“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Prior to entering the discernment process, I was full of pride and greed and had a strong sense of independence.  Our gracious Lord helped me to see that I really was thirsty for his love and had a strong desire for him but I loved sin more than our Lord.  Rather than allowing God to quench my thirst, I dug my own wells searching for happiness elsewhere only to remain dry, dirty, empty, unsatisfied and thirsty.  Unfortunately this is the human condition.  We search for happiness in the wrong places. We look for something other than the Source to refresh us.  We get dirty from digging wells that just become empty holes. But thanks be to God – he refreshes us and quenches our thirst with his love. God wants to cleanse us, to wash our feet, to purify our minds, to cleanse our hearts.  He wants to free our souls so the river of the Trinity’s love will once again flow in us.  Only God can satisfy our needs, only God can satisfy every desire, only God can satisfy all we hope for and need.  O Lord, even though we can at times be filled with pride and a strong sense of independence, you never stop laboring for our love.  The more lost we are, the more you desire to find us and to heal us.  Lord, we thirst for your love for you alone can quench our thirst.  Lead us Lord to your Holy Fountain.  Give us to drink that which leads us to die to self and keeps us from seeking wells that do not refresh us.  O Mary, Mother of the Word of Life, Mother of the river that flows from the Father through the Son, in the Spirit; help us to remain firmly rooted by this river of love, for it is only this water that can quench our thirst for love. It is only this water that can quench the desire for a deeper intimacy with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  “Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world; give me living water, that I may never thirst again… Give me a drink.”