Two weeks ago today, we witnessed an amazing event. Four astronauts from the International Space Station, two of whom had been there for 9 months, returned to Earth on a beautiful day by splashing down in the picturesque waters off the coast of Tallahassee. To add to the joy of this occasion, the first visitors to welcome them back were a pod of dolphins who immediately circled their capsule as if they were a planned part of this exciting reentry event! These coastal waters were, indeed, full of life and definitely lifegiving for this mission crew as they bobbed around waiting to be reunited with the rescue team.
In our readings today, we also heard about lifegiving waters. We’re not hearing any Lenten ‘repent’ messages today, just messages of hope and new life. In Ezekiel, the waters began as a stream and eventually became a river that gave life to everything it soaked and splattered…trees, vegetation, fish, and even salted seas. In the gospel, the water in the pool of Bethesda was believed to have life-giving, healing powers, otherwise, why would a lame man sit there for 38 years waiting to be cured? Eventually it was Jesus who lovingly gave healing and new life to this man. This healing flowed from Jesus like the water in Ezechial’s vision.
All these water images represent God’s care for us, God’s power and love for us in our everyday lives. Perhaps we need to be reminded of this message now. It’s easy to overlook God’s presence among us when we’re consumed with so many cares right now: in our country, in our communities, in our families and among our friends. It could be all exhausting if we allowed it to overwhelm us. Instead of peaceful, soothing waters around us, it seems like our waters are troubled.
During these times while we minister to those in need and work for social justice for the oppressed, as the lifegiving waters of our baptism call us to do, it is also well to remember the comforting and welcoming words of Psalm 46 today which says:
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not…
In a few weeks, we will be sprinkled anew with the Easter baptismal waters. Could we even begin to show our overwhelming joy and gratitude for these lifegiving waters much like the joy we heard of at the pool of Bethsaida and witnessed in the waters of the Florida coast?
