Life-giving Waters

Today's first reading, Ez 47: 1-9, 12, tells the story of an angel bringing Ezekiel to the entrance of the temple. Water was trickling from the right side out toward the east. At first it was ankle deep. Then knee deep, waist deep and finally too deep to wade through. You had to swim, as it had become a deep river of fresh water flowing to the salty sea, making the sea water fresh.  Anything along the banks of the river flourished and produced abundant fruit! The angel asked Ezekiel to sit at the bank of the river. From the bank he saw the richness of the foliage.

That River flows to this very day to the ends of the earth, touching all of our lives.  When  I sit at the Source of that River of grace, I, too, am refreshed, renewed, purified and bear an abundance of fruit! 

Parts of life are like that river; that is, it is too deep or dangerous to cross without a lifeguard. That lifeguard is Jesus.  Many times, also, we will find ourselves in situations portrayed in today's Gospel, John 5: 1-16.  The cripple man, ill for 38 years and unable to get down to the healing waters of the Bethesda pool, needed someone to intervene for him.  Jesus does just that and continues doing so for you and me every day of our lives til the day He retuns to take us home to our Father God. Are we even aware that we need Jesus' help?