Water and Blood

"But one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out." (Jn 19: 34). St. John Chrysostom sees this blood and water as a sign of the birth of the Church which the blood of Christ engendered and of the waters of baptism which give entrance to believers into it. Catherine Emmerich, the 19th century mystic whose visions have added details to the passion narratives, tells us that the soldier's name was Cassius and that he indeed received his baptism as the waters sprayed on him from the side of Christ, and became a disciple, helping to spread the Good News. Thousands of people will be received into the Church tomorrow during the Easter Vigil, in this country alone: the waters of baptism still flow abundantly: a powerful reminder to us that our baptism has not only given us membership in the Church, but also the commission to live our faith so visibly that others will come to believe. In the somber moments of this GOOD FRIDAY, when we reflect on the Passion and Death of Jesus, let us pray for the courage and conviction to live our faith and speak about it openly, if only in our families. When we contemplate the agony that Jesus experienced in order to show us his love, how can we refuse ANYTHING that he asks of us?
Bro. Rene