Gospel Reflections for March 19 2017
Come away completely different
This Gospel reminds me of going to a store to buy one thing, and walk out with so much more!
A woman comes to a well to get water, but Jesus also arrives and things change quickly. She leaves a very different person. You cannot meet Jesus and stay the same!
The Gospel says she came to the well at midday, so she must be outcast, since women normally came together in the morning. They would not welcome her because of her many marriages, and that rejection made her a bitter person.
Jesus speaks first, with a simple request for a drink, but hears only sarcasm, cynicism, and insults. She mocks Jesus for not having a bucket himself. She knows how to turn people away. Most people would not tolerate her 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.
He doesn’t respond angrily at all. She is surprised because she has never met anyone who doesn’t take insults personally. She becomes curious about Jesus.
Our Lord treats everyone well …whether they treat Him well or not!
He does not change His behavior based on our hurtful or insulting actions. He loves us whether we 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 and 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 (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
Thanks, Father Dave, for making Jesus come alive for us in the Gospel. We became alive when we were baptized by Jesus, the Living Water. I suppose that the Woman at the Well was baptized after her encounter with Jesus. How fortunate it is for us to encounter Jesus.
Yes, no accident that this story takes place at a water well.
Hi Father Dave, how inspiring your homilies are I just like any person thirsty for water I thirst for Jesus and pray that this living water keeps pouring for all of us and change the lives that need change.
God Bless you and keep you well
Thank you!
Father loved your sermon.Who is the Artist of the painting.I really like it.God bless.
All pictures that I use are from iStock.com which is a subscription site to legally download pictures. I went back to it to look up the picture but cold not find any information on it. I agree that it is a great picture!
Thank you F. Dave for your untiring efforts to show us the face of Jesus!
May He bless you abundantly with His grace!
The curious nature of the woman at the well led her to believe in Jesus
when He promised her that “Whoever drinks the water that I will give” will never thirst
again” How wonderful is that!
It was a life changing moment for her when she met Jesus at the well,
Yes, truly a life changing moment for her, and for countless generations who have read her story ever since.
Hi Father Dave,
Thank you so much for your interesting lecture the other evening with Rabbi Michael! It was a “wellspring” of information. We attended with friends, Bobbie and Gene Berg who happen to be friends of Rabbi Michael’s. We returned home fully enriched.
I suspect we all have something within us that Jesus loves to address. Yes, it is beautiful to know that he loves us unconditionally, and to know we can pour our hearts out to him as well as open them to him.
God bless!
Thank you for your message, and I am glad you enjoyed our University Series presentation. I look forward to it every year.
I was at Holy Cross last week listening to a Jewish Professor who had studied the New Testament and wrote commentaries on it with how the Jewish people understood as he was talking to mostly Jews at the time. Anyway, she mentioned this scripture and said that there had to be more to the story because since she was a woman with 5 husbands etc. they would not have listened to her. I was uncomfortable with that answer.
After reading your thoughts on this, I also got more on why they possibly listened to her. When Moses spent time with God and came down from the mountain, his face glowed and they could see the change in him. (I just happened to be reading those scriptures for this weeks Torah reflections) Well since they didn’t say that about our woman at the well. She did receive a life changing experience and I can imagine that the look on her face they saw a different and changed woman. I can imagine that the whole thought that Jesus would even speak to her with such love and compassion that it was a life changing experience. That shows how much hope we can have in his love and mercy. Just reading the scripture without a relationship with Our Lord, you can’t fully understand it all. I pray for that lady that the scriptures that she studied will become life to her.
I completely agree with your comments and understanding of this Gospel. You got it!
Dear father Dave, Love Jesus living water!! I only want His living water forever and ever and ever!!!! We receive Jesus’ living waters beautifully through you!! We are lovingly touched through Jesus’ living love through your beautiful Masses, receiving our precious Jesus, in His Holy Eucharist, receiving our jesus in His forgiveness of sins and receiving Jesaus love through your words and amazing University!! The classes are wonderfully spiritually and uplifting!!! We are soooooooo blessed !! Sooooooo glad we met beautiful You!! and the beauty of your touching our lives with our Jesus and our Mary;s Divine loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Loveeeeee, franca and Dick!!!
Well said!