The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
I woke up in the middle of the night and immediately grasped for the cup on my nightstand. My throat was dry, my head pounding, and every ounce of my being clamored for water. Clutching my glass tightly, I took a huge swig and experienced immediate relief.
Any nursing mama can relate to the extreme hunger and thirst nursing brings. In my three experiences of being postpartum, I have been consistently shocked by how strong a sensation it is. I have been similarly shocked by how strong my reaction is when my thirst can’t immediately be satisfied. I really don’t like being thirsty, especially being thirsty and stuck away from a source of water. And I’m saying this coming from a decently comfortable life, a life in which I have never experienced extreme hunger and thirst like so many of our brothers and sisters around the world tragically do experience each and every day.
To be genuinely thirsty is an extremely uncomfortable feeling. Psalm 63 used in today’s Mass readings draws a beautiful analogy between the discomfort of being thirsty and our soul’s desperate need for God. The shepherd boy who becomes King David proclaims: “My soul is thirsting for You, O Lord my God.” Our souls were made for a relationship with God. God created us for no other reason than for intimate communion with Himself. As St. Augustine so beautifully phrased it many years after David: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." We need God more than we need water. Without Him we are parched and lifeless. Without Him we become desperate, clamoring for something to fill and satisfy us. We may seek to find satisfaction in other people, things, accomplishments, etc. but they will always leave us still thirsty. God alone can satisfy the thirst of our souls.
And the beautiful reality is, as much as we are thirsting for God and a relationship with Him, He is always desiring us more. He thirsts for you and for me, to be loved by us and to love us.
So take a drink of water today. Hydrate yourself and enjoy the sensation. And take that moment to invite the Lord more into your heart, to quench the deepest thirst present there, a thirst for Him and Him alone.
Gracie Muraski splits her time between Ohio and Colorado with her husband and three sons. She is passionate about reading, writing, long-distance running, and intentional conversation. You can find more of her writing here.
