Our need for water is a theme found in both the reading from Exodus and the Gospel today. In the Old Testament passage, God provided water when the Israelites complained they were going to die of thirst. In the Gospel, Jesus promised the Samaritan woman water that would quench her thirst completely, but he was speaking of the spiritual thirst the Holy Spirit can satisfy.
How do we respond to the gifts a generous God offers us? Are we like the Samaritan woman who ran back to share with her neighbors the good news of what Jesus had done for her? Or are we like the Israelites who complained about what they wanted, forgetting to thank God for what he had done for them?
One characteristic of Christian stewards, our bishops tell us, is that they receive God’s gifts gratefully. How thankful are we for what we have been given? Or are we people who are constantly complaining because we don’t have more?
