Some fun with Ezekiel

I was at mass today and the first reading from Ezekiel really struck me.
Ez 47:1-9,12 . Verses 9 and 12 struck me the most.

9 “Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
12 Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

What these prophetic words from Ezekiel immediately made me think of is the water that poured forth from the side of Christ when the spear pierced His side. This stream of water has become a river just as the one in today’s reading. All those who come to this flowing river shall live life abundantly and be made fresh. They shall be made clean from there sins, and fresh again in the new spirit of Christ. All those that receive this water, this blood of life that has been poured out for us and given us in the Eucharist, shall bear fruit that will not fail. Those who drink of this water, and live within its life giving presence will be ministers of healing to others. Christ’s blood and the water from His side is the river flowing forth from the sanctuary which is His body, to refresh and bring life to the world. We just need to keep ourselves immersed in the river of life as the fish and always stay near the river so as to drink when thirsty as the trees, so that we may bear good fruit. If we live our lives embracing the Eucharist, our life giving nourishment, as the trees and fish do the flowing river we will be fulfilled and help to further fulfill Christ’s deepest longing, to bring all to everlasting and abundant life through Him.