Drink Deeply of the Living Water

In our Savior’s dialogue with the Samaritan woman (John 4), we are reminded of the words of Jeremiah 2:13:

For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

In our society, so many are thirsting for God in a land of shallow wells.

St. Cyril writes on the Samaritan Woman and says:

Next we must realize that the Savior here calls the grace of the Holy Spirit “water.” If anyone should become a participant of it, they will then have a supply of divine knowledge springing up in them so that they no longer need admonition from others. Instead, they will be sufficient and capable to exhort with ease those who thirst for the divine and heavenly word. These were the saints, prophets and apostles during their lives while they were still living on earth, and the heirs of their service, concerning whom it is written, “Draw water with joy from the springs of salvation.”

The verse St. Cyril is referring to is Isaiah 12:3 - “Therefore with joy you will draw water, From the wells of salvation.”

The Orthodox Church, through the sacramental life, provides for us the ability to draw our water from the wells of salvation.. These deep wells cultivate the Fountain of Living Water flowing within us. We can pray daily, with confidence:

O Heavenly King, the Spirit of Truth, the Paraclete, Who is everywhere and fills everybody. Graciously come and dwell within us. Purify us from all iniquity. Save our souls.