According to scientists, our planet’s surface is covered by water. About 71% of the world has water, and the oceans retain 96.5% of all the Earth’s water. Water is also present in the air as vapors, clouds, ice, and glaciers. We have rivers and lakes as well. If you want to see water, just go, and visit our Lake Ontario, about 10 minutes away from our parish.
Water is an essential element for the lives of all nature and creation. All of us need water. Animals, plants, and human beings need this precious element of creation for living. For instance, the Greek philosopher Thales of Milletus, remembering as one of the first philosophers who talked about Cosmos and his originating principle (Αρχη φψσισ – Arche physis), says that water as the essence of all matter. Everything has water and needs water to exist. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato sì, highlights the importance to care for water because it is a great resource provided by God. Water is not only for our generations, but for all generations to come.
The book of Genesis in its first chapter says that the Spirit of God was over the waters (cf. Gen. 1:1). God created Adam (humans) from dust (earth and water). God used the image of water in the creation to tell us the importance of it for all of us and the necessity to use it for our own benefit. In the Gospel, Jesus has a conversation with the Samaritan Woman. Jesus said to her that He is the living water (cf. John 4:10). If the Lord Jesus said to this woman, and He is saying to us, that He is the living water, and we know how important the water is for our lives, why do we not go to drink from the water who is giving us the eternal life? The Lord Jesus is the living water who will calm our thirst for righteousness, justice, and love. Once we received water in our baptism, but we need to come always to receive more of this living water in the reception of the sacraments, especially the sacrament of Reconciliation and Eucharist.
Imagine yourself walking through a desert without water. How many miles can you walk without the necessity to drink water? In the same way, we cannot walk in this world without the living water. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can calm our thirst.
Hopefully, all of us really understand the real importance to care for the water of our planet, and the im- portance of receiving the living water, Jesus Christ.
God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez
