Deacon Larry

  March 15, 2009

Third Sunday of Lent (Year A)

Ex 17: 3-7; Rom 5: 1-2, 5-8; Jn 4: 5-42

Dc. Larry Brockman

 

Thirst!  What are you thirsting for?  Are you like the Israelite people, concerned totally with living in the world?  Exodus describes the Israelites journey to escape slavery from the Egyptians and establish a new land flowing with milk and honey.  But once they had escaped from the Egyptians, the Israelites lost sight of what that really meant.  They were caught up in the details of the journey and everyday life.  Their concern was over food and water- their mere sustenance, not the dream that God had for his people- the covenant God had made with them to give them the promised land.  And so, they agitated for food- which God provided in the manna and the quail; and then the water, as we heard in the first reading

Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman starts out the same way.  She is there for sustenance- until Jesus shakes her from her apathy.  Here is a woman who was obviously not happy.  She had gone through 5 husbands, and was with a 6th man.  She had not found what she was looking for in any of the relationships that she had. 

Although those were different times and places, and different circumstances that don’t seem relevant in our day and age, the fact is that our society is just as restless and thirsty as the Israelites were.  We are looking for the quick fix- the infusion of government dollars, to quench the thirst of a runaway financial fire.  As a society, we are looking for quick gratification rather than the ultimate answers that treat the root problem. 

And we are restless as individuals too.  We are thirsting- thirsting for that which will satisfy us in this life.  But we mistakenly seek the momentary quenching of that thirst by the pleasures of life just like the Samaritan woman did, and so, we need the “living water” that Jesus spoke about. 

There’s a very interesting book I once read called “The Holy Longing” by Ronald Rolheiser.  The book talks about spirituality.  He says that “Spirituality concerns what we do with our desires”.  Isn’t that another way to say that Spirituality concerns what we do to satisfy our thirsts?  So maybe what the woman at the well really wanted, was to find herself spiritually.  And we are all in the same boat.  We are all seeking the real meaning of life, thirsting for an answer that will satisfy us over the long haul. 

It seems to me that there are a number of modern obstacles to developing our spirituality:  First, we put a wall between the living of life and our experience with the Church.  Once we leave mass on Sunday, we have a tendency to leave the spiritual part of our lives behind.  But the reality is that our spirits are longing for God to be right there along side of us in everything we do because that’s what it means to be a Christian and that is what brings us lasting joy and happiness.  Second, we have a tendency to reject our Christian heritage in favor of a wave of 21st century knowledge.  Yes- knowledge in science, technology, medicine, psychology, and all the modern fields has advanced at a rapid pace.  But, if we really believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that God speaks through the tradition of his Church, then when it comes to living our lives in such a way that we can find meaning in our lives and grow closer to God,  we need to look to our Christian heritage for those answers.  God is spirit- and our spirits will be nurtured best by engaging the Church for nourishing our spirituality. 

What is it that our spirits are thirsting for?  In the book I mentioned, the author identifies four essential elements of a healthy spirituality.  These are basically derived from the things we are asked to do during Lent- Prayer, Almsgiving, and Fasting:  First, he identifies private prayer and proper personal morality.  Prayer should begin in our homes, with our families.  But, our parish abounds in opportunities to develop this element.  The adoration chapel, prayer groups, and adult education programs are constantly being advertised. 

Second is social justice.  Yes, that means all of us need to be involved helping others less fortunate than ourselves.  Again, social justice begins in the home, in the way we relate to our families.  But we need to do more, we need to extend ourselves, and hopefully as a family.  Again, there are opportunities in the Parish.  As examples, we have a fantastic St. Vincent de Paul program, a very active respect Life Program, and we participate in feeding the poor through Helping Hands. 

The third element is Mellowness of heart and soul.  This element is achieved by self sacrifice and community.  Fasting, or self sacrifice, helps to sensitize ourselves to what suffering means to others.  It helps foster a sense of compassion.  In addition, we tend to be bitter and angry about some of the things in our life; or we may tend to be self absorbed and weak.  In any event, community is a great way to treat these weaknesses.  That community begins in our own homes, with our family.  But we need a larger community.  We need community with a group of people that listens when we need a friend; and that we can enjoy life with as we share our common values.  Belonging to such a community softens our bitterness, and gets us away from self.  Again, the Church is the place to find that people to form that community. 

And the fourth element is belonging to a worshiping community which we are all doing already when we come together and witness to our faith. 

But all of these elements need to be in proper balance.  That is the key to a healthy spirituality.  You need to be involved in all of these elements, not predominantly one or another. 

We are in the middle of Lent, the perfect time to reflect on our lives, find the living water, and grow closer to God.  In our midst, there are catechumens who have chosen to make a significant commitment to our Church.  Unlike us cradle Catholics, they have chosen the faith that we profess.  They are a great example of people in the middle of the process I have outlined this morning.  For those of us who are already Catholic, and who thirst for the real meaning of life, like the woman at the well did, recall the words of the great St. Augustine.  “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you” 

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