Word to the Wise
Sunday, March 19, 2017 - 3rd Sunday of Lent - A
[Exod 17:3-7; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42 or 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42,40]"If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you,'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." [John]
This weekend I begin Lenten Mission #3 (of 4) at St. John Neumann parish here in Lubbock. The "theme" of the mission is RECOGNIZING THE GIFT OF GOD. It comes from the quotation from today's gospel scripture from the Gospel According to John. Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan Woman at the well. This encounter is a wonderful dramatic scene in which Jesus speaks to a woman who not only is not expecting it, but is a Samaritan, too! As happens often in the Gospel According to John, the conversation goes on at two different levels until the person Jesus addresses "gets it" and recognizes Jesus. The Samaritan woman is a wonderful character. Once she recovers from her surprise, she engages Jesus in spirited conversation, except that she is focused on the well and its water. Jesus is focused on "living water," which is what he has to offer. The Church uses this scene as part of the initiation process for catechumens preparing for baptism. In your parish church you may witness a "scrutiny" of these candidates at the Eucharist today.
For those of us baptized as infants, the event seems like something in the past, attested to by a "baptismal certificate" which we have to show for First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, religious profession, etc.. My message to those who come to the mission and to the Beloved Congregation is that baptism is not a thing of the past for us. It is very much a PRESENT reality and the challenge is to RECOGNIZE this gift that keeps on giving. We have a very handy reminder in the holy water font at the entrance/exit of the church. We touch the water and make the Sign of the Cross. I urge you to say the words, too: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," because it was with water and those words that we began the baptismal life of faith.
For the catechumens (those never baptized) and others who may have been baptized but not raised in the faith or raised in a different Christian church, the "recognition" of God's gift has come in many different ways. If you know someone preparing to enter the church this Easter, engage them in conversation about their "faith journey" and how they came to recognize God's gift. Consider your own faith journey and how you recognize the "living water" that is Jesus. The Samaritan woman took her recognition, imperfect as it was, to her village and the village comes out to hear Jesus. This is our challenge as well. Take the recognition and share the living water! AMEN
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