Fourth Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 31

Reading 1 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

The LORD said to Samuel:
"Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way.
I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons."

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
"Surely the LORD's anointed is here before him."
But the LORD said to Samuel:
"Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because man sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart."
In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel,
but Samuel said to Jesse,
"The LORD has not chosen any one of these."
Then Samuel asked Jesse,
"Are these all the sons you have?"
Jesse replied,
"There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep."
Samuel said to Jesse,
"Send for him;
we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here."
Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them.
He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold
and making a splendid appearance.
The LORD said,
"There—anoint him, for this is the one!"
Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand,
anointed David in the presence of his brothers;
and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Reading 2 Eph 5:8-14

Brothers and sisters:
You were once darkness,
but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light,
for light produces every kind of goodness
and righteousness and truth.
Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness;
rather expose them, for it is shameful even to mention
the things done by them in secret;
but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,
for everything that becomes visible is light.
Therefore, it says:
"Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will give you light."

Verse Before the Gospel Jn 8:12

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Gospel Jn 9:1-41

As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
"Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?"
Jesus answered,
"Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
When he had said this, he spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes,
and said to him,
"Go wash in the Pool of Siloam" —which means Sent—.
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said,
"Isn't this the one who used to sit and beg?"
Some said, "It is, "
but others said, "No, he just looks like him."
He said, "I am."
So they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"
He replied,
"The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes
and told me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.'
So I went there and washed and was able to see."
And they said to him, "Where is he?"
He said, "I don't know."

They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees.
Now Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes on a sabbath.
So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.
He said to them,
"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see."
So some of the Pharisees said,
"This man is not from God,
because he does not keep the sabbath."
But others said,
"How can a sinful man do such signs?"
And there was a division among them.
So they said to the blind man again,
"What do you have to say about him,
since he opened your eyes?"
He said, "He is a prophet."

Now the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind and gained his sight
until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight.
They asked them,
"Is this your son, who you say was born blind?
How does he now see?"
His parents answered and said,
"We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.
We do not know how he sees now,
nor do we know who opened his eyes.
Ask him, he is of age;
he can speak for himself."
His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews,
for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone acknowledged him as the Christ,
he would be expelled from the synagogue.
For this reason his parents said,
"He is of age; question him."

So a second time they called the man who had been blind
and said to him, "Give God the praise!
We know that this man is a sinner."
He replied,
"If he is a sinner, I do not know.
One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see."
So they said to him,
"What did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes?"
He answered them,
"I told you already and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you want to become his disciples, too?"
They ridiculed him and said,
"You are that man's disciple;
we are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses,
but we do not know where this one is from."
The man answered and said to them,
"This is what is so amazing,
that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes.
We know that God does not listen to sinners,
but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.
It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind.
If this man were not from God,
he would not be able to do anything."
They answered and said to him,
"You were born totally in sin,
and are you trying to teach us?"
Then they threw him out.

When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out,
he found him and said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
He answered and said,
"Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
Jesus said to him,
"You have seen him,
the one speaking with you is he."
He said,
"I do believe, Lord," and he worshiped him.
Then Jesus said,
"I came into this world for judgment,
so that those who do not see might see,
and those who do see might become blind."

Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this
and said to him, "Surely we are not also blind, are we?"
Jesus said to them,
"If you were blind, you would have no sin;
but now you are saying, 'We see,' so your sin remains.

When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We are truly Children of the Light. The moment that we recognize that Jesus Christ is our savior and the Son of God is the moment that our lives can be transformed. Previously, we were all blind. This blindness is one that affects our realization of the truth. Being blind to the truth makes us more susceptible to the temptations of the world. Through Jesus Christ, the reality of who we are and our relation to the Gift of Creation around us is revealed. There is so much more to be experienced through Jesus Christ. We are blinded by the temptations we face and the allures of Satan who convince us that what we see and experience in front of us is the only thing that matters. What we see is truly not the end. It is nothing in comparison to what is beyond through Jesus Christ, We are all the blind man. Everything that we have experienced and seen previously is nothing in comparison to what we can see through Jesus Christ, What is presented by Jesus is an invitation to something so much better, Everything before is a disappointment. We are witnesses to that fact.

There is a truth that is present in the world today. In the Scripture Readings today, Paul states that we all were once in the darkness. Now, the light is before us and there is an obvious choice: Where do we want to go? Do we want to continue with what we are doing and face the obvious consequices to our actions or do to want to make a choice to do things differently? There is a better way and it is right before us. Jesus Christ is waiting for us to come to Him and embrace Him. He is the light. We tend to exist in the darkness that we have created even though we can all see the light before us. It is up to us to take that first step and leave the darkness behind.

We can all relate to the blind man. Even though our lives have been filled with imperfection and calamity, we still continued down the same course that we have chosen. Even though this may have not been the best or first choice, we are comfortable with it. Disappointments and frustration follow our choices yet we embrace them and continue forward, hoping for a different outcome while at the same time knows it is not forthcoming. There has to be a fundamental change in our behavior in order for a different, more positive result to present itself. We have to come forward and ask Jesus Christ to cure our blindness.

The blindness that we experience is one of a voluntary nature. In the past, we have all chosen to go forward without Jesus Christ. We have experienced the darkness and have attempted to enjoy it while accepting the repercussions that have come with it. This is part of our self-destructive nature which we have embraced while ignoring Jesus Christ. In it, there has been some enjoyment but one that has been grounded in materialism which has an expiration date. Beyond the date of expiration lies disappointment and destruction. In contrast, a life with Jesus Christ never ends. Jesus has revealed to us a different way that will bring about different and more fulfilling results. It is a choice between the darkness and the light.

All of us have experienced the darkness and have made it a central aspect of our decisions and experience. We have been damaged and destroyed in the process. Even though this is the case, this has prepared us in a unique way to receive the healing love of Jesus Christ. The Ultimate Truth has been revealed to us and, because of our experiences to the contrary, we are ready for what Christ has to offer. We know the wrong way. We have lived the wrong way. We are ready for the right way.

What is our opinion of the darkness? Do we like it? Do we actually want it? The obvious answer is no. In the past we have embraced it and welcomed it. As Christians, we are invited to step out of the darkness and now enjoy the light and what it has to offer. Paul insures us that the light will provide us all the answers and consolation that we seek. Through it, we will experience everything within a different perspective. This perspective will bring us closer to Christ and will insure us an experience of joy and love that we have never encountered before.

Deacon Tom

Deacon Tom

Cuarto Domingo de Cuaresma

Leccionario: 31

Lectura 1 1 Sm 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a

Y el SEÑOR dijo a Samuel:
"Llena tu cuerno de aceite, y sigue tu camino.
Os envío a Isaí de Belén,
Porque he elegido a mi rey de entre sus hijos.

Cuando Jesse y sus hijos vinieron al sacrificio,
Samuel miró a Eliab y pensó:
"Ciertamente el ungido del SEÑOR está aquí delante de él."
Pero el SEÑOR dijo a Samuel:
"No juzguen por su apariencia o por su elevada estatura,
Porque lo he rechazado.
No como Dios ve,
Porque el hombre ve la apariencia
Mas Jehová mira en el corazón.
De la misma manera Jesse presentó siete hijos antes de Samuel,
Pero Samuel dijo a Isaí:
"El SEÑOR no ha escogido ninguno de estos".
Entonces Samuel preguntó a Isaí,
-¿Estos son todos los hijos que tienes?
Jesse respondió:
"Todavía está el más joven, que está cuidando las ovejas."
Samuel le dijo a Isaí:
Envíale a él;
No comenzaremos el banquete de sacrificio hasta que llegue aquí.
Envió Jesse y mandó traer al joven.
Era rubicundo, un joven apuesto para contemplar
Y haciendo una apariencia espléndida.
Y el SEÑOR dijo:
-¡Alláñalo, porque éste es el único!
Entonces Samuel, con el cuerno de aceite en mano,
Ungió a David en presencia de sus hermanos;
Y desde aquel día, el espíritu de Jehová se precipitó sobre David.

Salmo responsorial Sal 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) El Señor es mi pastor; No hay nada que quiera.

El señor es mi pastor; Nada me faltará.
En prados verdes me da reposo;
Me conduce junto a aguas tranquilas;
Él refresca mi alma.

R. El Señor es mi pastor; No hay nada que quiera.

Él me guía en caminos rectos
Por el nombre de su nombre.
Aunque camino en el oscuro valle
No temeré mal alguno; Porque estás a mi lado
Con su vara y su personal
Que me dan valor.

R. El Señor es mi pastor; No hay nada que quiera.

Me diste la mesa antes que yo
A la vista de mis enemigos;
Tú unges mi cabeza con aceite;
Mi copa se desborda

R. El Señor es mi pastor; No hay nada que quiera.

Sólo la bondad y la bondad me siguen
Todos los días de mi vida;
Y habitaré en la casa del SEÑOR
en los años que vendrán.

R. El Señor es mi pastor; No hay nada que quiera.

Lectura 2 Ef 5: 8-14

Hermanos y hermanas:
Tú eras una vez tinieblas,
Pero ahora sois luz en el Señor.
Vivir como hijos de luz,
Porque la luz produce todo tipo de bondad
Y justicia y verdad.
Trate de aprender lo que es agradable al Señor.
No participes en las obras infructuosas de las tinieblas;
Más bien exponerlos, pues es vergonzoso incluso mencionar
Las cosas que hacen en secreto;
Pero todo lo expuesto por la luz se hace visible,
Porque todo lo que se hace visible es luz.
Por lo tanto, dice:
"Despierta, durmiente,
Y resucitar de los muertos,
Y Cristo os dará luz ".

Versículo Antes del Evangelio Jn 8:12

Yo soy la luz del mundo, dice el Señor;
El que me sigue, tendrá la luz de la vida.

Evangelio Jn 9: 1-41

Cuando Jesús pasó, vio a un hombre ciego de nacimiento.
Sus discípulos le preguntaron,
"Rabí, que pecó, este hombre o sus padres,
Que nació ciego? "
Jesús respondió:
"Ni él ni sus padres pecaron;
Es para que las obras de Dios sean visibles a través de él.
Tenemos que hacer las obras del que me envió mientras es día.
La noche está llegando cuando nadie puede trabajar.
Mientras estoy en el mundo, yo soy la luz del mundo. "
Cuando lo dijo, escupió en el suelo
Y hacía arcilla con la saliva,
Y manchó el barro en sus ojos,
Y le dijo:
"Vete a lavar en el estanque de Siloé" -que significa Sent-.
Así que fue y se lavó, y volvió capaz de ver.

Sus vecinos y los que lo habían visto antes como un mendigo decían:
-¿No es éste el que solía sentarse y suplicar?
Algunos dijeron, "Es,"
Pero otros dijeron: "No, simplemente se parece a él".
Él dijo: "Yo soy".
Entonces le dijeron: ¿Cómo te abrieron los ojos?
Respondió,
"El hombre llamado Jesús hizo barro y ungió mis ojos
Y me dijo: Vete a Siloé y lávate.
Así que fui allí y me lavé y pude ver. "
Y le dijeron: ¿Dónde está?
Él dijo: "No lo sé".

Ellos trajeron al que una vez fue ciego a los fariseos.
Jesús había hecho barro y había abierto sus ojos en un día de reposo.
Entonces los fariseos también le preguntaron cómo pudo ver.
Él les dijo:
"Me puso arcilla en los ojos, y me lavé, y ahora puedo ver".
Entonces algunos de los fariseos dijeron:
"Este hombre no es de Dios,
Porque no guarda el sábado. "
Pero otros dijeron,
"¿Cómo puede un hombre pecador hacer tales señales?"
Y había una división entre ellos.
Entonces volvieron a decir al ciego:
"¿Qué tienes que decir sobre él,
Desde que abrió los ojos?
Él dijo: "Él es un profeta".

Ahora los judíos no creían
Que había sido ciego y ganado su vista
Hasta que convocaron a los padres de aquel que había ganado su vista.
Les preguntaron,
"¿Es este tu hijo, que dices que nació ciego?
¿Cómo ve ahora?
Sus padres contestaron y dijeron:
"Sabemos que este es nuestro hijo y que nació ciego.
No sabemos cómo ve ahora,
Ni sabemos quién abrió sus ojos.
Pregúntale, él es de un

Él puede hablar por sí mismo ".
Sus padres dijeron esto porque tenían miedo de los judíos,
Porque los judíos ya habían acordado
Que si alguien le reconoció como el Cristo,
Sería expulsado de la sinagoga.
Por esta razón sus padres dijeron,
"Es mayor de edad, pregúntale".

Así que una segunda vez llamaron al hombre que había sido ciego
Y le dijo: "¡Alabado sea Dios!
Sabemos que este hombre es un pecador.
Respondió,
-Si es un pecador, no lo sé.
Una cosa que sé es que estaba ciego y ahora veo ".
Entonces le dijeron:
"¿Que te hizo?
¿Cómo abrió los ojos?
Él les respondió,
Ya te lo dije y no me escuchaste.
¿Por qué quieres volver a oírlo?
¿Quieres ser también sus discípulos?
Lo ridiculizaron y le dijeron:
"Eres el discípulo de ese hombre;
¡Somos discípulos de Moisés!
Sabemos que Dios habló a Moisés,
Pero no sabemos de dónde es este ".
El hombre respondió y les dijo:
"Esto es lo que es tan asombroso,
Que no sabes de dónde es, pero me abrió los ojos.
Sabemos que Dios no escucha a los pecadores,
Pero si uno es devoto y hace su voluntad, él le escucha.
Es inaudito que alguien haya abierto los ojos de una persona ciega de nacimiento.
Si este hombre no fuera de Dios,
Él no sería capaz de hacer nada ".
Ellos respondieron y le dijeron:
"Usted nació totalmente en pecado,
¿Y tú intentas enseñarnos?
Entonces lo echaron fuera.

Cuando Jesús oyó que lo habían echado fuera,
Lo encontró y dijo: "¿Crees en el Hijo del Hombre?"
Él respondió y dijo:
-¿Quién es, señor, para que yo crea en él?
Jesús le dijo:
"Usted lo ha visto,
El que habla contigo es él ".
Él dijo,
"Yo creo, Señor", y él lo adoró.
Entonces Jesús dijo:
"Vine a este mundo para juicio,
Para que los que no ven vean,
Y los que ven pueden quedar ciegos ".

Algunos de los fariseos que estaban con él oyeron esto
Y le dijo: Ciertamente, nosotros también no somos ciegos, ¿verdad?
Jesús les dijo:
"Si fuerais ciegos, no tendríais pecado;
Pero ahora estás diciendo: 'Nosotros vemos', así que tu pecado permanece.
Cuando los samaritanos vinieron a él,
Le invitaron a quedarse con ellos;
Y se quedó allí dos días.
Muchos más empezaron a creer en él por su palabra,
Y dijeron a la mujer:
"Ya no creemos por tu palabra;
Porque hemos oído por nosotros mismos,
Y sabemos que este es verdaderamente el salvador del mundo ".

MIS HERMANOS Y HERMANAS,

Somos verdaderamente hijos de la Luz. El momento en que reconocemos que Jesucristo es nuestro salvador y el Hijo de Dios es el momento en que nuestras vidas pueden ser transformadas. Anteriormente, éramos todos ciegos. Esta ceguera es la que afecta nuestra realización de la verdad. Ser ciego a la verdad nos hace más susceptibles a las tentaciones del mundo. A través de Jesucristo se revela la realidad de quiénes somos y nuestra relación con el Don de la Creación que nos rodea. Hay mucho más por experimentar en Jesucristo. Estamos cegados por las tentaciones que enfrentamos y los seductores de Satanás que nos convencen de que lo que vemos y experimentamos frente a nosotros es lo único que importa. Lo que vemos no es realmente el fin. No es nada en comparación con lo que está más allá a través de Jesucristo, Todos somos ciegos. Todo lo que hemos experimentado y visto anteriormente no es nada en comparación con lo que podemos ver a través de Jesucristo, Lo que es presentado por Jesús es una invitación a algo mucho mejor, Todo antes es una decepción. Somos testigos de ese hecho.

Hay una verdad que está presente en el mundo de hoy. En las Lecturas de la Escritura de hoy, Pablo declara que todos estábamos una vez en la oscuridad. Ahora, la luz está ante nosotros y hay una opción obvia: ¿A dónde queremos ir? ¿Queremos continuar con lo que estamos haciendo y enfrentar las consecuencias obvias de nuestras acciones o hacer para querer hacer una elección para hacer las cosas de manera diferente? Hay una mejor manera y está justo delante de nosotros. Jesucristo nos espera para venir a Él y abrazarlo. Él es la luz. Tendemos a existir en la oscuridad que hemos creado, aunque todos podamos ver la luz ante nosotros. Depende de nosotros dar ese primer paso y dejar atrás la oscuridad.

Todos podemos relacionarnos con el ciego. A pesar de que nuestras vidas han estado llenas de imperfecciones y calamidades, seguimos por el mismo camino que hemos elegido. A pesar de que esto puede no haber sido la mejor o primera opción, nos sentimos cómodos con él. Las decepciones y la frustración siguen nuestras opciones, pero las abrazamos y seguimos adelante, con la esperanza de un resultado diferente, mientras que al mismo tiempo sabe que no está disponible. Tiene que haber un cambio fundamental en nuestro comportamiento para que se presente un resultado diferente y más positivo. Tenemos que presentarnos y pedir a Jesucristo que cure nuestra ceguera.

La ceguera que experimentamos es de carácter voluntario. En el pasado, todos hemos elegido seguir adelante sin Jesucristo. Hemos experimentado la oscuridad y hemos intentado disfrutarlo mientras aceptamos las repercusiones que han venido con él. Esto es parte de nuestra naturaleza autodestructiva que hemos abrazado al ignorar a Jesucristo. En él, ha habido un cierto goce, pero uno que se ha basado en el materialismo que tiene una fecha de vencimiento. Más allá de la fecha de vencimiento está la decepción y la destrucción. En contraste, una vida con Jesucristo nunca termina. Jesús nos ha revelado una manera diferente que producirá resultados diferentes y más satisfactorios. Es una elección entre la oscuridad y la luz.

Todos nosotros hemos experimentado la oscuridad y lo hemos convertido en un aspecto central de nuestras decisiones y experiencias. Hemos sido dañados y destruidos en el proceso. A pesar de que este es el caso, esto nos ha preparado de una manera única para recibir el amor curativo de Jesucristo. La Verdad Suprema nos ha sido revelada y, debido a nuestras experiencias en contrario, estamos listos para lo que Cristo tiene que ofrecer. Conocemos el camino equivocado. Hemos vivido el camino equivocado. Estamos listos para el camino correcto.

¿Cuál es nuestra opinión de la oscuridad? ¿Nos gusta? ¿Realmente lo queremos? La respuesta obvia es no. En el pasado lo hemos abrazado y acogido con satisfacción. Como cristianos, estamos invitados a salir de la oscuridad y ahora disfrutar de la luz y lo que tiene que ofrecer. Pablo nos asegura que la luz nos proporcionará todas las respuestas y consuelo que buscamos. A través de ella, experimentaremos todo dentro de una perspectiva diferente. Esta perspectiva nos acercará a Cristo y nos asegurará una experiencia de alegría y amor que nunca hemos visto antes.

Diácono Tom

Third Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 28

Reading 1 Ex 17:3-7

In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, "Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst
with our children and our livestock?"
So Moses cried out to the LORD,
"What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!"
The LORD answered Moses,
"Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel,
holding in your hand, as you go,
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it
for the people to drink."
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
"Is the LORD in our midst or not?"

Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works."
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Reading 2 Rom 5:1-2, 5-8

Brothers and sisters:
Since we have been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand,
and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

And hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

Verse Before the Gospel Cf. Jn 4:42, 15

Lord, you are truly the Savior of the world;
give me living water, that I may never thirst again.

Gospel Jn 4:5-42

Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar,
near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
Jacob's well was there.
Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.
It was about noon.

A woman of Samaria came to draw water.
Jesus said to her,
"Give me a drink."
His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?"
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
"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."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob,
who gave us this cistern and drank from it himself
with his children and his flocks?"
Jesus answered and said to her,
"Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again;
but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst;
the water I shall give will become in him
a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty
or have to keep coming here to draw water."

Jesus said to her,
"Go call your husband and come back."
The woman answered and said to him,
"I do not have a husband."
Jesus answered her,
"You are right in saying, 'I do not have a husband.'
For you have had five husbands,
and the one you have now is not your husband.
What you have said is true."
The woman said to him,
"Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.
Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain;
but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem."
Jesus said to her,
"Believe me, woman, the hour is coming
when you will worship the Father
neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
You people worship what you do not understand;
we worship what we understand,
because salvation is from the Jews.
But the hour is coming, and is now here,
when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;
and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.
God is Spirit, and those who worship him
must worship in Spirit and truth."
The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ;
when he comes, he will tell us everything."
Jesus said to her,
"I am he, the one speaking with you."

At that moment his disciples returned,
and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,
but still no one said, "What are you looking for?"
or "Why are you talking with her?"
The woman left her water jar
and went into the town and said to the people,
"Come see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could he possibly be the Christ?"
They went out of the town and came to him.
Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat."
But he said to them,
"I have food to eat of which you do not know."
So the disciples said to one another,
"Could someone have brought him something to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"My food is to do the will of the one who sent me
and to finish his work.
Do you not say, 'In four months the harvest will be here'?
I tell you, look up and see the fields ripe for the harvest.
The reaper is already receiving payment
and gathering crops for eternal life,
so that the sower and reaper can rejoice together.
For here the saying is verified that 'One sows and another reaps.'
I sent you to reap what you have not worked for;
others have done the work,
and you are sharing the fruits of their work."

Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman who testified,
"He told me everything I have done."
When the Samaritans came to him,
they invited him to stay with them;
and he stayed there two days.
Many more began to believe in him because of his word,
and they said to the woman,
"We no longer believe because of your word;
for we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this is truly the savior of the world."

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We are all thirsting for something in this life. There are many different ways to quench this thirst. Some find it the material allures of this world while others find it in the many different ways that we can occupy ourselves, experiencing entertainment and stimulation of the senses. We all are individuals and with that uniqueness come certain preferences on how we spend our time and develop our lives. We each have a unique set of talents and abilities which influence our decisions. As we get older and have gained more knowledge and wisdom, our tastes and behaviors will change. Certain patterns will also develop and habits will be formed. Undoubtedly, there will be good ones and bad ones which will have a lasting impact on our life experience. Each day brings about options regarding how we are going to satisfy our thirst and how long it will be quenched.

Our physical bodies demand hydration and our brains require mental titivation. As these demands are satisfied it is spiritual aspect of our existence which can easily be denied the same nourishment that is necessary for it to grow and not die. An indication that this is happening is the emptiness we feel like something is missing. We try different things so as to satisfy this urge but stubbornly it comes back. It masks itself in different ways coming in the form of boredom, hunger pains, sexual urges, and other wants that we think we need at that moment. Once these are appeased, the emptiness then returns. It is a cycle that can arguably repeat itself for a lifetime. There are even those who think they are fulfilled in all aspects of their lives when in fact they are the ones who lack the most nourishment. The more we focus on the material, the more time we will feel the emptiness.

In Paul’s Letter to the Romans, he describes the Love of God being poured into our hearts. This is what has been given to us to fill that emptiness and quench that insatiable thirst which has plagued us for what feels like forever. With the revelation of Jesus Christ and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we have already been given all that is necessary to make us complete. The answer is before us, we just need to take the time and realize it. Our lives are so regimented to the fact that we have to work for everything. We set goals for ourselves to obtain what we want when we want it. When something is given to us undeservedly, such as the unquestionable love of God for us, we tend not to recognize it and even take it for granted. We only need to accept the gift and let it do the work that it is supposed to do. Jesus Christ died for us and has proved His love for us. The challenge is for us to let that love do its work and quench our thirst.

We have a blueprint before us. Jesus Christ has mapped out a plan for us to follow. This plan is offered freely and with no stipulations. If we follow it, then we will become fulfilled in everything that we do. We must stop struggling against what is the most obvious choice to make. If we choose to embrace what is being offered then the Waters of Salvation will envelop us and pour forth from us at the same time. We can relive our baptism every day just by being open to receive the Love of Jesus Christ. The imagery can be very powerful: The start of every day can become a renewal of the spirit and a rebirth of sorts.

As Christians, we have so many opportunities presented before us. All of them are wonderful. It is an offering to us from Jesus Christ that shouldn’t be taken lightly. When we do everything with Him in our hearts and recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit, then the floodgates of love are open. Living life with the Living Water of Our Lord Jesus Christ becomes the obvious choice. Receive the water and receive Jesus Christ.

Deacon Tom