March 3, 2002

How long can a fish survive out of water? Not very long! In the same way, a Christian cannot survive very long out of the living water we hear about in today's Gospel. Our faith comes alive when we are immersed in the life of Christ that we share in the Christian Community.

In today's Exodus reading, the fearful Israelites, sure they were dying of thirst, could have split up and gone separate ways, but they did not. Perhaps if they had separated, they would have died in the desert. By remaining united behind Moses, they found the water they needed to keep their community and their faith alive. Little by little, they developed a religious culture that supported them in their effort to follow the Lord. They encouraged one another when they felt disheartened by remembering God's great words and deeds. The people of God thrived in the life-giving, life-sustaining, "watered" environment.

Like the Israelites, we cannot follow Christ as isolated going our separate ways. Our hearts would become hard and parched like the desert or the Samaritan woman. Paul understood this well. He addressed the whole community when he spoke of "this grace in which we stand." Baptism into God's grace is not a one-time private event, but an environment within which the Christian community lives and breathes together, and outside of which no one's faith could long survive. When we jump into the living water of Christianity, we sprout gills! Instead of drowning, we breathe and drink in Christ's life giving word, Christ's saving love, Christ's nourishing self. And, as long as we stay in the water, we will never be thirsty again.

Early on, Christians began to use fish to designate themselves as followers of Jesus Christ. The fish still reminds us that we are all in this together. We need to help one another keep swimming. Like the Samaritan woman, once we are baptized, literally immersed in the life of Christ, we must share the living water with all who are thirsty.

SO THE QUESTION: HOW DOES OUR AMERICAN CULTURE HELP OR HINDER US FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST?

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