Lenten Moments of Mercy: Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent St. John of God   Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we see that God is making his dream a reality.

Scripture “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,       the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;       God will help it when the morning dawns.” Psalm 46:4‒5   Reflection The prophet Ezekiel received his visions and dreams for the Jewish people during the Exile in Babylon. After the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C., he assured the people that while they were living through this shattering experience, God would continue to be with them in his love and mercy. Ezekiel had a number of visions of how God would restore the people of Israel. In one vision, he saw God breathing upon the dry bones of the people, invigorating them with his spirit so they may live (Ezekiel 37:1–14). In another vision, God showed Ezekiel a small trickle of water becoming an abundant stream filled with many fish and on whose banks there would be many trees growing all kinds of food (Ezekiel 47:7–9). In this season of Lent, we can reflect on how distant God’s dream of abundant streams nourishing everyone is from the reality we face. As Pope Francis noted in Laudato Si’, there is a drastic shortage of quality water for the poor resulting in many deaths due to water related diseases: Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality. Underground water sources in many places are threatened by the pollution produced in certain mining, farming and industrial activities, especially in countries lacking adequate regulation or controls. It is not only a question of industrial waste. Detergents and chemical products, commonly used in many places of the world, continue to pour into our rivers, lakes and seas. (Laudato Si’, #29) One way we may approach these issues is to grow in our appreciation of how water is God’s greatest natural gift that makes life possible. We can educate ourselves on how we may responsibly use the gift of water by encouraging conservation in our homes (fasting) and contributing to the work of the Church in alleviating the shortage of quality water for so many millions of people (prayer and almsgiving).

Pope Francis “Yet access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights.” Laudato Si’ #30   Lenten Action ► Review the actions being taken by Catholic Relief Services for those in need of quality water. ► Pray with a 3-Minute Retreat on Caring for the Earth.   Prayer Lord, help us to appreciate the living waters you have gifted our planet and to help all to have access to water as a universal human right.

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