Catholic Exchange

Ez 47: 1-9 / John 5:1-16

Let’s look at Ezekiel’s vision of the temple and its river.  A few simple points to draw your attention:

• Jesus is the temple;

• The water flowing from the temple is from the open side of Jesus from the cross;

• The trickle of water becoming a river is the growth of the Church;

• This river flows into what was the Dead Sea making it now very much alive, and is the renewal of the world by the Church;

• The trees growing with fruit along the side of the river are also the wood of the cross and the fruit of Christians;

• These trees are also the tree of life mentioned in the Garden of Eden;

• This fruit is available to us because of Christ;

• And nothing of these trees goes to waste: even the leaves which do not fade bring life.

So come to the Tree of Life, the Temple of God’s Glory, the Joy of Christians, the Life of the world.

Jesus said “Come to me all you are weary and heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.”