Moments before the Son of God atoned for the sins of humanity by dying on the cross and then defeated Satan’s power of death through his resurrection, he expressed the most basic of human needs: “I Thirst.”

I often pray to the Holy Spirit that his graces may create an unquenchable spiritual thirst in me for Jesus’s love, that my soul be on fire for closeness with Jesus, and that my heart could love with the same passion with which Jesus loves. I don’t want a lukewarm relationship with Jesus; I want to be one with him. 

Several years ago, my wife and I volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity. We would help them with grocery shopping, cleaning the convent, and with a house for homeless women. The Missionaries of Charity were truly an example of people living the Gospels: all their belongings fit in a small box, they served the poorest of the poor with Jesus’ love, and they completely surrendered their daily needs to Divine Providence. I loved going to weekday mass with them. Their chapel was sparse and had no pews; everyone just sat on the floor. Behind the altar, there was a large crucifix and next to it the words, “I Thirst.” 

For Saint Mother Teresa, Jesus’ “I Thirst” meant something different. She said the words reminded her and the Missionaries of Charity of their mission, “… to quench the thirst of Jesus for souls, for love, for kindness, for compassion, for delicate love." It is humbling to think of Jesus desiring to establish such an intimate relationship with us in which he “abides in us, as we abide in him.” Perhaps instead of working so hard to reach Jesus, we should instead ask for the graces we need to surrender our will, to let go to him, and devotedly satisfy his thirst for our love.