Only Jesus Satisfies

Have you ever noticed how many things in our lives are geared toward satisfying our needs and desires? Are we thirsty? We have glasses for a drink of water. Hungry? There is a cupboard that stores our food. Tired? There is a bed to take a nap on. Bored? There's a piece of technology at our fingertips to entertain us.

The thing about our natural desires is that they are only ever temporarily quenched. Regardless of how much water you drink you will get thirsty again. No matter how much you eat, you will get hungry again. That's just part of being human. But what of the deeper desires within us? The longings of the heart? The need for peace, for acceptance, purpose and meaning - for which a temporary quenching only leaves us deeply dissatisfied.

In today's reading, Jesus speaks with a woman at a well in Samaria. In their conversation, he makes the radical claim that those who drink of the water he gives, will never thirst again. Or in other words, what he offers, is not temporary, but a deep, abiding satisfaction for the human heart.

Reflection Questions:

• Reflect upon the longings of your own heart. What are some of the deep desires you notice within yourself?
• To what or to whom have you been turning of late in order to find this heart satisfaction?
• How might Jesus be offering you a deep and abiding alternative?