"Risen
Lamb Writings"
"The Eastern Flow of Intercession"
The
Heart of Jesus is the 'innermost Sanctuary' of the Temple which is his Body.
His heart is "The Sanctuary of sanctuaries and the Love of loves" (The
Admirable Heart of Mary. St. John Eudes, p. 261).
On the cross, as the 'outer wall of the Temple' was breached by the soldier's
lance, the Love of God poured out. From the wealth of the wounded side of
Jesus, the world--"the land of thirsts"--is watered with life: "What sweetness
in this pierced side. That wound has revealed to us the treasures of his
goodness, that is to say, the love of His Heart for us" (St. Anselm, cited in Heart
of the Redeemer, p. 93).
In
the vision described by the Prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 47:1-12, we behold the
"eastern flow" of the wonderful stream of living water that flows eastward,
coming from the altar in the sanctuary. As we have already mentioned in a
previous teaching, the pierced Heart of Jesus on the cross fulfills this
prophetic vision. The temple flow of water comes from the Sacred Altar of his
pierced Heart where he offers "For us as a sacrificial offering to God for a
fragrant aroma" (Eph. 5:2B). The prophetic oracles are fulfilled through the
piercing of his wounded side and heart: "On that day, living waters shall flow
from Jerusalem"(Zech.14:8); "A fountain shall issue from the house of the LORD"
(Joel 4:18B); "A fountain to purify from sin and uncleanness" (Zech.13:1B).
This temple flow brings forth the recreation of the world: A parched earth
becomes paradisiacal.
Intercessors
must always remain united to the "pierced Lamb", the Mystical Vine, whose
opened Heart is the one altar of the only sacrifice whose fragrance is pleasing
to God. For it is in, with, and through Jesus that love and life are sent forth
through the Body of Christ into the world. In Ezek. 47:3-6, we see the Prophet,
himself, wading in the water. An intercessor lives always in intimate union
with the Lamb. He is empowered by, and 'immersed' in, the love of God, the Holy
Spirit, that flows from the wounded side of Jesus. Also, an intercessor is
always experientially involved in some way with the graces he/she is praying
for on behalf of another.
We
note that at intervals of 1,000 cubits Ezekiel is told to wade in the water. At
the first 1,000 cubits, the water was ankle deep. In Rev. 1:13, St. John
describes the Resurrected Jesus for the first time as wearing "an ankle-length
robe". At times, intercessors are called to pray for people who, though
already baptized, do not have a 'living' faith walk with the Lord--and hence,
are not living in their true baptismal identity: "For all of you who were
baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ" (Gal. 3:27).
Unfortunately, many of the baptized have never even had an experience of
touching "the hem of Jesus' garment". For many people today the reality and
power of their baptismal grace remains unreleased. It remains a "sealed
fountain". Many today need to receive the grace of an 'awakening experience'--a
grace of heart-felt conversion and empowerment to begin to walk in their
baptismal faith as true disciples of Jesus:
"Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your glorious garments,
O Jerusalem, holy city"
(Is.
52:1)
In
the third chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter says to a man
crippled from birth, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give
you" (Acts 3:6). We are told that as "Peter took him by the right hand and
raised him up…immediately his feet and ankles grew strong . He leaped
up, stood, and walked around, and went into the temple"(Acts
3:7-8). Many of the baptized have never been in a "vertical" personal
relationship with the Lord. Hence, they have never really been able to enter
into the "temple" of their bodies to encounter God in the inner sanctuary of
their hearts. So, they have never been able to "walk" with the Lord.
Intercessors
pray today for the baptized to have a conscious experience of the new birth in
the Spirit, to feel the cleansing effect and transformation that should occur
from the holy waters of their baptism; to "inhale" for the first time the
fragrance of the sacred chrism with which they were sealed with a priestly,
prophetic and kingly identity in Jesus Christ; to realize the purity of heart
that is symbolized by the white garment; and to experience the "fire" of the
flame of faith that the lit candle symbolized on the day of their baptism. When
this grace is released in a person's life, a "first love" for Jesus begins to
come forth like a spreading perfume; together with a desire to pray, a desire
for the word of God and the things of God. In this stage of initial
conversion--the "ankle stage"--there is still much of the "flesh
of the old self" operating in one's life. One is still in "the shallow end of
the pool"; yet, on a positive note, one has begun to experience the
resurrection power from the "eastern flow", and the transformation from "glory
to glory" has begun. One is now ready to begin the journey forward into a
deeper faith walk with the Lord.
(to be
continued)
Questions:
1) Am I experiencing the full release
of my own baptismal grace?
2) Do I know someone who needs to
experience the release of their baptismal grace? Am I praying for them?
Scriptures:
Any of the scriptures in the text;
Is. 41:18; Rom. 5:5; 2 Cr. 3:17-18; Rev. 21:6.
