We know that water is essential for life. God created us with a built-in mechanism in our body, when we get thirsty, we know it’s time to consume water or other liquids. In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks about another built-in mechanism, which we could call a spiritual thirst. Only God can satisfy this thirst. St. Augustine describes this thirst for God. “Our hearts are made for God, and they will not rest, until they rest in God.” So it is not a thirst of the body, but of the soul. …whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
In the first reading from the Book of Exodus, the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “Why did you every make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?” God satisfies their thirst. He tells Moses: Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink. We see that the people experience physical thirst and respond with ingratitude and lack of trust in God. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works” (Ps95:8-9) Only God can satisfy all of our true needs. Lent is a time to reflect on what may be taking the place of God at the center of our lives.
St. Paul in his letter to the Romans writes about how much God loves us. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. We are called to witness to God’s great love for us through living a life of love and service.
The woman at the well in today’s gospel in her encounter with Jesus Christ, experiences a growth in faith and a conversion of the heart. She becomes a disciple. Many more began to believe in him because of his word, and they said to the woman, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.” May we too experience a conversion of the heart that leads to bringing others to Jesus!
God bless us all always!
Deacon Mike