The apostle John recorded what he saw; he saw that the body of the Lord was actually going through death; although this made John reflect on the sacraments…
When they approached Jesus and saw that he was dead, they did not break his legs. But one soldier pierced His side with a spear. Immediately, blood and water flowed out (John 19:33-34).
John, who witnessed and recorded this event in the Gospels, did not explain the outpouring of "blood and water" medically. For John - likened to a 'phoenix' because of the evangelist's spiritual insight, God sent a message of blood and water to refer to Baptism and the Eucharist, saying to boundless mercy.
But the profound spiritual significance of the event does not negate the possibility of a medical explanation.
In this regard, Dr Antony de Bono – a retired cardiothoracic surgeon – feels that there is a simple reason for the “blood and water” to come out.
He wrote:
Jesus fell into a hemothorax where, in an immobile corpse, the blood splits into two layers: the heavier red cells sink below and the light plasma water sits above. Hemothorax is the result of brutal torture.
Pulling out the spear resulted in first the flushing of red cells (blood), then lighter plasma (water).
The body of Jesus hung on the cross, having been dead for some time. It is clear that fluid must have accumulated during His life when blood gushed out of the chest cavity due to the brutal beatings.
It is known that in these cases, in a dead body, the blood begins to separate, and to settle, the heavier red cells sink to the bottom, leaving the lighter straw yellow liquid plasma at the bottom. above.
When the spear made the hole, the red cells - which John called blood - poured out first, followed by the plasma - which John called water - out after.
The doctor further reported: “I can think of no other explanation: technically, this process of fluid draining out of the chest resembles a pleural puncture.”
As we contemplate Jesus' love for us, revealed to us in total emptying, we thank Him not only for His infinite mercy, but also for His selfless giving. His humanity for us, a merciful love so sublime that it made Him hang on the cross.