Olympics are over and the woman at the well has a message for us!

The Olympics are over, and I have exhaled after nearly turning blue waiting for the BIG game to happen. We won! A very enjoyable two weeks, though it surely did not start out that way when the luger from Georgia died so tragically.

Today, reading through the news reports online, I was so impressed with the gracious tone of the New York Times as they affirmed both the Canadian hockey team and the Olympics overall. They even caught the send-up that was the message of the closing ceremonies.

And so as we come up for air, we find ourselves almost in the middle of Lent. Third Sunday of Lent coming right up. I was at the workshop by Father Tom Rosica last weekend, dealing with the Bible. I came away with a renewed sense that the Bible needs to be the air we breathe as we go about living spiritually and deepening our relationship with God. We meet the Risen Lord "who begs people to touch the feet of his Word." "We are people of the living Word of God that introduces us to a person - Jesus." Watch out for pious practices that are empty, Father said, without Scripture being "breathed into them."

And a thought that hit with special meaning for me - people today will listen to preachers only if they are witnesses. I think he means our homilies - my homilies - can't just be lectures or Bible study or platitudes.

Great thoughts. Need to soak in them a bit. Hey, speaking of water, the Gospel this weekend will be (because we have people preparing for reception into the Church at Easter) the woman at the well. She asks Jesus to give her some of that water he is talking about - you know, the water that after you drink it, you will never be thirsty again.

Thing is, we need to be thirsty to start with, the way this woman was.

The Olympics are over, Lent is on. A great opportunity to think, to soak in God's word, and to work up a great thirst.