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A WORD FROM THE PASTOR
Allow Jesus to Enter Into Our Personal Lives
Once, there was a woman who had to make a daily trip of a mile to draw water from a public well. Over the years she grew weary of the journey. No matter how much water she brought home, she always ended up with an empty container. Then one day she was doing some work in her own garden when in a remote corner she came upon a large flagstone lying on the ground. The flagstone was completely covered with moss. Her curiosity flared up. She cleared away the moss then removed the flagstone to discover a lovely well. She was thrilled. Never again would she have to make that tiresome journey to the public well. She now had an unfailing source of water of her own.
The Gospel tells us how Jesus awakened a thirst for wholeness and integrity in the woman at the well, a thirst which he had come to satisfy. In revealing himself as the Messiah to the Samaritan woman, Jesus speaks to her of the fountain of water he will give. The whole episode has a seven-part dialogue. Jesus guided her progressively from ignorance to enlightenment, and from misunderstanding to understanding, thus making her the most intense catechized person.
Jesus always has a way of coming into our personal lives. When Jesus became personal with this woman and started asking embarrassing questions about her five husbands, she cleverly tried to change the subject and talk about religion. She didn't want Jesus to get personal. But Jesus wanted to free her, forgive her, shape her life in a new direction, and change her. He wanted to offer this woman Living Water. Scholars explain living water means the revelation or teaching which Jesus came to give, and it also means the Spirit he bestows. It may refer to Baptism and the gift of the Spirit, the source of life.
At the end of their long "heart-to-heart conversation" Jesus revealed himself to the woman as the Messiah, which in turn led her to faith in him. This growth in understanding on the part of the woman moved through several stages: first, she called him a Jew, then Sir or Lord, then Prophet, and finally Messiah. When the Samaritans came to hear Jesus because of her testimony, their affirmation of faith reached its climax as they declared that Jesus was the Savior of the world.
The woman in the story accidently saw the flagstone. When she removed it she found a well so that she won't be going to fetch water from a far distance. The unexpected encounter with Jesus brought dramatic changes to the woman in the Gospel and her villagers. If we allow Jesus to enter into our personal lives, unexpected good things will happen!
In the Service of the Lord,
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