22/05/2026
Todayโs Gospel ( May 23, 2026)
John 7: 37-39: Rivers of living water will flow.
37 On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, โLet anyone who thirsts come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: โRivers of living water will flow from within him.โโ
39 He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.
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Interpretation
This passage occurs during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. Jesus uses the imagery of the feast to reveal Himself as the source of the Holy Spirit.
Context: The Feast of Tabernacles
The feast commemorated Godโs provision of water in the desert and looked forward to the Messianic age. On the last day, priests performed a water-pouring ceremony at the Temple, recalling Isaiah 12:3, โYou will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.โ Jesus stands and invites those who thirst to come to Him, positioning Himself as the fulfillment of that ritual.
โLiving Waterโ and the Holy Spirit
Jesus speaks of โrivers of living waterโ flowing from the believer. In Catholic interpretation, this refers to the Holy Spirit given to those who believe in Christ. The Spirit is not fully given until after Jesus is โglorifiedโ - His death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Verse 39 clarifies this: the Spirit could not be given in fullness until Christโs saving work was complete.
Thirst and Fulfillment
โLet anyone who thirsts come to me and drinkโ points to the human longing for God. Only Christ can satisfy the deepest spiritual thirst. The water He gives is not physical but spiritual - the grace and life of the Spirit that renews the heart.
Ecclesial and Sacramental Meaning
The Church reads this passage in connection with Baptism and Pentecost.
In Baptism, the believer is given the Holy Spirit and becomes a source of living water for others.
At Pentecost, the Spirit is poured out on the Church, enabling her to carry Christโs life to the world.
Theological Theme
The passage links faith, the Spirit, and mission. Belief in Christ opens the person to receive the Spirit, and the Spirit makes the believer a channel of Godโs life to others. It emphasizes that salvation is not just personal but meant to overflow to the community.
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In short: Jesus declares Himself the source of the Holy Spirit, promised in Scripture, who will be given after His glorification. The โliving waterโ is the Spirit that quenches spiritual thirst and empowers believers for mission.
May God Bless Us Always!