Along the route of the Camino de Santiago townspeople built fountains to refresh pilgrims on their journey. Some fountains date back hundreds of years. Many still work, the water out of the tap clean, fresh, and maintained by the local municipality. One famous fountain even dispenses free wine, provided by a nearby winery and built to encourage pilgrims on their way.

Walking all day builds a powerful thirst. Instead of wine I carry water and refill my bottle regularly. Preferring the softer drinks, nothing tastes better to me after a long hot walk than an icy cold bottle of Coke.

Just as pilgrims encounter physical thirst, our souls face dehydration of their own. David wrote, As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

My soul yearns for the waters of God. I try other substitutes, but none sustain. His Holy Spirit refreshes and empowers. The Lord is the source, and our souls intuitively search for this relief.

While on his own journey Augustine prayed, You have formed us for yourself O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you. Rest is another word for thirst. You and I thirst until we drink deeply from the fountain of the Lord. Then the waters of God refresh and satisfy—even better than a bubbly fountain of red wine.

Psalm 42:1

Photo: Water fountain along the Camino de Santiago