Hosea 11:1, 3–4, 8c–9
Ephesians 3:8–12, 14–19
John 19:31–37
Most pictures of the Sacred Heart emit a sort of warm glow. Jesus’ heart is open, his face is inviting and we are pulled into the burning warmth of his heart. In contrast, the description of the death of Jesus in today’s feast day gospel reminds us of the stark reality of the crucifixion. John leaves us in no doubt that we are facing a Jesus who has died; his body has been pierced with a soldier’s lance to make that perfectly clear. But John makes us linger at the cross and look at the one who has been pierced.
There is death here but there is more. For those who look on this death and hear the gospel writer’s words there does open up a new level of meaning. John gives us two symbols of Jesus death. In this way, his death begins to reveal itself in all its depth. On Good Friday there was little time for us to gaze and ponder. We had to bury, to complete the process of death. But today is the day to take time to look with the evangelist and see what he sees.
The first symbol is simple enough. The bones of Jesus are not broken. Breaking the bones of a crucified person expedited the death. Jesus is different. Jesus has said that he lays down his life of his own accord. No one takes it from him. Jesus accepts death as his mission. He accepts it in obedience to what the Father asks of him. Jesus’ bones do not need to be broken. He died out of love for his Father. You and I did not take his life from him despite what it looks like. And, when John references scripture in regard to non-broken bones, he is pulling us into the mystery of the Paschal lamb. It was to be eaten whole and no bone was to be broken. Jesus is the Lamb of God whose unbroken bones take away the sins of the world. The death of Jesus means reconciliation with God for all humanity. In this lamb Jesus on the cross, God has brought together the divine and the human. The whole Lamb means the unity of the relationship you and I have with the Father. Jesus death brings about unity in relationship. Death looks like separation from our point of view; in Jesus it means a unity restored. Jesus’ final prayer for unity is being answered.
The second symbol is that out of a dead man’s side blood and water are coming forth, like a spring. The body instead of holding death is emitting life through two powerful symbols, water and blood. We are with the woman of Samaria at the well: Jesus offering her the spring of water gushing into eternal life. We are at the last supper: whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life and I will raise them up on the last day. This is my blood that will be poured out for you and for the many.
Christians from early on have always seen in the water and blood the symbols of baptism, Spirit and Eucharist. Where do they come from, how are they given to us: in the death of Jesus. His death is life-giving. When Jesus appears after the resurrection, what does he show his disciples but his wounds. These wounds are the source of our new life. His pierced heart holds the profound mystery of our Christian faith. Pierced to make certain that he is dead, it opens up into life for us here and now. It is life in the Spirit that is hidden on the cross but by the gesture of a non-believer reveals what is truly within.
Today we gaze upon the unbroken body of Jesus and a pierced heart. But ours must be more than a gaze. For the Eucharist is a here and now event. At every Eucharist, the death of Jesus is opened and life is revealed. We share the bread and drink from the cup, yes. And then slowly our lives are transformed by this to become a washing of one anothers feet and a laying down freely of our lives that others too may enter into eternal life. For what is hidden behind this death with unbroken bones and blood, water and finally Spirit is a body filled with love. It is this body of love that is to be the foundation of our lives. And our Eucharist is where the heart of Jesus satisfies our longing for love.
Prior, Fr. Joel Macul, OSB