“As the hind longs for running waters, so my soul longs for you oh God.  Athirst is my soul for God the living God.”

Have you ever noticed how readily people are drawn to sit near fountains in our parks and malls?  The sound and sight of running water is an image that naturally draws our attention and refreshes us.

Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, wanted his urban houses of spiritual formation to have interior courtyards that featured fountains.  This helped create an atmosphere that could bridge natural beauty with a sense of God’s supernatural beauty and life amid city noise and business.  Saint Ignatius tasted the awesome truth that God is at work in all creation laboring to refresh us.  He also knew that the sound and sight of a fountain's running waters can assist us by inviting us to listen within for those streams of living waters, that can quench our deepest thirsts. 

Jesus’ Spirit always desires to refresh us as that interior wellspring, that interior fountain that flows with satiating love for us.

A clear way to identify and receive this refreshment is to pay attention to our hearts deepest yearnings.  These desires reach out thirsting for true love.  So often we settle for less and foolishly try to quench our thirsts with material things, through overwork, or with ways of human relating that are at best utilitarian. 

As we grow in wisdom and grace we begin to learn the ultimate paradox.  Our deepest yearnings, our thirsts that reach out to be satisfied are best satisfied whenever we freely choose to remain empty.  Instead of allowing our yearnings to be focused primarily on the passing satisfactions that come with acquisitions or achievements, we learn to remain empty, turning with our thirsts to receive from Jesus’ Spirit.  He is the One who is thirsting for each of us with a love that truly satiates our hearts.

As creator, Jesus’ Spirit instilled living fountain-like streams that flow within our hearts.  These streams are flowing with divine love amid all of our interior noise and busyness.  May we always be “athirst for God the living God.” Amid the dryness of our desolations, Jesus’ Spirit desires to console us.  Let’s take the time to be refreshed beside the fountains in our parks and malls.  The reality is that the context of our lives is a house of spiritual formation!