"Risen Lamb Writings"

"The Four Chambers of Love"

          In John 7:37-38, Jesus says:

"Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of living water will flow from within him'".

These "rivers"--rivers of Blood and Water--began to flow as Jesus' heart was pierced on the cross for love of us. Genesis 2:10 says, "A river rises in Eden to water the garden; beyond there it divides and becomes four branches". In much of the account of creation found in chapters one and two of The Book of Genesis , creation is spoken of in the past tense as something that God has already finished. Yet here in verse 10 all of the verbs are in the present tense. These "living waters" are available to us now. They are a present moment reality. During this season of the Resurrection we are reminded that the pierced heart of Jesus always remains opened for us even now as he sits at the right Hand of the Father living forever to intercede for us. From the wounded side of Jesus, from his pierced heart within, flows a clear and sweet stream, a secret current, from a hidden spring. All are invited to draw water from the deep wells of the Lamb. These living waters come forth from Jesus' deep, personal Love.

          St. Bonaventure and St. Hippolytus --to name only two writers--each speak of these four rivers in his own way. St. Bonaventure says:

"This is the spring flowing out of the middle of paradise dividing into four rivers, inundating devout hearts from a fountain watering the whole earth and making it fertile"

(St. Bonaventure, cited in LH, vol. III, p.635, Sol. of the Sacred Heart)

Thirsty, devoted hearts are invited to drink of the love of the One whom they seek. The Lord speaks to us through the Prophet Malachi:

"Shall I not open for you the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessing upon you without measure?"

(Mal. 3:10)

   St. Hippolytus of Rome says:

"The stream of the four waters flowing from Christ we see in the Church. He is the stream of living waters, and he is preached by the four evangelists. Flowing over the whole earth, he sanctifies all who believe in him" (St. Hipploytus, cited in Heart of the Redeemer, by Timothy O'Donnell, p. 81)

St. Paul reminds us:

"Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world"

(Rom. 10:18).

          It is the heart of Jesus that gives life to the Church, and through the Church to the world. Like the river that rises in Eden to water the garden, Jesus, the "fountain of living water" waters the "garden" of the Church, his Mystical Body, with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. The Church, in turn, becomes like a fountain. In The Song of Songs, the lover says of his beloved: "You are a garden fountain, a well of water flowing fresh from Lebanon" (Songs 4:15). For intercessors, might we say that from each of the four chambers of the pierced heart of Jesus comes forth a "river of life" in which to drink from. From these "four chambers of love" flow four crystal clear "rivers" which intercessors are invited to quench their thirst from: The "river" of charismatic spirituality; the "river" of contemplative spirituality; the "river" of Marion spirituality; and the "river" of Eucharistic spirituality. From the wounded side of Jesus flows the unfathomable riches of these four spiritualities which support, nurture and sustain this charism of intercessory prayer. These come from the pierced heart of Jesus and then through the "heart" of the Church. We are reminded that this charism of intercessory prayer comes primarily from the pierced heart of Jesus on the cross.

Questions:

1) Where do I find "life-giving streams" in my life?

2) Am I drinking from these four rivers of spirituality?

Scriptures:      

Any scripture from the text; Is. 12:3; Is. 55:1A; John 4:14; Rev. 22:17