Back to the future

Desert and water

Thirst can kill you

We live in a water-rich part of the world,

We almost never have any real fear of dying of thirst.

We get thirsty but there is always relief.

It’s different in the desert; thirst can kill you.

Early in my stay in Palestine, I underestimated the amount of water I would need for a day in the desert.

It didn’t go well.

I got dehydrated. In my thirst, I violated the first rule of travel:

Don’t drink the water (dummy).

Fortunately, I lived to regret my lapse. There’s no need for details

but the next four months in Palestine (and for a while afterward)

I lived with a fierce headache.

Jesus clearly knew better

— He stopped for water;

but for more than that,

Jesus wants everyone to come to eternal life, including Samaritans.

The woman Jesus meets

Comes to recognize Jesus in stages:

I can see that you are a prophet

“ the messiah

“ the expected savior.

Finally, the townspeople tell Jesus what the woman told them:

“… you are the savior of the world”

Lent

Every year, Lent takes us through the journey from

the contested waters at Meribah

to Jesus, who brings the water ‘springing up into eternal life’

Every year, catechumens are brought to this water to begin their new life in Christ.

Every year, Through, prayer, fasting and almsgiving, Lent invites us to review our journey;

to repent our failings, renew our commitments, and plan how we can better live out our ties

to God in love, service, solidarity, justice and charity at home and throughout the world.

We fallible humans forget the glory of the life into which we were plunged at Baptism.

Now we have the chance to be revived by this season, renewed in our commitments to one another and

to those who need help.

This is also a chance to find better ways to serve peoples’ real needs in practical fact.

Then, as catechumens enter new life, we re-enter it with new fervor,

equipped to be better followers of Christ, and better servants of the poor.