Come and Drink from the well!

III Sunday of Lent A March 20, 2022 John 4, 5-42 Today’s gospel is chosen especially for our elect. Those members of our community who are preparing to receive the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and eucharist at the Easter Vigil on Saturday April 16th. Like our elect the woman in the Gospel meet Jesus. Maybe she didn’t plan on meeting Jesus but when she went to the well that day she ran into Jesus. She had an encounter with Jesus. Think for a moment, what is it that brought you to Jesus? Maybe no one brought you to Jesus, maybe you were sent. Maybe you were sent by your mom or dad. Maybe a grandparent or spouse. It doesn’t matter what brought you here. The important thing is that you are here. The woman at the well meet Jesus. All of you here today have the same opportunity to meet Jesus. As Jesus was present at the well, he is also present here in this Eucharist. In the Gospel Jesus not only talks with the woman but he has seven conversations with her. Jesus guides her from ignorance to enlightenment, from misunderstanding to understanding. It seems that Jesus is guiding her in his own RCIA program or confirmation classes. The woman engages Jesus. She doesn’t hesitate to ask him questions. It is through her questioning that she is lead to deeper faith. In the woman’s encounter with Jesus her faith in Jesus grows deeper. She first calls him a Jew, then with a bit more respect she says sir. She then recognizes that he is a prophet and messiah and finally she proclaims that he is the Christ. What is happening is that the woman is deepening her relationship with Jesus. She first sees Jesus as an outsider a foreigner someone different, she then sees him as a human being someone who she can have a relationship with. In calling him prophet and Messiah she realizes that Jesus can do something for her and finally she makes her profession of faith. In our faith formation program, we have been trying to do away with everything that makes this seem like school. You don’t have teachers, you don’t meet in the classroom, you aren’t students, and you don’t have homework. Like the woman in the Gospel the point of the program isn’t to get to learn the material and to pass the test. If you get an A you can get baptized and if you get a C or lower you have to repeat the class. No, like the woman the point of the program is to come to know who Jesus is and to proclaim him as your Lord and Savior. If you have come to know Jesus during this time the program has been a success. Not come to know him like you might know Abraham Lincoln. He was born in such and such a place at this date. He was a prophet, and he did miracles. He was crucified in Jerusalem around the year 30. All that stuff is important but that isn’t what the RCIA is all about. No, it is like the woman in the Gospel. It is about coming to know Jesus. Not Jesus the savior, but Jesus my savior. Not Jesus the Messiah, but Jesus my messiah. Not THE Christ, but Jesus my friend on my journey. Yes, if that is happened, we have been successful. We have done what we have set out to do. You are ready to receive the sacraments. But wait, the story doesn’t end there. No, as soon as the woman proclaims Jesus as her Messiah what does she do? She goes off to tell the others about Jesus. She goes from being the catechized who is learning about Jesus to the catechist who is bringing others to Jesus. She proclaims Jesus as the savior of the world and then she brings others to know Jesus. Would that all our candidates, that all of us believers would make the same progression. It is what Pope Francis calls missionary disciples. The woman at the well was one of the first missionary disciples. Once she knew who Jesus was, she couldn’t help but to bring others to Jesus. I guess that is the real test of faith. When we not only know Jesus and are able to proclaim him as our Lord and Savior. But when we come to share Jesus with others. May God bless our candidates. May they not only come to know the Lord, but may they also come to share the Lord with others.