3rd Week of Lent: Sunday reflection

Sunday Reflection: staying hydrated with living water

Running a 10k yesterday gave me a certain appreciation for this weekend's Gospel. As I ran past a church on the route, the pastor who is also one of our vicars for clergy was passing out water to the runners. I got a much needed cup of water from him as I struggled round the corner to the next hill.

Jesus thirsts for a drink of water, but he is the source of living water. The body and the soul. We need to stay hydrated for good health in body. We also need the water of his spirit to keep us spiritually healthy.

As we struggle through the race of Lent, consider what we are drinking and for what we are thirsting. There are plenty of articles and pieces of advice out there challenging people to drink more water. I always make sure to tell my spin clients to drink a bottle during and after our ride. Where I seem to struggle more is with my stony heart. Like Moses did at Meribah and Massah, I need the Lord to open up the rock of my heart with a new spring of water. Is the Lord who he is or not?

Am I his priest or not? One more piece to meditate on: Our Lord thirsts for us, for our faith, for our trust. Insert holy, healthy priests into that general statement. He thirsts for a particular kind of minister in me and in you. Are we willing to come to him for our refreshment, or will we only consider our own bodily thirsts, in whatever that means for us?

Eat clean (drink clean?), be fit, pray well,

Fr Ryan