Eucharistic Meditation, June 27

John 4:10-14

Jesus fulfills the entirety of the Old Testament. That is John?s gospel: The Law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh to dwell among us. He gives wine in place of the water of purification; His body is the true temple; He is THE teacher of Israel; and He is greater than our father Jacob, who dug the well of Sychar.

Jesus is superior to the Old Covenant because He gives living water. Jacob dug a well and gave water, but whoever drank from that water thirsted again. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that He gives water that will quench every thirst forever. And more than that, He gives water that not only quenches thirst, but water that turns the one who drinks into a well, into a spring, from whom will flow water for eternal life.

That water, we learn elsewhere in John?s gospel, is the water of the Spirit. The Spirit flows into us from Jesus, and then flows out from us to refresh those around us. And one of the ways that we drink of the Spirit is here at this table. Through the Spirit, we feed on Christ. Through the Spirit we are renewed and refreshed.

Jesus offers this invitation at this table: ?If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.?E And He says, ?He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.?E