March 1/Second Thursday of Lent
He is like a tree planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. ~ Ps 1.3
Having grown up in a coastal city, I often experience the presence of God by the water. When I walk along the shoreline, the magnificence of the ocean’s span reflects back to me the boundless power of its creator; when I look out at the harbor, I see the deep currents of faith mirrored in the complex movements of the waters. Since ancient times, places of prayer have been situated near bodies of water. In Psalm 137, the exiled people of Israel sit down and weep by the rivers of Babylon; in Acts 16, Paul describes going down to the river to pray outside the city gates of Philippi. Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, and Christians everywhere experience a new birth through the waters of that same sacrament. In today’s psalm, the believer who follows God’s law of love is held up as an example for us. If we, like the psalmist, set down spiritual roots near the flowing, vital water of God, we will be shielded from the heat and dryness that may beset us at times. But “location, location, location” is not of itself sufficient. We cannot just sit there: we must allow our roots to stretch out towards our Lord, towards the abundant stream of his love, and not keep ourselves bound up in a root ball or confined in a burlap bag. If we can forge and sustain a connection to the living water, we will grow to be all that God wants us to be, and we will become fruitful bearers of his love.
Almighty God, Direct me to your life-giving water, and grant that I may remain there always. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030118.cfm
To listen to “Down to the River to Pray,” click here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSif77IVQdY
To listen to “Waters of Babylon,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTnspbSjKVc
