From Fr. Tom,
I can’t explain it. I can’t swim at all… never had my face under water, I don’t like getting splashed or squirted with water (no amusement park water rides for me) but I love to float on the water securely tethered to something stationary WITH a life jacket and riding in a boat. I own a boat because I like riding in it. Somebody else usually drives it. Every summer on our camping trips I watch children and teen agers diving off the boat, riding on those big tubes and sometimes getting thrown off and they seem to have a lot of fun. To me that would be hell on earth and certain death! Forgive my rantings about water, but it is very prevalent is today’s readings. Water is the answer to Moses’ prayer, it is life giving and refreshing to the early Israelites in the desert, and a tool for Jesus to help the woman at the well become aware of her spiritual potential even with her checkered past. Water is always the first choice in cleaning, it is sometimes called the “universal solvent.” No wonder this image and use of water appears so many times in scripture referring to purification and rejuvenating. These are our Lenten themes right now. Where do we need refreshment and cleansing?

God bless you.