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MARCH 22 is World Water Day, a day to gather around our singular shared symbol |
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A Sermon for World Water Day (March 22)
Faiths for Safe Water invites clergy to offer words from the pulpit during services, on websites, in newsletters, and via social media. We provide "A Sermon for the World Water Day" for inspiration. 
Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Photo: Haik Kocharian
Please don't make this mistake:
No more rusty pumps! Let’s make sure our charity work, works. Many houses of worship enthusiastically commit to installing a village water pump. And 50% of these one-off projects fail! A pump and posing for the photo-op isn’t good works. We’ve got to provide what works, not to what makes us feel good. Before you donate: Ask how the organization makes sure its water projects are sustainable. If they can't answer that question, put your money and time elsewhere.
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Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Share Inspiring Music: Rondi Charleston: Land of Galilee more about Rondi at: www.rondicharleston.com Anna Huckabee Tull: Sweet Water more about Anna at: www.customcraftedsongs.com |
Photo: Haik Kocharian
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Share this rabbinic tale:
Two neighbors, both wealthy landowners, began to make improvements on their land. But each began to dig up parts of the other’s parcel with their workers trespassing on each others' land.
One day they confronted each other asking who had given them permission to dig up the other’s land. "Your land?" each neighbor asked with evident surprise. ""You are mistaken, my friend," said the other neighbor, "this land is mine." "You are the one mistaken. It's mine," replied the other.
As the landowners were about to come to blows, an overseer stepped forward and declared that such a legal dispute could be resolved only by a rabbi. A leading rabbi agreed to travel to see the land in question.
After each man presented his case, the rabbi suddenly put his ear to the ground. The two glanced uneasily at each, other afraid to show disrespect to the distinguished rabbi, but unable to comprehend what he was doing.
Suddenly the rabbi stood up and spoke: "I have given the two of you the opportunity to state your claims to this piece of land, but then I listened to what the ground has to say for itself."
"The ground finds it amusing that the two of you are having such a heated argument over who it belongs to, because it told me that you both belong to it."
Two neighbors, both wealthy landowners, began to make improvements on their land. But each began to dig up parts of the other’s parcel with their workers trespassing on each others' land.
One day they confronted each other asking who had given them permission to dig up the other’s land. "Your land?" each neighbor asked with evident surprise. ""You are mistaken, my friend," said the other neighbor, "this land is mine." "You are the one mistaken. It's mine," replied the other.
As the landowners were about to come to blows, an overseer stepped forward and declared that such a legal dispute could be resolved only by a rabbi. A leading rabbi agreed to travel to see the land in question.
After each man presented his case, the rabbi suddenly put his ear to the ground. The two glanced uneasily at each, other afraid to show disrespect to the distinguished rabbi, but unable to comprehend what he was doing.
Suddenly the rabbi stood up and spoke: "I have given the two of you the opportunity to state your claims to this piece of land, but then I listened to what the ground has to say for itself."
"The ground finds it amusing that the two of you are having such a heated argument over who it belongs to, because it told me that you both belong to it."
The Bible names water 722 times.
Here is some scripture you may know.
How many more can you quote?
I was thirsty and you gave me drink. . . .As you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me. [Matthew 25:35,40]
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the scripture), ‘I thirst.’ [John 19:28]
If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked that person who would then have given you living water. [John 4:10]
And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because that little one is a disciple, truly, I say to you, the giver shall not go unrewarded. [Matthew 10:42]
And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before your eyes to yield its water; so you shall bring water out of the rock for them; so you shall give drink to the congregation and their cattle. [Numbers 20: 7-8]
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, ‘Out of that one’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’ [John 7:37-38]
We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. [2 Samuel 14:14]
You visit the earth and water it,
you greatly enrich it;
the river of God is full of water;
you provide the people with grain,
for so you have prepared it. [Psalm 65:9]
Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. [Proverbs 25:25]
Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,
who despise the gain of oppression,
who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,
who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed
and shut their eyes from looking on evil,
they will live on the heights;
their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;
their food will be supplied, their water assured. [Isaiah 33:15-16]
For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. [Jeremiah 2:13]
But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. [Amos 5:24]
Pope Francis spoke often of water and Pope Leo XIV is sharing his concern:
Echoing previous, long-term Church stances on water as a fundamental right, Pope Leo XIV quickly highlighted the intersection of environmental degradation and the well-being of the poor, calling for action to preserve the planet's resources. Throughout his encyclical, "Laudato Si'" ("On Care for our Common Home,") Pope Francis' messages around water run deep. He names water 47 times and calls for reducing its waste, increasing funding to ensure universal access to basic water and sanitation, and increased education and awareness, especially in the "context of great inequity."
"Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water,” he wrote, “because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. “(italics in original). The Pope names "water poverty” a threat:
Excerpts from Pope Francis' World Day of Prayer for the care of creation (SEPT 2018):
"I would like to draw attention to the question of water. It is a very simple and precious element, yet access to it is, sadly, for many people difficult if not impossible. Nonetheless, access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights."
"I feel the need to give thanks to God for “Sister Water”, simple and useful for life like nothing else on our planet. Precisely for this reason, care for water sources and water basins is an urgent imperative."
“I was thirsty and you gave me to drink” (Mt 25:35). To give to drink, in the global village, does not only entail personal gestures of charity, but also concrete choices and a constant commitment to ensure to all the primary good of water."
Echoing previous, long-term Church stances on water as a fundamental right, Pope Leo XIV quickly highlighted the intersection of environmental degradation and the well-being of the poor, calling for action to preserve the planet's resources. Throughout his encyclical, "Laudato Si'" ("On Care for our Common Home,") Pope Francis' messages around water run deep. He names water 47 times and calls for reducing its waste, increasing funding to ensure universal access to basic water and sanitation, and increased education and awareness, especially in the "context of great inequity."
"Our world has a grave social debt towards the poor who lack access to drinking water,” he wrote, “because they are denied the right to a life consistent with their inalienable dignity. “(italics in original). The Pope names "water poverty” a threat:
- “Everyday, unsafe water results in many deaths and the spread of water-related diseases,” wrote the pope, “including those caused by microorganisms and chemical substances. Dysentery and cholera, linked to inadequate hygiene and water supplies, are a significant cause of suffering and of infant mortality."
- Reduced food production is a threat due to droughts and disparities in water availability.
- Groundwater contamination and waste is “in the developed world but also in developing countries which possess [water] in abundance."
- The trend toward privatization and commodification of water threatens what the pope calls a "basic and universal human right," and warns that “control of water by large multinational businesses may become a major source of conflict in this century."
Excerpts from Pope Francis' World Day of Prayer for the care of creation (SEPT 2018):
"I would like to draw attention to the question of water. It is a very simple and precious element, yet access to it is, sadly, for many people difficult if not impossible. Nonetheless, access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights."
"I feel the need to give thanks to God for “Sister Water”, simple and useful for life like nothing else on our planet. Precisely for this reason, care for water sources and water basins is an urgent imperative."
“I was thirsty and you gave me to drink” (Mt 25:35). To give to drink, in the global village, does not only entail personal gestures of charity, but also concrete choices and a constant commitment to ensure to all the primary good of water."