God meets that thirst through Jesus Christ, Who is all we ever need. That's why Jesus crossed a cultural barrier to reach out to a woman at the well, because He knew what she needed, even as He started the conversation by requesting a drink, which was a sign of the greater spiritual thirst we experience as humans. When she acknowledge Him as the Messiah, her needs were met, and she went to tell others. Jesus ended up staying there, because they welcomed Him truly as God's presence meeting their deep sense of need.
During this Season of Lent, we're called to recognize our needs and reach out to Jesus Christ, not simply wallowing in what we lack, as did the Hebrews. We are called to a deeper level of trust in the One Who met our greatest need, through pouring out His love for us. He did so in a powerful way: As St. Paul writes, Jesus demonstrated God's love for us by dying for us sinners. As saved people, we worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, by living in a way that reflects His presence at work in our lives. And we proclaim the reality of the Messiah Who dwells among us, quenching our thirst, and transforming our lives as we live in the hope we have in Christ.
I think again about how I first visited St. Augustine Misison on the 3rd Sunday of Lent 10 years ago. It is a ministry that manifests God's presence by meeting the needs of the people there, even as we took part in helping with the ministry during our week there, and opened ourselves to God's working in us.
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