From the Book of Exodus we were instructed on how the Israelites had a thirst for water as they toiled about in the desert. In our Gospel we were told of the woman at the well who came in order to fill her jar with water. This need for water is an important element of our survival, but it is Christ alone who is able to fill our need to the brim.
It was through the waters of baptism that we encountered such a reality. Through these life giving waters our sin came to be washed away as we were claimed for Christ Jesus. It is not enough to enter into these waters, but we must also rise out of them as a disciple of Christ in all that we say and do.
Very soon we will arrive at Easter where we will come to celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord and renew within ourself that commitment which was made at our baptism. So too there will be those who will soon enter into these same life giving waters at the Easter Vigil. For this reason we hold the first scrutiny for those in our Becoming Catholic class who will soon be baptized.
As we join our prayers with them as they continue to prepare themself for this encounter with the life giving waters of baptism and to proclaim Christ as Messiah we must evaluate our own life and ask what ways we have allowed ourself to be led astray from Christ and the life that springs forth for us from His love and mercy.
This Thursday we will hold our Lenten Penance Service at 6pm. There will be a total of nine priests who will assist with the hearing of confessions. If it has been a long time since your last confession I invite you to use this opportunity to renew that which has been left pushed to the side. None of us can be so prideful as to proclaim that we are not in need of Christ’s mercy and the forgiveness of sins that awaits us in the sacrament of confession.
Do we truly proclaim Him as “the savior of the world” or would we rather Him be lowered to the status of the world? To submit oneself to baptism is a huge statement because it is countercultural as being a Christian is countercultural for we are in the world, but not of the world.
Christ brought His mercy and forgiveness to this woman as He desires to bring His mercy and forgiveness to us. We are all in need of this mercy and forgiveness and so we are in need of having this encounter with Him in the sacrament of confession. Through our continued profession of Christ as Messiah may we allow ourself to be transformed in His mercy which has redeemed the world from sin and death.
