I thirst

The annual mainline ecumenical Good Friday service is at noon today at the church down the street from us.  In the planning sessions for it, the host parish wanted to do meditations on the seven last words of Christ.  The clergy from the other congregations were each assigned one of them in which to offer a short (emphasis on short, since we're trying to do this during the lunch hour) meditation.

I took, "I thirst."

Here's my Good Friday meditation on those words.
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I thirst.

And no wonder.

Jesus had been betrayed by one friend and deserted by all the others.

He had been whipped to within an inch of his life, humiliated, abused and nailed to a cross.

He was stressed to the breaking point – physically, emotionally and, depending on what gospel you read, spiritually.

After that torment and after hanging on a cross for several hours, his body was desperately in need of fluids.

In that condition, – beaten, tortured, abandoned and mocked – I imagine that he was desperately in need of someone to care for his body.

Jesus, the man, was desperately in need of someone to give him a drink.

I thirst.

And no wonder.

Jesus spent his whole ministry crossing boundaries.

He welcomed the sinner, the impure and the outcast into his midst.

He stood in opposition to social norms by treating foreigners and those of lesser status with respect, dignity, and as equals.

He dared to touch those infected and contaminated with diseases and untouchable illnesses.

He defended the powerless from those in power.

Jesus, Son of God, embodied the words of the prophet Isaiah when he said, “Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.”

Jesus, the Living Water, embodied the prophet Amos when he said, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Jesus, Son of God and Living Water, desperately thirsted for justice.

I thirst.

Will we offer water to the thirsty?  Will we care for those in need?  Will we welcome those who don't look like us, dress like us or smell like us with respect, dignity, and as equals?  Will we touch those infected and contaminated with diseases and untouchable illnesses?  Will we defend the powerless from those in power?

Jesus thirsts.  Do we?