It is 24th March 2020. The readings are from Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; and the Gospel from John 5:1-3, 5-16. Every civilization either began or existed near a river or around a water source. “You shall worship the Lord your God, and I will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from among you.” (Exodus 23:25). Without water no human can live for long. Water is the most essential necessity. Water heals us. Water presents to us as a blessing in the form of sea, rain, tears, vapor, fog, mist, and hailstorm. Whatever the form of water still it can heal people in its richness and grandeur. God offers the living water through His Only Beloved Son Jesus. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” (Jn.4:10). But those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” (Jn.4:14). We all leapt into this living water during the Sacrament of Baptism which we would be celebrating on the Easter Sunday. From then on, our hearts are capable of gushing forth the living water. “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” (Jn.7:38). Our generosity is seen in sharing this water with the other and return we get it abundance. “A generous person will be enriched, and the one who gives water will get water.” (Proverbs 11:25). God in His beloved Son Jesus presents to us time immemorial as the living water yet our hearts are looking for other streams and creeks. “For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13). When we believe and surrender our lives and looking for the healing and relief, we can always lead to the streams flow from the temple of God as presented in the first reading. “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3). God alone can quench our thirst. No other source can quench the eternal thirst of our souls. “I, the Lord, am its keeper; every moment I water it. I guard it night and day so that no one can harm it.” (Isaiah 27:3). The responsorial Psalm intercedes, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.” The Gospel invites us to introspect ourselves and reminds us not to return to our sinful ways when we are healed by the Lord, the Life-giving water. “Jesus said to him, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” (Jn.5: 14). Unless we are soaked in the living water, we are not going to be well. It is not our effort alone but it is the mercy of our Lord and goodness shown to all of us. “Let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22). May we accept and believe this living water that can heal us. May you have a good day. God bless you.