Water, Grace, and the Heat of Summer

“Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”— John 4:14 (NABRE)

The summer here in Connecticut has been intense—weeks of scorching heat, thick humidity, poor air quality, and sudden thunderstorms. It’s been a season that forces you to slow down, to notice the world around you—and for me, to bring all of it into prayer.

Lately, during prayer, I find my thoughts drifting to the heat. I watch my boys splash in the backyard pool, laughing and cooling off as the sun blazes overhead. In the evenings, I walk the garden with a watering can in hand, trying to keep the plants alive through the heat of the day. These ordinary moments have led me to reflect deeply on water.

Water is essential. On hot days, hydration becomes survival. But more than that, water is part of God’s design for this earth—purposeful, powerful, and sacred. It is a physical necessity and a spiritual symbol.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:

“The symbolism of water signifies the Holy Spirit's action in Baptism, since after the invocation of the Holy Spirit it becomes the efficacious sacramental sign of new birth: just as the gestation of our first birth took place in water, so the water of Baptism truly signifies that our birth into the divine life is given to us in the Holy Spirit.”— CCC 694

In the waters of Baptism, we are born to new life in Christ. What a mystery! God takes the simplest element of earth and turns it into the very sign of salvation. Through water, we are cleansed, renewed, and welcomed into His family.

But water is also wild. It can destroy as quickly as it nourishes. Scripture reminds us of this in the great flood during Noah’s time. That same water that washed the earth clean also carried unimaginable loss. In this same spirit, my heart turns to the victims of the recent flooding in Texas. Lives lost, families grieving, homes destroyed.

As we reflect on the beauty and the burden of water, let’s pause in prayer for those who suffer its devastating force.

Let us pray, as Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.

This summer, as you reach for that glass of water or dive into the pool, remember the deeper spiritual truths it points to. Water is a gift. It gives life, it cleanses, and through Baptism, it marks the beginning of our eternal journey in Christ.

“Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”— John 4:14 (NABRE)

God Bless,

Patrick Leigh, COO

The Modern Apostle LLC