John 19:31-37

Lectio (Reading)

Since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

Meditatio (Reflecting)

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

Oratio (Responding)

Today we celebrate the sacred heart of Jesus, and we remember the moment at His death when His heart was pierced to save us, but not only that, this moment fulfilled millennia of prophecy and sacred scripture. Let me explain.

In today’s reading, where the roman soldier thrusts a lance into the side of Jesus in to confirm that He was dead, pierces Him and blood and water flowed out. Blood because the lance pierced His heart, and water because His Lungs (full of water from edema) were pierced as well. The water is a metaphor pointing to the waters of baptism, and the blood is a reference to the blood of Christ in the holy eucharist. In His sacrifice on the cross He gave us all of the means of salvation. Forgiveness of original sin by baptism. Justification of our relationship with God, by His death on the cross, and finally our ongoing sanctification via the gifts of reconciliation and the eucharist.

The water and blood flowing from Jesus is in itself a reference to the great temple in Jerusalem, at time of passover. In Jesus’ time, passover was an incredible spectacle. It was estimated that a million jewish pilgrims would descend on the city to celebrate passover. This meant that approximately 200,000 lambs would be slaughtered, and it would take days to complete all of the sacrifices. The temple priests would have to create assembly lines to take the blood of the sacrificed lambs, and pour that blood on the altar in the temple. The blood would flow down drains below the alter, collect in pools and would ultimately overflow and mix with the water of the brook of Kidron that flowed under the temple, and the combined blood and water would flow out of the side of temple through a small portico. It would be a small waterfall of water and blood pouring out of the temple. The scale of the passover was a spectacle to behold.

These images (above) are all ultimately a reference to Ezekiel 47. Ezekiel, in his prophecies saw the great temple in heaven, and what he saw was the “river of life” that flows throughout the entire kingdom of heaven from a single source, God the Father at the center of the temple. All life, all goodness, all love, and all mercy come from that single source, God. Jesus is the new temple in heaven from which the river of life flows. Jesus is the body that connects us here on earth with the enteral source of life in Heaven, through the eucharist.

And it all is because of the precious blood and water that flow from His sacred heart. This gift of our lives, the sacrifice of His death on the cross, and the promise of Gods mercy are completely unwarranted. We did not do anything to deserve them, and God does not owe us anything. It is a pure gift, a gift from one that loves us more than the sum total of our sin, and even despite them. He reaches out to us, to save us from the slavery to sin, and meets us where we are, even if we are not looking for Him. So today lets remember to adore His sacred heart, and be grateful for the incredible gift of his divine love and mercy.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)