Come to the spring of living water
LENT 2020 – Day 28
Readings: Ezek 47, 1-9.12; Ps 45, 2-3, 5-6, 8-9; Jn 5, 1-3, 5-16
In that enigmatic passage from the prophet Ezekiel, Water is a dominant image: “water issuing from below the threshold of the temple.” The Angel takes the prophet on a guided tour of the temple; and the more they go round the more they get immersed in those waters. Nonetheless, the water image spelled hope for a land that suffered from drought. It was God's promise to His people in exile in Babylon, an invitation to return to their land.
In the present days, never mind the grim picture of Covid-19, we too see signs of God healing and restoring the environment following the global slowdown. The physical environment apart, for us who belong to Christ it is the spiritual environment that we regard as decisive. It is therefore significant that Ezekiel’s vision points to none other than Christ as being that Temple. In fact, Christ is the spring of living water, who said, “Whoever believes in me… out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn. 7, 38). It’s a grace He gives us at the baptismal font, but which by and by we sully with sin.
That is precisely why we need the Master Physician. Look at the marvels He performed at the pool by the Sheep Gate. In it lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralysed. They hoped that the waters “stirred” by the Angel would heal them. Meanwhile, Jesus cured the lame man, and went His way, but the cure stirred up a hornet's nest since that day was the Sabbath.
Now compare the Jewish protocol with the new one established by Him who came to perfect the law. The Jews bided their time to find fault and accuse others whereas Jesus opened up new horizons. He was keen on saving the people from physical and spiritual illnesses.
The relation between the two readings is now evident. We have to put all those vicious minds in our midst, those “stagnant waters of the sea”, behind us and go ahead and immerse ourselves in the living waters that spring forth from Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.... “Come, consider the works of the Lord, the redoubtable deeds He has done on the earth.”
