Hos 11:1, 3-4, 8c-9; Eph. 3:8-12, 14-19; Jn. 19:31-37
“An eye witness has testified, and his testimony is true…so that you also may come to believe”. The eye witness standing at the side of Jesus was “his mother and the disciple there whom he loved” John. Believe what? Believe in death, no that we already accept. Believe in him who died for us that we may have life everlasting. Believe in the love of his sacred heart joined to our Blessed Mother’s Immaculate Heart. The mystery of love is not one heart but one body in Christ who suffered and died united to the hearts of many. Israel is a child and a nation he has “called my son”. God stooped to feed a nation of Israel and Jesus stoops to feed his people in the Eucharist. The transubstantiation of the host into his body and blood is the daily miracle we receive today.

Eucharistic miracles when studied are always identified as flesh from a heart and AB type blood. One recent Eucharistic miracle occurred on August 18, 1996 in the church of Santa Maria y Caballito Almagro in Buenos Aires Argentina under the auspices of Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio, our Pope Francis. (Mieczyslaw Piotrowski 2010 “Eucharistic Miracle in Buenos Aires in Love One Another “ A team of five scientists were assembled and concluded:

“The analyzed material is a fragment of the heart muscle found in the wall of the left ventricle close to the valves. This muscle is responsible for the contraction of the heart. It should be borne in mind that the left cardiac ventricle pumps blood to all parts of the body. The heart muscle is in an inflammatory condition and contains a large number of white blood cells. This indicates that the heart was alive at the time the sample was taken. It is my contention that the heart was alive, since white blood cells die outside a living organism. They require a living organism to sustain them. Thus, their presence indicates that the heart had been under severe stress, as if the owner had been beaten severely about the chest.

The scientists were not told that this human heart sample came from a host. Let us reflect on this one statement, “The heart was alive at the time the sample was taken.” It comes from a host. This is an indication of the living presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. This is also the tortured heart of Jesus that still bleeds for our sins and those of the whole world. From the Sacred Heart of Jesus comes the blood and water to wash away our sins in his divine mercy. Historical meaning of blood carried the life of animals and soul of humans. Science reveals the heart pumps the blood which carries the impurities of the body to be cleansed by the organs which in Jesus is a sign of our sins being washed away.

Christ brings to “light for all what is the plan of the mystery…so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church…according to the eternal purpose. “As Eve was formed from the sleeping Adam’s side, so the church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross” (CCC 766). The eternal purpose is salvation through Jesus Christ. The Eucharist is his coming through the church for our times. The church is the living organism in the Mystical body of Christ. The body is made up of millions of cells that organizes into a living organism with a soul for a divine purpose. The baptized are a cell in the body of Christ through the Holy Spirit born into a spiritual organism with Christ as the invisible head and the Vicar of Christ, our Holy Father who direct the church on earth.

In our times we have many who call themselves Christians but who do not see a need for church. They identify themselves as having a personal relationship with God, many pray, some may offer penance, others just call on God in time of need. Why go to church? Can a branch separated from the vine survive if not united to the source of life? When the test of faith comes as it is destined to happen, will the branch wither and die from lack of grace to persevere in trial? It is in the unity of the body, the church suffering, the church militant, and the church triumphant together we receive the springs of salvation.

In contrast those who “draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation” receive “the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self…” In the inner self we encounter Christ in the Eucharist, his most Sacred Heart “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones” the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge. The heart of Jesus is humble, overwhelmed with love and stirred with pity for the lost, the broken, the sorrowful, the sinful, for you and me. His mercy endures forever. The heart of Jesus raises the heart of the humble as an “infant to his cheeks” for the kiss of life.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary remains next to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Her heart is pierced and she weeps for her children.  The love of a Father who offered up his Son for our salvation is comforted by the love of a mother who carried him in the womb, kissed his cheeks, presented him at the temple and stood by him at the cross.  Love unconditional is perfect love and we are created in his image to receive that love and to go forth and love one another.