Jesus’ Love, The Water of Our Lives

Weekly Missionary Reflection
3rd week of Lent, 12 March 2023
Exo. 17:3-7; Ps. 95:1-2,6-7,8-9; Rom. 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42 (long) or John 4:5-15,19b-26,39a,40-42 (short)

As water plays an important role in our life, it is often related to the symbol of life, and we will find the truth in “where there is water, there is life”. Today’s first reading tells how the Israelites grumbled about their thirst in the wilderness. Through Moses, God listened to the complaint of His people and flowed the water out of the rock, and those people were saved.

John the Evangelist also tells how Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman and talks about the water of life. This story has a deep meaning. Jesus, a Jew, met a Samaritan woman at noon. The Samaritan was the community rejected by the Jews. The woman was at the well alone at an unusual time.  Normally the women would draw water in the morning or afternoon together with others. In this story, this woman truly reveals the symbol of someone shunned by her community, and from Jesus’ deeper conversation with her, we learned that she had an uncommon relationship with her family as well. However, after her encounter with Jesus, this woman was able to bring change, both for herself and others.

This story of Jesus invites us to ponder our relationship with the Lord. God will always be able to find us, even at an unexpected time. God knows precisely who we are, and what is our background or life experience. Yet none will make Him away from us. He comes and makes us realize that His unconditional love is like water constantly flowing in our hearts.

Now, are we willing to ask for that ‘living water’? Or do we prefer another way to quench our soul thirst?

Dear brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit has been poured out into us through our baptism. Let us pray humbly that She enables us to see Jesus who always comes to us in every moment of our lives and makes us realize that God never leaves us alone. God bless.

(Br. Kornelius Glossanto, SX – Xaverian Missionary)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy, and sorrow in unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with St. Mary, Mother of Jesus, and the Church, in particular, I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of the Indonesian Church of this month:

For victims of abuse
We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.

Churching by encountering
We pray that the member of the church rise and be active in ecclesiastical worship and eucharistic celebrations so that church life can be lived as a real encounter, presence, and social fraternity.

Amen