June 7, 2020

The last day of the Feast of Tabernacles commemorated what happened during the Israelites’ trek through the wilderness when, Moses at God’s command, smote a rock to bring water to thirsty people. In celebration the priests poured out water with choral song.

While they stood with their empty water containers, the temple’s silence was pierced with a loud voice, “If any one thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” It was Jesus, unknown at that point to the temple crowd, who spoke the words.

“If anyone thirst...” The basis of humankind’s longing and desire is thirst for God. Jesus presents himself as the answer and fulfillment of that thirst: “Let him come to Me,” Our Lord stands before the crowd as the One who knows its deep thirsts, takes account of any created thing to satisfy our inner needs, and assumes the divine prerogative by saying: He who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:34).

Jesus then says, “Let him come to Me and drink.” It isn’t enough to come to Jesus; one must drink – embrace, enter into, commit oneself to, appropriate Christ and the life He offers to all. It is the Holy Spirit working in and through us who makes all this possible in our lives.