Love in the Desert of our Hearts

Homily Outline for the Third Sunday Lent, Year A

Are you satisfied? For whom do you long? Today Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “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.” This is His offer, His promise to us at every moment, above all during Lent, above all at every Eucharist, His offer to you NOW.

The Israelites have followed Moses into the desert, they saw God work great wonders, but now, when they’re out of water, they ask “Is God in our midst or not?” Does that question echo in your heart? When we face sickness, or a broken friendship… when we face our own weakness and sin, our own confusion, when we feel isolated and alone, with a thirst that nothing seems to quench, “Is God in our midst, or not?” God hears and answers this question, this prayer: water comes from the least likely place… a hot sun burnt desert rock. Moses strikes it with his staff and sweet water gushes forth. Could God do something like that to our dry and dusty hearts? Can His love pierce them and shower them with life-giving streams?

We thirst, for many things. We seek, and sometimes we are able to quench our thirst for a time with the things of this world. But the thirst returns. In our Gospel today we learn something astounding… not only do we thirst for God and seek Him, even when we don’t realize it, but God seeks us, mysteriously He thirsts for our love. In Jesus Christ, God has come to us; He has come for us. Paul says it very clearly, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” God comes to us precisely in our thirst, in our need. He does not wait for us to get everything straightened out, but He comes to us wherever we are, even in the pew you’re sitting in this morning!

The Samaritan woman comes to the well as she does every day, but to her surprise she encounters a Jew, Jesus, and he speaks to her and even asks her for a drink. Jesus offers her living water. This seems to make no sense at all; he doesn’t even have a bucket. “Are you greater than our father Jacob,” she says. Indeed, He is greater… Then, Jesus speaks clearly of what He offers 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.” Not fully understanding, but thirsty and desiring the gift He offers, her heart opens to the Lord and she says, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty…” She speaks for every one of us here… Lord, give us water, give us joy, give us hope, give us the grace we need to persevere. Even the good things of this world do not finally satisfy, we hunger and long and thirst for your love. Lord, give us this gift!

Dust and deception often swirl in our hearts, obscuring our knowledge of self. God’s grace pierces this storm. If we can look within our hearts and honestly see the desire that persists, we have reached a moment of opportunity, a moment of grace. But there is more, the journey has only begun, not ended. We come to the Lord thirsty, in need… but to truly receive the full grace He offers us, we need to be healed and reconciled. If we still grasp our bitter beguiling sins in our fists, we cannot dip our hands into the water of life and slake our ravening thirst. Jesus invites the Samaritan woman to repentance, and reveals to her the way she sought to quench her thirst with a broken rusty chain of relationships. She sought in human love that which only God can provide. Before she can drink from the spring, she needs to be healed. Jesus reveals her heart to her… it is painful, but He will do the same to us, He will speak to us in our consciences, showing us clearly where we have turned away.

It is hard to look clearly at our sin. It is easier to turn away, to rationalize, to pretend we do not see our sins. The woman is unsure… she challenges Jesus with some basic religious questions, areas where Jews and Samaritans did not agree. She speaks of the Messiah. Having laid bare her heart, Jesus also reveals himself. “I am he, the one speaking to you.” Her subsequent actions reveal her response. She has found the Lord, she brings the glad tidings to her people. Christ reveals her heart to her, He reveals Himself, and she responds by accepting the gift of faith, this living water, the Holy Spirit. This gift brings forth in her heart the courage to live and speak the truth.

Sr. Katty, Sr. Jessa, Sr. Francis Mary, Sr. Elizabeth John

It has been a real gift to work with these four sisters from the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist.  In each of them you can see the joy of Christ that can fill one's heart.  It is evident and visible!  They have shared that joy so generously with literally hundreds of people since they got here on Thursday, from recess with the Pre-Kindergartners to Theology on Tap with the Marquette Frassati Society, even foosball with the high school group last night.  Obviously we are not all called to be sisters, bu we can imitate their generosity in saying, "Yes" to God.

Jesus can work this same joy and healing in you and in me. He offers us living water; he offers us food that satisfies: His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. With His help we can look within. In the beautiful Sacrament of Penance, He offers us mercy beyond measure. What do you hold clenched in your heart that God longs to heal? Why have you stayed away from His Mercy? Trust Him, do not resist His love any longer. What better time to seek repentance and healing than now, during this Lent? Today is the day of salvation, Jesus will meet us in our thirst.

God so loved the world