jim henson

I was saying the Jesus Prayer today and realized that both it and today's Gospel use the word "living".

Living Water
Today's Gospel from John tells the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus tells her that if she knew who He was and knew "the Gift of God" He would give her "Living Water."

Living water is water that is not stagnant--it is flowing and moving; it sustains life.  The early Church used to baptize in "living water".

The Jesus Prayer
Many Orthodox and other Christians pray The Jesus Prayer daily:

God is the "Living Water" Christ speaks of.  He is the Uncreated Energy.  He sustains all life.

If we meditate on that image, we discover that our troubled, stagnant lives are but a drop in the ocean of God's merciful love.  When we have stopped feeling, stopped caring and stopped moving forward, if we allow ourselves to become a drop in the deep ocean of God's caring love He will dissolve all our temporal shortcomings and cares and we will become one with Our Lord who cares for us so deeply.

Say the Jesus Prayer slowly, meditating on each word, and ask God to allow you to become one with Him.