Today's Gospel could easily deceive you.
You see, it has all the makings of a TV docudrama: two attractive characters, a life-and-death confrontation, a happy resolution.
As always, the neon lights spell Jesus. But the actor who steals the show is a woman—a leading lady with five husbands and no name.
She comes out of nowhere, and in two days she disappears. But without her—as without Mary of Nazareth and Mary of Magdala—without this nameless woman of Samaria the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be much the poorer.
But how might this Gospel deceive you? If you were to bury the lady in history, see in her a two-day phenomenon in a small Middle East village. No. A perceptive female theologian has put it well: "We all love a good story because . in a sense any story is about ourselves, and a good story is good precisely because somehow it rings true to human life.. .. We recognize our pilgrimage from here to there in a good story.' The Samaritan woman is . . you. Each one of you. (Sallie M. TeSelle)
Today I am thinking especially Rochele Mickey": our elect who is begging the Lord for his baptism, and those who are craving the completeness of his Christian community.
Each of you has a story like hers. Oh, not five husbands; that is a small detail, intriguing perhaps but insignificant. Her story is your story because her story is the drama of faith in a capsule: how you came to believe, what it all means to you, and where it is taking you.
I realize, only you can tell the full story, recount chapter and verse. But this I do know: what your movement to Christian faith means in terms of the Catholic idea, the Catholic vision. Here three paramount principles leap forth from the story of the Samaritan woman. (1) The gift you have received is "the gift of God" (Jn 4:10). (2) The gift you have received is "living water." (3) The gift is given to be shared.
You see, it has all the makings of a TV docudrama: two attractive characters, a life-and-death confrontation, a happy resolution.
As always, the neon lights spell Jesus. But the actor who steals the show is a woman—a leading lady with five husbands and no name.
She comes out of nowhere, and in two days she disappears. But without her—as without Mary of Nazareth and Mary of Magdala—without this nameless woman of Samaria the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be much the poorer.
But how might this Gospel deceive you? If you were to bury the lady in history, see in her a two-day phenomenon in a small Middle East village. No. A perceptive female theologian has put it well: "We all love a good story because . in a sense any story is about ourselves, and a good story is good precisely because somehow it rings true to human life.. .. We recognize our pilgrimage from here to there in a good story.' The Samaritan woman is . . you. Each one of you. (Sallie M. TeSelle)
Today I am thinking especially Rochele Mickey": our elect who is begging the Lord for his baptism, and those who are craving the completeness of his Christian community.
Each of you has a story like hers. Oh, not five husbands; that is a small detail, intriguing perhaps but insignificant. Her story is your story because her story is the drama of faith in a capsule: how you came to believe, what it all means to you, and where it is taking you.
I realize, only you can tell the full story, recount chapter and verse. But this I do know: what your movement to Christian faith means in terms of the Catholic idea, the Catholic vision. Here three paramount principles leap forth from the story of the Samaritan woman. (1) The gift you have received is "the gift of God" (Jn 4:10). (2) The gift you have received is "living water." (3) The gift is given to be shared.
Gift of God
None of us came to belief through our own intelligence. Each of us has our own story. Be however diverse the details, one truth stands out: "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him/her." (Jn 6:44) Of course, we have to respond – and freely. Like the lady at the well, we had to ask for a drink of water. But even this, the ability to ask, to ask in freedom, this too is gift. Only through God’s giving are we able to respond: "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst." (JN 4:15).
Living Water
"Living water" is not our baptism. In John’s theology two ideas are brought together in this single metaphor: Living water is at once revelation and, at the same time, the Spirit – and both we owe to the Word made flesh, Jesus. Living water is the revelation Jesus gave us.
Think about this! Wonder at it! What happens to you when you believe? God’s own Spirit dwells in you. You are as truly a sacred shrine as is the tabernacle in our chapel. You are the new creature God made you to be: a temple of God, a shrine of the Spirit. And, truly, living water wells up in you to eternal life.
Share the Gift!
So, where does this realization take us? It should take us to where the dialogue with Jesus took the Samaritan woman. She "left her water jar," rushed off excitedly back to the village and said, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" (Jn 4:28-29)
It should be the same for us. This gift is not something for us to hold on to as our own little private pitcher of living water. The gift was given to be given, to be shared.
Rochele was drawn to this community because she has experienced its power, sensed its strength, found its saving grace in others. She, through us, has touched Catholic faith, Catholic hope.
It should be the same for all of us. Share the gift! Let the living water spill over!
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My gift received today was from my dear daughter,Izzy. I was attempting to describe the events leading up to Easter to her when she declared that she knew why God sent Jesus down to be with us. I asked why and her response was because God loved baby Jesus so much that He didn't want him to fall out of Heaven (seeing as it was so high up in the sky). So, he was sent to be with us and until he was older when he could return to God.... May we all be held safe here until we are called to Heaven. S.Walker
ReplyDeleteGifts from God must be shared with others, I agree. However we first must realize and believe that we have something of value to share. And we need to know how to share. For some of of this may be natural and easy but for others , we keep looking to the Holy Spirit for guidance.
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