Friday, September 16 : Saint John Chrysostom

Would you like to know what power is concealed in Christ’s blood? See from where its outpouring begins and where it has its source: it flows down from the cross and from the Lord’s side. As Jesus, now dead, still hung on the cross, says the Gospel, the soldier came up, “thrust his lance into his side and blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19,34). That water was the symbol of baptism and the blood was that of the eucharistic mysteries… It was the soldier, then, who opened his side; he pierced the defences of the holy temple; and I, I found this treasure and made of it my wealth… “And blood and water flowed from his side.” Don’t pass over this mystery without a thought… As I said, this water and blood were symbols of baptism and the eucharistic mysteries. Now the Church was born from those two sacraments: through the bath of rebirth and renewal in the Spirit – baptism in other words – and through the mysteries. But the outward signs of baptism and the mysteries issued from his side. Therefore Christ formed the Church from his side just as he formed Eve from Adam’s side (Gn 2,22). Hence Paul said, referring to the Lord’s side: “We are of his flesh and bones” (cf. Acts 17,29; Gn 2,23). Indeed, just as the Lord took flesh from Adam’s side so as to form woman, so Christ gave us blood and water from his side to form the Church. And just as in former times he took flesh from Adam’s side while outside himself in sleep, so now he gives us the blood and water after his death…, for from now on death is no more than a sleep. Have you seen how Christ has betrothed his bride? Have you see what food he gives us all? It is from the same food that we are born and nourished. Just as woman conceives children from her own blood and feeds them with her milk, so Christ continually feeds those he has conceived with his
maronite readings – rosary,team