Today let us contemplate on the wound on the side of Jesus But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side, and immediately there came out Blood and water ( John 19 : 34 ) Let us make this occurrence and what followed it the subject of todays meditation. A fifth wound inflicted on the body of Christ---the gaping wound in His side. The Roman spear was sharply pointed, but widened towards the head of the shaft. As a result a wound made by it was so deep and wide that one could place ones hand in it. The Saviour Himself distinguished between the marks of the wounds in His hands and feet and the open wound in His side, when He said to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into My side. While He did not suffer pain from the wound in His side, since His soul had already departed from the body, the thrust into the heart of Jesus pierced the soul of the Mother, who witnessed this wounding and whose soul could not tear itself from the heart of the Son. But water and Blood are also the two principal elements with which the Saviour continues His work of Redemption on earth, and by which souls come to partake of the graces and merits of His labors and His suffering. The water of Baptism, taking its power of redemption from the wound in Jesus side, makes of the soul a member of the body of Christ. In the most marvelous Sacrament of the Eucharist the Blood of Christ becomes a drink of salvation, our life-blood, as it were, the life-blood of the individual soul and of the entire Church. This spring, then, which the point of a spear opened in the Heart of Jesus, is a true fountain of grace. The stream of Blood and water flowing from the wound is a wonderful revelation of the redeeming love of the Saviour and a glorious prophecy for the future. Longinus, the centurion, gave the first impetus to it and a pious legend has it that he was the first to receive its blessings. He is said to have been blind in one eye; a drop from the heart of Jesus fell into it and immediately he was made seeing in body and soul, a believing Christian, Baptized with the water and blood from the side of Jesus. Prayer To the Wound of the Sacred Side Holy wound in the side of my Jesus, I adore Thee; I compassionate Thee, O Jesus, for the cruel insult Thou didst suffer. I thank Thee, my Jesus, for the love which suffered Thy side and Heart to be pierced, so that the last drops of blood and water might issue forth, making my redemption to overflow. I offer to the Eternal Father this outrage, and the love of Thy most holy humanity, that my soul may enter once for all into that most loving Heart, eager and ready to receive the greatest sinners, and never more depart. Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 04:30:19 +0000
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