<p>In <em>John's Gospel, chapter 7</em>, we are told of <em>Jesus</em>' participation in the Feast of <em>Tabernacles</em>, an annual festival in Jerusalem that commemorated the pilgrimage of the people of Israel from the <em>Exodus</em> to their entry into the <em>Promised Land</em>, and during which various ceremonies and ritual offerings were made.</p>
<p>In the context of this festival, and on its last day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed to the crowd around Him his words, which became a powerful appeal to man's spiritual thirst: <em>"Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink."</em></p>
<p><strong>Why did Jesus make this invitation?</strong></p>
<p>Jesus was not making this invitation to physical thirst, but to man's spiritual thirst. The Bible uses water as a metaphor for divine love and grace, and in this sense Jesus was offering humanity his divine love and grace to quench the thirst of our souls.</p>