“‘I thirst’ is not only about water. It is about our love.” — St. Teresa of Calcutta

On this Fifth Friday of Lent, The Good Newsroom continues its Lenten series “Fridays at the Foot of the Cross” with a reflection on the Fifth Word of Christ: “I thirst” (John 19:28).

St. Teresa of Calcutta frequently taught that Christ’s words “I thirst” reveal His longing for “love” and “souls,” not simply physical relief.

As Pope Leo XIV taught, “The thirst of the Crucified Lord is not only the physiological need of a tortured body. It is also, and above all, the expression of a profound desire: that of love, of relationship, of communion. It is the silent cry of a God who, having wished to share everything of our human condition, also lets himself be overcome by this thirst. A God who is not ashamed to beg for a sip, because in that gesture he tells us that love, in order to be true, must also learn to ask and not only to give” (General Audience, Sept. 3, 2025).

This Lent, answer His thirst with your love.

This crucifix is located at the Altar of the Holy Face in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, featuring a beautiful, detailed mosaic depicting the face of Jesus on Veronica’s veil.