Today in our first reading we hear the Chosen People grumble, for they are thirsty and have no idea how long their journey through the desert will last. “Is the Lord in our midst or not?”, they complained. I feel as we gather and worship the Lord, to listen to God’s word, and to receive the Lord’s body and blood, we can be assured that He is in our midst. Jesus has quenched our deepest thirst with living water, with water welling up to eternal life.
The waters of baptism cleanse us of our sins even as they quench our spiritual thirst. The water God provided for the Chosen People in the desert did as well. God could have punished them for disparaging Moses and questioning God. Instead, God provided water, giving them sustenance and forgiveness. Jesus could have shamed the woman at the well for her many marriages, but instead he offered her living water, water to give her life eternal. Likewise, we do not deserve the life-giving water we receive in baptism, but Jesus offers it to us, as Paul would say, while we are still sinners, in mercy and love.
This weekend we celebrate at the 4:00 PM Mass the first of three Scrutiny Sundays with Alec I. in preparation to celebrate his baptism, first eucharist, and confirmation. It is an occasion for this young boy and all of us to look deeply and honestly into our own hearts to uncover and heal whatever is sinful, and bring forth what is good, so that it may be strengthened. When Jesus met the woman at the well, he looked deep within her and saw her history, and he also sparked that flicker of faith deep within her. Immediately she became our Lord’s missionary, testifying to everyone she knew about what Jesus had said and done, telling everyone that he really was the One. Lent is an opportunity for all of us to renew our baptism, as well as inviting other family, relatives, friends, neighbors, or co-workers to practice their faith if they have been away from the church. What a wonderful Lenten penance to make that our mission this year.
Love, Peace, Joy,
Fr. Bob
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