At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and cried out, saying: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (
John 7:37-39). However, no one seemed to be interested in what Jesus was offering. No one asked him for a drink of this so-called living water.
Unwanted water
“Clarus, which water was he talking about?” “He said living water.” “What kind of water is that?” “Frankly, Gringory, I don’t know.” “Is it as good as Coca-cola?” “Actually, I think he was talking about spiritual water.” “What do you do with spiritual water? Can you serve it to your friends at a party?” “I doubt it.” “I don’t think Jerusalem is ready for that kind of water. Of what consequence is living water when what you want is Coca-Cola?”
God says: “My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns- broken cisterns that can hold no water.” (
Jeremiah 2:13).
According to Jesus, there are two types of water: natural water and living water. Of the two, the prescribed choice is living water. Jesus says: “Everyone who drinks of (natural) water shall thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (
John 4:14). What precisely is Jesus’ living water? It is the Holy Spirit.
Hard choices
