By Paulina Garcia, Fiat Ventures
Third Sunday of Lent
When I was reading todays gospel, I was thinking about the Samaritan, specifically the conversation they had. As I brought it to prayer I realized three truths on this Third Sunday of Lent. (You can call me Angelica Schyler.)
Our first truth: the Samaritan women would, at best, expect Jesus to ignore her completely and if he did much worse than that, she would not have been surprised. Remember that in those times the Jews didn’t have a good relationship with the Gentiles, and the Samaritans were Gentiles. But rather our story gives us the complete opposite, He encounters her with love and with humility, He even revealed to her that He is the Savior of the World.
She assumed He was going to judge her – for her past, and even for her present, since she had five husbands and she was living with someone that it wasn’t her husband – but He didn’t. In that conversation He shows her His compassion and mercy.
That’s the love of Jesus, that is what Jesus is. How many times in our life we have fail, we have made mistakes, and we feel ashamed of our past or even our present. In those moments, go to Jesus. Let Him show you His compassion and mercy the way He did to the woman at the well.
Our second truth: Jesus must be our example in everything in this life. How many times we have been the ones who judge? How many times we have been the ones who treat others poorly? We must encounter people with love, even when sometimes we disagree. In every aspect of our daily life, we should ask ourselves if we are acting like Jesus, if we are loving like Him, if we are forgiving like Him. If we live with Jesus as our example, we are going to become the best version of ourselves, and every part of life will be better.
Our third truth: we can learn a little from the reaction of the Samaritan. What did she decide to do after her conversation with Jesus? She ran into town to tell everyone who she met. The way she reacts is how we should react when we finally achieve that relationship with Him: by sharing the good news with everyone we meet. That Jesus is Lord, that in Him we will always find refuge despite the circumstances. Our testimony as followers of Jesus is the most powerful tool we have. Our mission is also to ensure that everyone we speak with can recognize God’s in us to live our life, so they know we are Catholics from how we act, and speak, and love.