We’ve all felt thirst. We’ve had those moments when our throats were dry and uncomfortable, when all we wanted was a cool drink of water. Whether it was after a long run, a great summer day in the sun, during an illness, or a lengthy presentation at work, we all know what thirst feels like. I suspect it was quite simple for you to find a refreshing, cool beverage in those moments. You likely just had to turn on the tap, open the fridge, or catch the attention of the restaurant server. In a matter of moments, your thirst was gone and you were content.
Many in the world are without these conveniences. Many have no access to running, clean, drinking water. Many have neither the funds nor the access to purchase any sort of beverage. Many know that the water they have access to is dangerous, even life-threatening, but have no other choice so they make due. The numbers are rather staggering. 663 million people do not have access to safe water; 1 in 10 people globally. One-third of all schools globally lack access to safe water (1).
Thirst is something far more common than it should be.
People suffer from thirst who we find on the street and in the subway stations. With the heat of summer descending, they often lack access to water or other healthy beverage options.
People suffer from thirst in Flint, Michigan, due to the water crisis there. As someone who used to live in that area, those are people I know. Those I people I worshiped with at Mass.
People suffer from thirst in the garbage dump communities that scatter the globe. Having seen the shacks and tragically unsanitary conditions in these urban slums, it is heartbreaking to see families suffering the effects of drinking contaminated water and lacking proper sewer function.
People suffer from thirst in drought stricken areas and farmlands affected by climate change. I have been asked by a passion fruit and coffee farmer, “Can you help us? We no longer get enough rain. We can’t afford the more complicated irrigation systems to replace the ones we have that no longer help enough. Do you know what we can do?”
Water is so basic a need for each of us. The corporeal work of mercy, giving drink to the thirsty, is equally fundamental. Join us this week as we examine more closely how you can offer drink to the thirsty in your daily life and in extraordinary ways.
- When have you been thirsty? Is there a time when you needed someone’s help to quench your thirst? How did it feel to be dependent on another for help? How did you feel towards that person?
- Take notice today of what you drink, when you drink it, and with whom you drink it. Offer a prayer of thanks for each beverage you enjoy today.
Jennifer Delvaux
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