Gospel Reflections for March 15 2020
Good heart health
Jesus encounters a sick woman in today’s Gospel. She does not have the coronavirus, or the flu, or actually any physical illness at all. She is sick at heart.
Jesus meets her at noon at the village well. He knows that women usually meet in the morning, not only to draw water, but to socialize and share family news. This woman has come alone and at midday. They avoid her because of her many marriages, and that rejection made her a bitter person. She is an outcast to whom no one talks …except Jesus.
Our Lord speaks first, with a simple request for a drink, but hears only sarcasm and insults. She mocks Jesus for not even having a bucket. She knows how to turn people away. Most people would not tolerate her angry behavior and move on. Who wants their dignity insulted?
However, Jesus knows His dignity comes only from His Father in heaven …and not this woman …so He doesn’t take it personally.
She is surprised …perhaps because she has never met anyone who doesn’t take insults personally, and so she slowly becomes curious about Jesus.
Our Lord treats everyone well …whether they treat Him well or not!
Jesus does not change His love for you based on your hurtful behavior either. He loves you whether you are good or bad. This is a new thing for this woman to see! She becomes even more curious about Jesus, and completely opens her life to Him, admitting all her past mistakes. Her heart opens and they engage in a candid and honest conversation. How good is that!
Lent is your time to do the same. Like this woman, you can be open and honest with Our Lord about the mistakes in your life knowing that He will never turn you away.
You hear that at every Mass when He says, “This is my body and blood, given for you.”
This Lent, like the woman in the Gospel, become curious about the person who loves you unconditionally. The University Series (theuniversityseries.org) still has many sessions left where you can seek His wisdom.
You cannot meet Jesus and stay the same person. Your life will change for the better. Seek to meet Him at Mass …or in the University Series soon.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
God bless you, Fr. Dave.
Thank you!
We thought that you could make your Sunday homily available on this site during the Mass closures due to the virus..
Check out the website now at stbrunochurch.org
Thank you, Father Dave, for your reflection on The Woman at the Well. I hope that I can be inspired as she was. She was so inspired by her encounter with Jesus that she was able to go back into town and relate to her neighbors in a way that she was not able before that encounter. Rather than to be outcast any longer, she was able to gift her neighbors with her newfound joy in relationship with our Lord. Knowing Jesus changes lives.
You are welcome
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee our precious Jesus’ love for me! and Dick and everyone!!!! I want to loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Him back in beautiful, precious ways especially making the world beautiful living His LOVE!!! We are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo blessed with our loving God, our precious Jesus, our beautiful Blessed Mother and noone can ever take them away from us!!!! for they soooooooooooooooooooooooooo love us!!! We nust live their LOVE!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
May we all pray for a cure for this devastating Corona Virus!!!
With loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
Yes, pray for a cure
Thanks, Fr. Dave. I think of this story a lot when I encounter someone I might otherwise avoid. It could be anyone from a homeless person to someone I used to be friends with. Trying to meet them as Jesus would opens our hearts in ways that nothing else can. It’s also a good reflection for repentance when we fail to meet others where they are. Really appreciate your homilies.
You are welcome. I think you are applying the gospel perfectly in the examples you give.