Thursday, April 1, 2010

Water: Living Water


I’ve been thinking a lot recently about water—-and about thirst. There are so many Scripture readings, especially in Lent, about water and our deep need for it—like the beautiful passage about the Samaritan woman at the well, to whom Jesus promised that he could give her living water: "water springing up to eternal life." To take just one other quotation, this one from the Beatitudes: "Blessed are they who thirst after righteousness." Water is also an element that bathes and purifies—and Easter is also the special season for Baptisms and for the washing away of sins.

Thinking at a lower, culinary level-—so many foods that we prepare depend on water. They are, if you will, reanimated and revivified by water: pasta, rice, beans, flour, and many other foodstuffs. Like us, they too are dried up, desiccated, perhaps freeze-dried. We need generous additions of water—-both at the literal level, and spiritually.

Let’s remember to give thanks for water.
And for our thirst for the Living Water.
And for the amazing--the truly astonishing--gift of God's thirst for us.

2 comments:

  1. Water! and Salt! Things so simple, and yet so appreciated. Thank you for reminding us!

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  2. Yes. So simple and yet so profound - reminds me of what happened to Mother Theresa on her way to a retreat, when she met a man who kept repeating "I thirst!" - but when she looked better there was nobody there... That sent her on her way.

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