18 April 2016 - athirst is my soul

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus, you want us to have life and to have it more abundantly. In order to keep us safe from the thieves and robbers and to lead us to life you teach us to hear your voice.

When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.

You Spirit enables us to hear you. He enables us to listen. He allows us to recognize were you are at work in the world.

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them
as it had upon us at the beginning,
and I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said,
‘John baptized with water
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 

We need him so even when you tell us something hard or unexpected we can still listen.

The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. 

This is the stream of living water for which we thirst.

As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Without it we only have our own agendas to fall back on.

But I said, ‘Certainly not, sir,
because nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 

But your plans are so much better than our plans. You give us supernatural gifts in order to hear you. You give us words of wisdom and knowledge, prophecy and discernment so that we can know with concrete specificity both your plan and our part in it.

When they heard this,
they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying,
“God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.”

Teach us to come to the source and drink the water you give. If we need more of the Holy Spirit we know that you pour him out without measure. We have only to ask.


Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!