Dipsao – I Thirst Introduction
In a brief moment within the quiet solitude of prayer, I asked God why the concept St. Paul so eloquently expresses; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20) echoed repeatedly in my mind. The answer was “I Thirst”. As sometimes happens in scripture translation to English, the transliterated Greek word “dipsaō” means the state of being thirsty. I have concluded, as Blessed Mother Theresa did, that this striking thought is a prayer of an endless two-way thirst for both giving and receiving love, manifesting as both human and divine. All Jesus asks is to allow his presence to enter and change us as he offers a sip from his endless well of love, satiating our thirst by loving as he did. I offer Dipsao – I Thrist as a thought for all those offering themselves unselfishly to others.
This quest for love’s thirst let me perceive that I had been and needed to be further immersed in the scenes and intimacy of individuals and groups, past, present, and future, who deeply love others. God created moments where I might be like Joshua, son of Nun, silently present at the edge of the column of clouds at their tents. Here, face to face, I witnessed their embraces, observing what it means to be Christ-like in their prayer, humility, faith, and action. The result is my humble attempt to share their “I” and their effect on me.
As you read these vignettes, I would ask two things of you. The first is to see yourself in them as you are gratefully there. The second is to pray that the Holy Spirit continues to warm the living water in the hearts of others you may recognize so they may continue to behave as Jesus teaches. No doubt, Heaven awaits all souls still bound to earthen tasks.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Amen
Dipsao – I Thirst Table of Contents