We offer the greeting, He offers the Living Water

 

We launch this series of writings on the week following Pentecost. And while I didn’t plan it that way, I can’t think of a better time! On Sunday we heard these words from St. John’s Gospel:


 

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” He spoke concerning the Spirit. (Gospel of St. John 7.37, 38)

What might a stranger, visiting Christ the Savior/Holy Spirit, experience? Are they encountering God, the Holy Spirit? They certainly could! And in many ways, they are - though they may not fully realize fully what is happening.

What is their experience of us? Are they encountering us as vessels of the Holy Spirit, as people from whom “rivers of living water are flowing”? Again, they could. I have at times experienced this in our community. And I am grateful for that. At other times I wasn’t in a place to experience it. I wasn’t prepared or expectant enough. In other words, I lacked the faith to encounter it.

But it also depends in part on each of us, doesn’t it? Don’t we have to be willing vessels of this Living Water? And not only that we must be prepared to share it.

How? It can begin simply enough. Even as simple as greeting someone with a handshake. Just saying something as simple as “I don’t think I’ve met you yet. My name is Kevin” as we extend our hand. Sometimes that is enough.

I met a stranger last week in Church who I now consider a friend. His name is Adam. On the surface, we are almost nothing alike. He is exactly half my age. He has a cool haircut. I have almost no hair to cut. But I sat next to him, mainly because I was running late and where I usually sit was already taken! After the service I greeted him and we talked for a bit. It turns out this was only his second time in an Orthodox Church. He has a friend who is Serbian Orthodox who introduced him to some videos online about Orthodoxy. From there he started reading fairly extensively on Orthodoxy. In talking together we realized we shared a love for fast cars and the outdoors - camping, backpacking, hiking. When it came time to venerate the cross I asked if he wanted to go forward with me. He said he really didn’t know what to do. I explained that all you need to do is walk forward and do what I do or even just stand there and Fr. Steven will gently tap you on the head with the cross. He said, “Sure.” So we proceeded forward.

Now, did Adam experience living waters that day? Yes, I believe he did. I believe that when Jesus says “if anyone thirsts let them come to me” and if they respond to that He meets them with the Living Waters of the Holy Spirit. Not because we are worthy or because we jump through “liturgical hoops.” No, it’s because He is good and loves mankind. Sometimes all we need is an invitation and a little prompt. And we can rest in the knowledge that if we do our little part to come to him and help others come to Him, He does the greater work. Like the gospel story of the young man who bought Jesus a few fish. We bring the few fish, He does the multiplying. We offer a simple greeting and an invitation. He offers the Living Water.