“…after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead…one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.” (Jn 33-34)

The opening of the side of Our Lord is one of the many openings at His death: The Temple curtain was rent, the earth split apart, and the tombs were opened (Mt 27:50-52). Imagine the unimaginable terror that seized the citizens of Jerusalem! The curtain of the Holy of Holies is split, the earth quakes, and the dead are reanimated unto life! Such a tremendous affair that would rend the foundations of faith and reason.

In the Law of Moses, only the High Priest would be allowed to enter unto the Holy of Holies but only once a year for the Feast of Expiation (Lev 16:2); this sacred space contained the Ark of the Covenant, the mercy seat where the presence of God resided. The New Temple is the Sacred Body of Our Lord (Jn 19-21), then the Holy of Holies is surely His Most Sacred Heart – the Heart which pierced through brought forth blood and water, or life and sanctification. It was not the piercing of His Heart that caused His death, rather it was His death that opened His Heart. In other words, through His death, His infinite Love is truly revealed and salvation is poured forth to all.

The True High Priest, both victim and priest, reaches out to all men and brings them into the Holy of Holies, to dwell and be secure. The Ark of Noah, perhaps, prefigures this action by Our High Priest: the opening of the side of the Ark leads to salvation. St. Augustine says:

“That blood was shed for the remission of sins; that water it is that makes up the health-giving cup, and supplies at once the laver of baptism and water for drinking. This was announced beforehand, when Noah was commanded to make a door in the side of the ark, by which the animals that were not to perish by the deluge entered; which animals prefigured the Church.” – St Augustine, In Evangelium Ioannis Tractatus, CXX, 2 on Jn 19:31.

The King of Jerusalem, Hezikiah, would order the building of the Siloam Tunnel, which was built to provide water to the city and the Temple – to sustain it’s life – during the siege by Sennacherib. The Prophet Ezekiel, perhaps given that divine inspiration, saw this and knew the symbolism when he proclaimed that the waters would purify the seas (Ez 47:1). This is proclaimed during the Eastertide in the Vidi Aquam, recognizing the salvific graces poured forth from the side of the true Temple. During times of tribulation, we must rely on that living water, the Precious Blood contained in the Eucharist.

This “blood and water” poured out of the New Temple harkens to the ritual wine libations offered at the base of the Temple and the victims thereof (Ex 29:37-46; Sir 50:15-17). In Jewish Mishnah, the rabbis indicate that during the Feast of Tabernacles that living water (of a spring or rain) would be poured alongside the wine on the Temple (Mishnah Sukkah 5:1). The Holy of Holies, the Sacred Heart which poured forth Blood and Water, culminates in the salvific and nourishing sacraments of the Eucharist and of Baptism, both which wash away sin and restores the soul to God.

Let all men consecrate themselves to the Sacred Heart, which pours forth the means for salvation for all by means of the sacraments.