Come to the Fountain

Beautiful second reading from yesterday's Office of Readings - a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem (306-373 AD). I had just been spontaneously praying about hungering and thirsting not for spiritual junk, but rather only for that which truly nourishes the heart, soul, and mind.

Lo and behold, in reflecting upon the infinite riches of God's Word, Ephrem writes:

A thirsting man is happy when he is drinking, and he is not depressed because he cannot exhaust the spring. So let this spring quench your thirst, and not your thirst the spring.

I love it! Anyone who has sincerely, consistently delved into Scripture knows how delightfully mysterious and unpredictable is the frequent experience of discovering new and timely insights in passages one has read perhaps dozens or even hundreds of times before. God knows what we need and when we need it. St. Ephrem continues:

What you have received and attained is your present share, while what is left will be your heritage.

He concludes by emphasizing the need for persevering trust that the Holy Spirit who inspired the Sacred Word to begin with is the same Holy Spirit who is present in us as we read the Word! He wants us to understand everything we ought, when we ought, to bear the fruit in due season.

Wonderful reminders at a time so marked by temptations to doubt and fear! GOD IS WITH US. Amen!