RBWords

     In a gospel of vivid characters, the Samaritan woman can hold her own with the best of them!  I hope your parish will read the unedited version so that the whole picture will be presented!  The relationship between her and Jesus begins from almost complete alienation.  She is a Samaritan!  John makes it clear that "Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans."  She is also an unaccompanied woman to whom cultural norms would forbid Jesus to speak.  From that point the dialogue takes shape as does the faith of the woman.  Step by step, through ignorance and misunderstanding, she is brought to faith and understanding and becomes a disciple who proclaims Jesus to the village which, in turn, comes to meet Jesus on its own!   No wonder that many parishes will use this gospel passage every year (no matter the cycle) because of the RCIA program steps. 

 

     The line that always strikes me in the dialogue is the one quoted above:  "If you knew the gift of God!" [ I am using that line as the theme of a parish mission I am beginning this weekend.]  We have all received the "gift of God" in the "living water" of baptism.  Sadly, however, we often fail to realize this gift that "keeps on giving."  It becomes a past event that we need a certificate for in order to receive other sacraments!  My hope is to awaken an awareness of the folks in the pews to this gift of God and what it enables them to do.  Jesus continually offers "living water" to us in our faith.  When we enter a Catholic church, the first thing we ordinarily do is look for the "holy water" font to touch the water and make the Sign of the Cross.  I hope we say the words as well.  It is in water and those words that we received the gift of Baptism!  The Samaritan woman is watching to see if we are as understanding as she became!  AMEN