Man is a composite, substantially with respect to the soul, and materially with respect to the body. Not so the angels, who are only spiritual substances, nor the animals which are material substances. Because of this man is similar to the angels and animals, because he has both. ..”
The Implications of Man’s Nature are especially with respect Man’s Adoration of God and what applies to the worship of God in Church. It starts with the spiritual (interior Mind) aa a requiste for the external adoration. This Adoration is missing from much that now happens in the Church where the animal Man takes precedence!
St Ferrer
“..
I find in sacred scripture that for true, devout and perfect adoration two things are required: a reverent attitude of the interior mind, and a humble gesture of the outward body.
As for the first, when man thinks of the infinite and incomprehensible majesty of God and his
transcendent power, there comes a reverent trembling interiorly in the soul, and from this there
follows exteriorly a humility in the body, joining the hands, genuflecting, or prostrating oneself
in prayer to God. Divine adoration consists in these two
..”
Our Lord fortold of Wars and rumours of Wars and what could be more Prophetic of the Last times than the first World war! Man the animal fights for self interests above neighbour. The cause of Man’s sorrows are Sin.
That doesn’t mean that this terrible loss of Life was caused by the soldiers who believed in God, Country and King. God judges the individual soul thank God and there are those we knew and created that War far more guilty than these innocents mowed down!
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“The only thing he ever said was that the war was necessary to prevent Europe being taken over.”
Taken over by whom, David? Germans? Turks?
“Evolution MEANS that Hitler and Marxism are right. Both had the concept of an breed (evolved) Superior Man and a Superior Society (evolved through Revolution).”
No, it doesn’t. But I can’t be bothered explaining it all again.
Nothing is evolved by “Revolution.” Revolution tries to circumvent the evolutionary process by violence. (More or less.) Why do I bother?
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[The Moderator – You do not need to harp on about creationism to talk about the divine nature of Christ, Roger. Please give this fight up.]
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“Our Lord foretold of Wars and rumours of Wars..”
Incredible.
…How did He know?
Just by looking at the past?
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[The Moderator – Still not going there, Roger.]
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I will leave it to the Moderator to explain why Christ knew from Eternity.
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“Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabbath-day (for that was a great sabbath-day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came: and they broke the legs of the first and of the other that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”
Doesn’t all this seem “odd,” to anyone else?
Why shouldn’t the bodies remain where they were, just because it was Passover? What would the Romans care? Who was giving the orders round here, anyway? Was it the custom to take all bodies down from crosses on the Sabbath? Wouldn’t it make more sense to wait until after the Sabbath, to execute people, in that case? If soldiers are ordered to break people’s legs – they do what they are told – they don’t say, “Well, there was no need, he was already dead.” If Christ was crucified as an example, why was He allowed to be removed almost immediately, while He was still warm? There must be lots of theories about all this.
I must read some.
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Because, under Mosaic law, corpses were unclean and anyone seeing the corpse in this prominent place would have been unable to eat the Passover.
They’ve just murdered a man to pacify the locals, Toad, they’re hardly going to want to upset them more over the small matter of leaving corpses out in the sun.
Haven’t you read the rest of the account?
It’s to do with Passover, not Sabbath.
It depends how soon you want a man dead. And if you are a bureaucrat who doesn’t have to do any of the actual labouring, I don’t suppose you care awfully what extra work you are creating for others.
They broke the legs of crucifixion victims to speed up their deaths. That was the entire purpose of doing so; if someone was already dead they wouldn’t bother.
Where does it say that they were making an example of Him? They wanted him dead and forgotten, not held up as an example.
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Why shouldn’t the bodies remain where they were, just because it was Passover? What would the Romans care? Who was giving the orders round here, anyway? Was it the custom to take all bodies down from crosses on the Sabbath? Wouldn’t it make more sense to wait until after the Sabbath, to execute people, in that case?
The standard Roman practice was to deposit the body in a shallow pit, coated with lime. This fate could be avoided if there was a successful request to the relevant authority to requisition the body and provide it with a proper burial.
There are reasonable grounds to assume that the Romans paid attention to Jewish sensibilities re the Sabbath etc. simply as a matter of political common sense.
The intermingling of Jewish and Roman law / practice in the Gospel accounts is noteworthy, and somewhat strange. But I think it is misguided to think the Romans would ignore local religious sensibilities.
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The Scriptures aren’t understood by the Wise and Prudent but are revealed to the Humble. That lesson is perpetuated from generation to generation.
The Jews knew the Messianic Prophecy’s!
The Jews had witnessed the raising from the dead of Lazarus at Christ Command.
Also forgotten is the hours of darkness and the Earthquake that damaged the Temple and revealed the inner Sanctuary. Forgotten to is the express blood letting of Christ (as required for the pascal sacrifice) fulfilled when his Heart was pierced. You have also forgotten Our Lord’s promise to the good thief, fulfilled in the good thief’s spirit (remember his body was cast aside!) the duality of Man.
Pilate knew Christ was Innocent and washed His hands of His murder. When Pilate was approached by two prominent members of the powerful Sanhedrin he agreed to the burial of an Innocent Man.
The Temple by now where paranoid to the point of asking for an armed guard over the tomb off the dead Christ ( because of Our Lord’s promise of three Days).
Learn and understand that the rejection of the Messiah was public and open disobedience of that Jerusalem.
Christ’s pierced Heart and the Blood that splattered the Roman Longinus. With that Precious Blood
Rome became the new Jerusalem and the Old was destroyed (as Christ fortold).
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I don’t remember what happened because I was so damn tired
Thanks for posting this article. Very fine, as was the ‘Because we’re here’ tribute:
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Very thoughtful and comprehensive answers. Thanks to all.
“The Scriptures aren’t understood by the Wise and Prudent but are revealed to the Humble. That lesson is perpetuated from generation to generation.”
Well, that’s one way of looking at Wisdom and Prudence.
Thankfully, Toad suffers from neither affliction.
But…“Where does it say that they were making an example of Him? They wanted him dead and forgotten, not held up as an example.”
…Then why did the Romans put a satirical notice above Christ’s head? Or was that put there by the Jews? What was the reason for doing that? Do we know?
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BTW, New Zealand’s public radio service carried an interview recently with a semi-retired woman who lives in the agricultural hinterland of Wellington (the Capital). Her success as a historical-romance novelist has drawn some attention.
…Then why did the Romans put a satirical notice above Christ’s head? Or was that put there by the Jews? What was the reason for doing that? Do we know?
I wrote a response Toad, but I suddenly realised that all you want is a ‘Rogbert’ nugget, so I thought **** it
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Again Toad
The Jews knew the Prophecies, one of which was the bloodline of David. Remember the lineage of Christ and the Star and the Magi. The Temple told of the Birth of Messiah in Bethlehem.
The Bible is one book that interlocks and crosslinks. It isn’t linear! Its Author is External to time and has a Eternal view of transient humanity.
The Jewish Temple knew the Prophecies.
In this Age the faith doesn’t have a concept of bloodline (tied in with, blessings and anathemas). Its alien to current worldy thinking!
The Jewish Case was Blasphemy. in other words that God would uphold their Authority against the Blasphemer! That they were the custodians of God’s Testament. Unless you see this at that Authority level you will not understand the rejection of Christ.
Pilate simply recognised Christ lineage and hence placed this above His Cross.
Heretics and Apostates were not exclusive to Rome!! Christ came to fulfil not change. he did also point to His Kingdom a Heavenly not of the Flesh. The importance of the Passion is preciously the ongoing arguments surfacing in Rome.
Pilate said this man is innocent in other words that the Jews were guilty of His murder. the Roman Province gave special Authority through Herod and the Temple to that area to keep the Peace! .
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Pilate simply recognised Christ lineage and hence placed this above His Cross.
Robert, for those of us who don’t know as much a you, please explain: What precisely did Pilate make of a genealogy which pertained to a foreign cult in which he had no interest?
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Tom
Your condescendence and irony are noted!
The History of Alexander the Great will give you the necessary background as well as the Old Testament especially immediately prior to Our Lord’s coming.
This I leave to yourselves and your elbow grease!
As for Christ.
1/ He was a public figure for 3 years and had entered Jerusalem the prior Sunday to the Popular acclaim of its Inhabitants!
John 12
13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel.
So Pliate knew;The Romans knew; Herod knew; Annas and Caiphas knew; The Temple Knew.
The Prophecies were known!
The Precious Blood sadly has a dual effect. For the Conversion or Condmenation.
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“I wrote a response Toad, but I suddenly realised that all you want is a ‘Rogbert’ nugget, so I thought **** it..”
I don’t follow you at all here Tom. But I suppose it doesn’t matter much. As we can see, the subject is open to some interpretation.
“BTW, New Zealand’s public radio service carried an interview recently with a semi-retired woman who lives in the agricultural hinterland of Wellington (the Capital). Her success as a historical-romance novelist has drawn some attention.”
Nor can I make much of this. What does it mean?
Is it Catholic dogma that Christ was literally King of the Jews? That the throne of Israel was rightfully his? And Pilate and co knew it, so they killed Him? This seems to take the story out of the realm of religion entirely, and into politics. Or am I misinterpreting, as usual?
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My apologises for those typos!!
St Padre Pio used to prayer for His great grandparents! The Communion of saints exists in Eternity this means that Our prayers for those soldiers on the Somme are relevant for their souls. Souls are lost because there is no one to pray or offer up reparation for them. It is the world that adopts a historical timeline.
With God the past, future and present are immediately present. Christ saw the so called Future including this Age. The Old Testament Messianic Prophecy’s came vividly to Life and fulfillment that Holy Week! Saints have been taken to Calvary to witness the Passion.
My family lost relatives in both the world wars. It behoves Us for pray for Our Faithfully departed!!!
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“Souls are lost because there is no one to pray or offer up reparation for them. “
Shouldn’t God do something for them? Aren’t they His children?
That seems to me an utterly wicked idea, if true. (Which I highly doubt.)
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Tom @ 11:17
“Thanks for posting this article. Very fine,”
Thank you, Tom… and for your two video clips.
I took the introduction about the Battle of the Somme from various Catholic and historical sites, so felt that as these were not my own words I should not post it under my own name – hence our blog’s name above. It was much longer at first, but I then decided to reduce it to two short paragraphs centred on the magnitude of the tragedy, and as a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives. The fact that this battle commenced on the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of the Lord, is strangely poignant.
My own maternal grandfather took part in WW1 when he was barely more than a boy. Three of his brothers (all the ones old enough to join up) also took part. Two were killed and my grandfather was wounded, though not mortally (or I wouldn’t be here of course!) Such a terrible carnage, and in retrospect, so pointless!
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Praying for the faithful departed and yes reparation for them because you can only earn merit in this Life! Just read the lives of the Saints.
There are sadly souls left in Purgatory to the End of Time because there is nobody to pray for them.
This is the Faith!
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Its so easy to forget
Pere Lamy -Father John Edward Lamy
He was especially devoted to the Holy souls!!
http://www.mysticsofthechurch.com/2009/11/pere-lamy-father-john-edward-lamy.html
Pere Lamy (Father John Edward Lamy) 1855-1931 -Mystic and Founder of the … cared for countless wounded soldiers and sick people during World War I, was called … He said the Rosary almost continually, slept but one or two hours a night, …
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“There are sadly souls left in Purgatory to the End of Time because there is nobody to pray for them ….This is the Faith!”
Not my faith. If I believed that, I’d be greatly distressed at the callousness of it all. Of all the absurd reasons for suffering hideous punishment, that seems – to me – the very worst.
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I don’t believe that Roger is correct in this respect, simply because many of us (myself included) pray for the holy souls in purgatory known and unknown to us: unless traditional Catholicism completely dies out, there will always be someone to pray for the Church Suffering.
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Raven
Thank you for confirmation of praying for the Holy Souls.
There is a Apostacy Decline of the Faith in the West. I personally made an especial crusade during year 2000 for those killed during the dreadful 20th century precisely because of this responsibility for the Holy Souls.
Toad your sensitivity over suffering should be an incentive to Acts of Reparation and Love to God.This suffering is the fruit of Sin.
The suffering of the Flesh sadly is a given in a Fallen world until Christ restores the lost Paradise. However you must understand what the Faith tells Us about Purgatory and sadly Hell.
The greatest suffering is the Pain of separation from God.
In the Case of Hell this separation (and it is the choice of the individual soul to go to Hell) is for Eternity.
For the Poor Holy Souls their suffering of separation will come to an End but they turn to Us in the Church Militant to help them.
For Father Lame Purgatory was real and constantly before him.
For Us its veiled but we must look through the eyes of Faith and respond to their needs.
We don’t know whether there are souls still in Purgatory for thousands of years. Their suffering is in Eternity and not necessarily within Our time.
The rememberance of the dreadful slaughter of Somme should be an impetus to renew Our Love for God and reparation for All Souls to be saved; and especially the Holy Souls who died during the 20th century and without distinction.
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Nor can I make much of this. What does it mean?
I meant, Toad, that Joyful Papist was interviewed, and did rather well. It seems less interesting now that I’ve had to spell it out 🙂
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I don’t follow you at all here Tom. But I suppose it doesn’t matter much
Sorry Toad, – I meant that I was about to start on what would have been an over the top and excessively detailed answer to your query. But then I realised that you weren’t really looking for a long and startlingly dull essay.
The fact that this battle commenced on the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of the Lord, is strangely poignant.
Yes, and profoundly moving. It’s not a fact that you’ll be reminded of in the secular media. I’m glad you found the videos worthwhile. Thanks again.
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Tom
Your condescendence and irony are noted!
The History of Alexander the Great will give you the necessary background as well as the Old Testament especially immediately prior to Our Lord’s coming.
Well sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander Robert. But thanks for recommending some reading. Which history of Alexander do you have in mind?
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There are sadly souls left in Purgatory to the End of Time because there is nobody to pray for them.
As Raven said, that’s a bit silly Robert. I’m an awful liberal in some respects, but when I pray I include the souls in purgatory in my prayers. I think that more people do so than you may realise.
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The rememberance of the dreadful slaughter of Somme should be an impetus to renew Our Love for God and reparation for All Souls to be saved; and especially the Holy Souls who died during the 20th century and without distinction.
I agree Robert. Absolutely
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The evening Mass on Thursdays in our local parish is always dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Like Tom, I always include intentions for the Holy Souls in my morning prayers, as I believe many others do. But as Roger/Robert points out, time is measured differently in life beyond the grave, so we can never pray ‘too much’ for the Holy Souls, nor do our prayers for them ever go to waste. The need is very great.
Rorate Caeli have a holy venture – the ‘Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society‘. Anyone and everyone can add the names of their loved ones or acquaintances to the list of those who have died for whom many priests worldwide will be offering daily Mass for their release from Purgatory.
This is surely a wonderful way to help our friends and family, and those poor souls “who have no one to pray for them”, as Our Lady of Fatima advised us. It fulfills the Spiritual Act of Mercy to “pray for the living and the dead“, and demonstrates how we, the Church Militant, form part of the same Communion of Saints.
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Rorate Caeli have a holy venture – the ‘Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society‘. Anyone and everyone can add the names of their loved ones or acquaintances to the list of those who have died for whom many priests worldwide will be offering daily Mass for their release from Purgatory.
Thanks Kathleen, I have enrolled my brother just now. I’d encourage others to do likewise.
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Amen!!
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Thanks for the clearing up, Tom. I simply didn’t get the ref to our much-loved GC – who happily has not fallen prey to the latest tsunami, typhoon, crazed Muslim attack, or scorpion bite. I should have. [GC: erm, Toad, I think Mr Fisher was referring to our much-loved JP – viz. joyful papist – and I think Aotearoa is not all that susceptible to tsunamis, typhoons, crazed Muslim attacks, or scorpion bites. Earthquakes and possums (possa?) seem to be the main worries there.]
Had the secular media pointed out the fact that the Somme took place during The Feast Of The Precious Blood Of The Lord Week, many Christians would have loudly complained that said media were being cynical and ironic – exploiting a sad coincidence, and even persecuting the faithful by linking Christ unkindly and unfairly with slaughter. (And they’d have been right. The media didn’t mention the feast because they’d never heard of it. Otherwise, they probably would have. I know I would have. It is an interesting aside.)
“”Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners; for many souls go to Hell, because there are none to sacrifice themselves and pray for them “
“I don’t believe that Roger is correct in this respect,” neither do I, Raven. But wasn’t it Christ’s mother who was reported to have said that at F*t*m*? If so, what do we make of it then? Not true? A bit silly?
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Toad stands abashed and aghast at his folly. And is delighted to hear Joyful is still alive and kicking possums.
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The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer also have a Purgatorian Archconfraternity, details here, which allows one to make arrangements for the souls of loved ones to be prayed for and to support the Sons too.
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Earthquakes and possums (possa?) seem to be the main worries there
When I was a boy I’d often be woken by a possum running across the roof, scampering up a lamp post, or hanging from telephone wires. There aren’t many around anymore. As a Wellingtonian I make it a point of pride to never worry about earthquakes. To truly belong in this city you need to be able to stand in a gale blowing straight off Antarctica, during an earthquake, waiting for a bus that will never come because the drivers are on strike again, and still cheerfully insist that it’s a lovely city on a sunny day, and you’d be mad to live anywhere else
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Make that, “it’s a lovely planet on a sunny day, and you’d be mad to live anywhere else,” and I’d agree completely, Tom. (Jupiter doesn’t look much cop, does it?)
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Wellingtonian Tom – how good to be greeted by this delightful tribute to your city on the other side of the world on this bright and sunny summer morning in Spain! 🙂
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