Today's Thoughts...

Today’s Thoughts: Our readings today give us much to think about! There is the grumbling of the Israelites because they are angry with God. There is a reminder from St. Paul that even though we are sinners Jesus was willing to lay his life down for us. What a gift! And finally, in our Gospel we have the wonderful story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, a story of Jesus’ unrelenting search for us until we are found. Jesus never gives up on us and like the Samaritan women if we are open, truthful and willing to listen we too can become a proclaimer of God’s Word of Life!
 
One of the reflections that I was reading this past week presented the idea of Jesus thrusting. It is Jesus who asks for a drink of water first. Water is very significant in our story of faith. As we hear it plays a role in the Israelites struggle in the desert. They grumble because they are thirsty. They doubt God’s presence.
 
Jesus is thirsty perhaps not for ordinary water but for the Samaritan woman’s faith. He sees her potential, the gift that she is. Our Gospel today reminds us that Jesus is thirsty for all of us, our faith is important to Jesus, and he is always looking for the opportunity to engage us in conversation.
 
Jesus joyfully engages the Samaritan woman at the well. He moves her from isolation into the community. Jesus considers her struggles, her situation and her relationship to the community and invites her to be part of a faith community. She becomes a proclaimer of the word, an evangelizer.
 
The readings today also talk about change and the struggle we as human beings have with change. The Israelites (Exodus 17:3-7) are struggling with the changes in their life. Suddenly the slavery of Egypt doesn’t look so bad compared to a journey through the desert. They are struggling with life outside their comfort zone, with life that calls them to trust in their relationship with God.
 
The Samaritan woman is struggling in her life, yet she is truthful about it and open to a conversation with God about it. She is challenged to change, to see things differently. Actually, all the characters in our Gospel story are challenged to change and see things differently, the woman, the disciples and people of Sychar. This encounter with Jesus will leave them all changed in the end.
 
Jesus asks them to see water, food, life and God differently, especially God. God is not a person relegated to one place or another, to one mountain, one city, one group of people. God is there for everyone! Yes, sinners are included, thankfully as St. Paul tells us (Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8).
 
We are challenge to hear the word of God today and be hopeful. Because God is amongst us, all of us and God loves us, all of us!
 
Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone.