Dear Friends in Christ,
Happy Lent! Now we are in the thick of it, both in terms of timing and our theme of healing for the season. Over the next three weeks, we enter into three key episodes from the Gospel of John (chapters 4, 9 and 11). Each depicts an encounter with Our Lord the Divine Physician, which is transformative, powerful, and healing. John shares these experiences with us in great detail, each to be savored and pondered over. I highly encourage each of you to spend some time with the weekly Gospel, and if possible, to attend Bible Study on Saturday mornings at 10am (in Nolan Hall) after Stations of the Cross in the church. What a great power-packed way to enter into the Lord’s Day and prepare our hearts to soak in the mysteries most deeply!
The first encounter (Jn 4:5-42) contains marked contrasts. Jesus, a Jewish man, meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in the heat of the day. If cultural norms had been followed, they would not have met nor spoken. But our Lord is going out of his way. He seeks to offer her deeper truths and a path to conversion. Noteworthy that she comes alone, which would have been as rare for this errand as it is to draw water at noon. She does not expect to find anyone there, which she would prefer it seems, since she avoids the usual time for women to draw water and share life (and perhaps some of the latest news in town.) Her story later revealed indicates that she has at times been the latest news. So instead of a cool and social task, hers is hot and isolated. Sin often leads to isolation and a breakdown of connection and support.
In conversation with Jesus, he offers her “living water.” This becomes a thread which for her pulls on a deeper thirst. We might say that he awakens in her spirit a longing she had buried under the hum drum of daily life and five husbands. What are you thirsting for? Sit with the question and ponder the deeper resonances of your heart. Acceptance. Meaning. Security. Love. Peace. One of the remarkable nuggets is Jesus’ promise: “The water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” A gift from without that becomes a source from within propelling one to eternal life, a remarkable promise.
And the one who is isolated returns to town to become an evangelist. She brings people to Jesus, and “many come to believe in him.” He read her heart and history with honesty but without condemnation and this truth revealing led her to one who in turn brought others to the truth. Another interesting detail: “the woman left her water jar.” For me this is a sign that the springs of living water are already welling up within her. God’s grace is already taking root and bearing fruit in her life.
In some ways this story may seem unremarkable; it is just a conversation. Some might say that it was not even a miracle! And yet on another level this beautiful and woven exchange which brings about deep conversion in her heart, may also captivate our hearts. We asked a few weeks back: what needs healing in your life? Perhaps it is not so obvious, like blindness or leprosy. Maybe it is something more hidden like this woman. Here is a good question: what keeps me from being a source of conversion (and evangelist) for others?
In Christ alone,
Fr. Wilson
