As St Mark’s #LiveLent, today we focus on water. Central to all life on Earth but we know also that Jesus is a spiritual life through water – a living water – for humanity: through whom we shall never thirst.
We all need the basics; for the Samaritan woman it was water – but Jesus knew her real needs, beyond the drink of water. No doubt we have complicated histories, which have affected our lives and none of us have had smooth journeys to reach the point where we are now – but the comfort we take from Jesus conversation with the Samaritan woman is that Jesus knows our true needs, and can deliver these to us.
Today we remember John the Baptist. The cousin of Jesus, he was convinced Jesus was the true messiah – to the extent that he went to the wilderness and proclaimed the redemption of sin through the baptism of water, and a promise that one more powerful would come, to baptise with the Holy Spirit. In Advent, we prepare to welcome the Christ child, but it’s a time of repentance, and preparation for Jesus second coming. As we take this journey, will we ask Jesus through his spirit, to strengthen us?