The long gospel of
the woman at the well, the fourth chapter of John, is a wonderful drama of sin
and forgiveness. On Monday of last week we had a reading from the Book of
Deuteronomy which spoke about how the people who sinned were shamefaced. That
must have been how the woman looked. At least she certainly must have felt
ashamed of herself. All Jesus had to do was mention her current living
arrangements, that she was living with someone who was not her husband and then
the five husbands she had already had, and she was aware of her sinful life.
She felt dead inside. That is what sin does to us. It makes us feel like we are
dead. But Jesus had promised her living water. She received it. She received
forgiveness. And she went into town exuberant, full of life, full of love and
full of hope[1].
This hope exists
for us too. We have the hope that despite our sins, God’s compassion and mercy
has restored us to life with him. His
forgiveness is infinitely more powerful than our guilt.
There are some
people who are so full of guilt that they have a difficult time just setting
foot in Church. Foremost of these are any who have been involved in abortion,
either having one or convincing someone else to have one. There is nothing
worse for a parent than the death of a child. There is no guilt deeper than
those who have caused the death of a child. This also applies to all of the
ways that we might feel shamefaced. Guilt is often too for us to carry. But
when we give it to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, confession,
guilt dissolves. That is the reason why we have so many penance services and
confession periods during Lent. We do
not have to carry our burdens. Jesus carries them for us, all the way to
Calvary. St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
For our well
being, our emotional, physical and spiritual health, I am convinced it is
crucial for us to perform three simple meditations every morning. I’ve often mentioned them. I suggest that we
all do these as we get ready for the day, maybe while showering, or doing hair,
or shaving, or whatever. The first is: God loves me with an unconditional love.
He loves me for whom I am, not for what I do.
Jesus loved that woman at the well for whom she was a daughter of God, a
sinful daughter of God, but still, a daughter of God. So we begin by saying,
“Lord, you love me. Why? Because I am your son; I am your daughter.”
Then we say,
“God forgives me.” The Divine Lover does
not hold grudges. He forgives us. We need to forgive ourselves. “But the extent of my sins are deep, the
results of my sins are wide,” we complain.
Think back to that lady at the well.
How many people were hurt by her immoral lifestyle? How many children suffered as they were
shuttled from one father to another? How
many of them would grow up to imitate their mother’s promiscuity? But Jesus still forgave her. His forgiveness was deeper and more powerful than
her sins. It is also deeper and further
reaching then our sins. So, first, “God you love me with an unconditional love
because I am your son, your daughter. And, second, “God, you forgive me. I need
to forgive myself.”
Then we come to
the morning offering. The third
meditation is simply, “God you are with me today. Whatever I do, I do with you and for you.”
When the others saw the one who had been shamefaced full of joy, they ran out
to meet Jesus. They wanted some of this,
this love, this forgiveness, this presence.
“Could He be the One who is the hope of the ages?” they asked. Then they came into his presence, and let him
into their lives. “Yes, he is,” they
exclaimed. “Yes, He is,” we agree.” He
is our hope. And hope does not
disappoint ■
[1] Third Sunday of Lent A, March
23, 2014.Readings: Exodus 17:3-7 ; Responsorial Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Romans
5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42.
