“I Thirst”
These words, spoken by Jesus and recorded in the scripture, are living words, which he speaks anew to our hearts every day. During this Season of Lent, as we approach Holy Week, the words of Jesus spoken from the Cross are especially powerful. In John’s Gospel we hear Jesus cry out from the Cross “I thirst” (Jn.19:28b). What is Jesus thirsting for? Who is Jesus thirsting for?
“Behold I stand at the door and knock…” (Rev.3:20)
“It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter… I Thirst For You. I thirst to love and to be loved by you … Come to Me and I will fill your heart and heal your wounds. I will make you a new creation, and give you peace. Even in all your trials. I Thirst For You. You must never doubt my mercy, My acceptance of you, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you. I Thirst For You. If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all. For Me, there is no one more important in the entire world than you. I Thirst For You. Open to me, come to Me, thirst for Me, give me your life – and I will prove to you how important you are to My heart.”
-from a meditation by Mother Teresa
Jesus, Vulnerable in Love
The Lord makes Himself vulnerable to us in the Eucharist. He gives Himself completely, His own Body, His own Heart. He thirsts so much for us to receive Him. He takes the risk of being ignored, misbelieved and poorly treated. He makes himself totally small and helpless so as to draw us to Himself, just as he drew the Samaritan woman in His vulnerable thirst. Such a tender, gentle, reverent heart He has, never forcing Himself, always reaching out, always hoping. Let Him love you. Sit in His presence in the Eucharist and feel His delight in you. Allow yourself to be vulnerable with Him; Jesus is trustworthy.
In his Message for Lent, the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI writes: “On the Cross, it is God Himself who begs the love of His creature: He is thirsty for the love of every one of us… The response the Lord ardently desires of us is above all that we welcome His love and allow ourselves to be drawn to Him. Accepting His love, however, is not enough. We need to respond to such love and devote ourselves to communicating it to others.”
The Grace of Vulnerability
In His vulnerability on the Cross and in the Eucharist, Jesus teaches us how to receive His love, and how to share His love with others. As we are vulnerable to His love and allow His love fills us we are able to reach out and love other people with that same vulnerable love, especially people who are difficult to love – who may be unable to receive or return our love. Cardinal O’Connor would often speak to the Sisters of Life about the Poverty of Vulnerability being at the heart of our Charism. “I have repeatedly ask the Sisters of Life to accept what comes their way, expressing, therefore, their vulnerability, their powerlessness in union with the vulnerability, the powerlessness of God’s word in the wombs of women at risk through abortion, in union with the powerlessness, the vulnerability of those babies who actually are put to death” (Cardinal O’Connor). In this spiritual poverty God’s power is revealed. He pours out His grace, giving women the strength to say YES to life in the most difficult circumstances.
Vulnerable in our Human Experiences
God unfolds each moment of our lives according to His loving will. Everything that He gives us, joyful and sorrowful, is held in His will and is an expression of His love for us. All is designed to unite us more closely to Him. It is a poverty, a vulnerability, to accept whatever God gives us. “Poverty is the inside out of Charity, it is the willing reception of whatever God loves to give us.” (Cardinal O’Connor) Jesus teaches us how to live this vulnerability on Cross and in the Eucharist. It is an awesome thing to recognize and experience God’s love in our vulnerability. He often lets His love shine through us to others when we are most vulnerable.
As Sisters of Life we have the privilege of both living with and serving young women who know what it means to be vulnerable, to be pregnant and have no one and nowhere to turn. Each of them have amazing stories of courage and grace, of how God revealed His love for them and how they were able to say Yes to that love and receive the gift of their child. They give testimony that His grace is real and love is possible. We pray that you, too, will witness the reality of grace given to the vulnerable and the glory of authentic love fully lived.
May this Holy Season be a time of incredible blessing for you. May the Lord give you the grace of vulnerability and may you hear His words, “I Thirst,” echo in your heart.