The River of the Water of Life

A Letter to You, Beloved of Christ: Section I

 

The Holy Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life" (Lumen Gentium, no. 11; CCC, 1324). This may not be new to you; but truly do we understand what this entails? What then of a Christian life that neglects the Holy Eucharist?

The Holy Eucharist is Christ Himself, and He says: “Come to me, you who desire me, and eat your fill of my produce.” (Sir 24:19); come and eat for “I am the Bread of Life, he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn 6:35). “The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh” (Jn 6:51b). “I am poured out like water” (Ps 22:14), says the Lord, and “whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst” (Jn 4:14). I am the fountain of the water of life and I poured Myself out on Calvary, and from the abundance of my Sacred Heart did flow the water of life when My heart was pierced; for scripture reads: “one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water” (Jn 19:34).

“By means of the Mystery of the Eucharist, the Sacrifice of the Cross which was once carried out on Calvary is re-enacted in wonderful fashion and is constantly recalled, and its salvific power is applied to the forgiving of the sins we commit each day." (Mysterium Fidei, 27, Pope Paul VI, 1965). The Fountain of the Water of Life which is Christ, which was opened up on Calvary is made present in the Holy Eucharist. At every Holy Mass therefore our souls when we receive our Lord are flooded with the water of Life; and the seed of God’s Word, which is Christ within us is watered, and He grows, He increases as we decrease. Thus the “waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert, the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water” (Is 35: 6b-7).

Our Lord on the Cross before He died exclaimed “It is accomplished!” (Jn 19:30), the flesh and sin was conquered once and for all. Death was defeated and “the river of the water of life” (Rev 22: 1) was opened up for us. The river which we must follow upstream within the Ark which is Mary; to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the door of the wound of His Heart which is Holy Eucharist.

Thus says the Lord: “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life” (Rev 21: 6).