José TOLENTINO MENDONÇA, Thirst: Our Desire for God, God’s Desire for Us. New York: Paulist Press, 2019. pp. 141. $17.95. ISBN 9780809154388. Reviewed by Alessandro ROVATI, Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, NC 28012.

Thirst is not an academic book. Instead, it is based on the retreat Fr. José Tolentino Mendonça preached for the Roman Curia in Lent 2018. Nevertheless, it interests an academic audience for at least three reasons. First - as I will highlight below - it treats theological and scriptural topics central to the Church’s life in contemporary society. Second, Pope Francis created the author cardinal in 2019 and appointed him as the prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. Accordingly, the book gives the reader insight into the theological commitments of a trusted papal advisor who serves in an important leadership role. Third, because of its direct and accessible language, Thirst could be well suited to an undergraduate course or a parish faith formation program.

Given the nature of the text, Tolentino Mendonça does not develop a systematic theological argument but meditates on scriptural depictions of thirst to explore its importance in the spiritual lives of Christians and, more broadly, the contemporary Church. In particular, the author reflects on the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus’ request for a drink while on the Cross, and God’s invitation to all those who are thirsty to come to him in Isaiah, the Gospel of John, and Revelation. He places Scripture in dialogue with saints, spiritual writers, poets, and novelists to learn from them and give the reader a greater appreciation of the role of thirst in Christian existence.

Among the author’s many reflections, I would like to highlight three. First, the book contains many insightful anthropological and theological reflections on who we are as human beings. By nature, we are marked by a thirst for the absolute (24) that fills us with expectation and sets us in motion. God providentially places such a desire in us to discover the spring of his love. (41) In fact, Tolentino Mendonça insists that we must constantly reawaken and educate our authentic desire so that we may be vigilant and recognize the Lord’s initiative in our lives, (62-3) for thirst is necessary to receive the water of life God constantly offers to us. (36) We must fight against the spiritual evasion that so often characterizes our lives (26) and stop trying to avoid realizing and embracing our vulnerability. (86) “The great obstacle to the life of God within us is not frailty or weakness. [...] It is not vulnerability and humiliation, but their opposite: pride, self-sufficiency, self-justification, isolation, violence, the delirium of power.” (89) The Lord is waiting for our cry to encounter and redeem us, but it is impossible to hear the Lord’s invitation without discovering our thirst for him. (54-5)

The second element I want to highlight is Tolentino Mendonça’s moving description of God’s thirst for us and our salvation. (132-3) “It is not only man who begs for God,” he writes. “In Jesus, God presents himself begging for man. [...] Simone Weil put it this way: ‘God waits like a beggar. [...] Time is the expectation of God who begs for our love.’” (6) Drawing on one of Pope Francis’ recurring observations, Tolentino Mendonça emphasizes that God always takes the first initiative and waits for us. (10) We are sought after, (8) and the Lord never tires to tell us, “Let the one who thirsts come forward.” (Revelation 22:17)

A third substantial claim I will point out is that the book connects the importance of freeing ourselves from the indolence with which we often look at life (46) with the need for the Church itself to avoid drifting into a lukewarm, disinvested way of living that is void of desire. (46-7) The Church risks being in the grips of a “pastoral acedia,” (54) which prevents her from being an instrument of God’s mercy in today’s world. Once again drawing on Pope Francis, Tolentino Mendonça calls the Church to go out, (83-4) seeking constant conversion and renewal, (122) and accepting the essential role of peripheries for Christianity. (120-1) “For the Church,” the author reflects, “the periphery is not a problem, it is a horizon. The Church needs to get out of herself and discover a new missionary ardor. [...] Only by coming out of herself can the Church rediscover herself.” (121)

The book also includes an exploration of Mary’s faith (135-140) and a beautiful meditation on the parable of the prodigal son that, among other things, reflects on God’s acceptance of the risk of our freedom, the excess of God’s loving forgiveness, (109-11) and the relationship between justice and mercy. (114) Finally, Tolentino Mendonça concludes his spiritual exercises by contemplating how the Beatitudes are a self-portrait of Christ. (130) As such, they are the road to transforming ourselves and binding our destiny to Christ, thus becoming “his portrait, imprint, trace, and memory” in the world. (132)

I highly recommend Thirst to everyone interested in an exemplary and insightful meditation on Scripture and the spiritual life in light of Pope Francis’ magisterium and ecclesial vision.