Weekly Readings Reflections: 3rd Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (using the Cycle A readings) are:

The children of Israel get a bad rap. In the Old Testament reading, they make a valid point. They are herdsmen. If their livestock dies, they die. So they had every right to voice concerns over water in the desert.
Think of the last time that you went through a hard time. Maybe it was a death in the family, loss of a job, the year 2019, you name it. When you hit that hard time, did you ask yourself why that happened to you?
Did you come to a conclusion?
Do you have to come to a conclusion? In other words, do tragedies, suffering, calamities have to make sense?
Did that hard time impact your relationship with Jesus?
If so, how, and why?
Should that hard time have had that impact on you?

Have you ever been angry at God?
How did you process that anger? Did you talk yourself out of it, were you to horrified at the though of being angry at the creator of the universe to even think about it, did you pray honestly and heatedly ...?
How did God answer you?
What do you think God wants of us when we are angry, sad, bruised and beaten by life?

The theological virtue of hope helps us to "keep our eye on the prize".
At the end of your life, what do you hope to accomplish? Give that some serious thought, and try to boil it down into one sentence.
How is your relationship to God helping with that goal?
What have you done today towards that end?

The woman at the well had monumental courage. Doubtless ostracized by her community because of her rocky marital status, upon meeting Jesus, she becomes an apostle. I sometimes wonder whether anyone dismissed her because they had all dismissed her.
Why is it so hard to reach out to someone in real need? Maybe they have lost a loved one, lost their job, fallen into an addiction, ... we just never feel comfortable around such folks.
Why does Jesus never seem awkward around those in need?
What can you do to become more like Jesus?

Worn Stones

Whether or not this was truly the site of Jacob's well had stopped mattering to me.

I could feel the great cloud of witnesses who have been here before me,

Hallowing this spot with their hopes and fears, prayers and longings.

As they sought to find their tentative way forward.

I ran my hand reverently over the worn stones bordering the well,

Still warm from the afternoon sun, warn smooth through the centuries.

I sat down where so many others have rested, and prayed.

Prayed that I too might see the world through new eyes.

Like the deep well before me, fear of the unknown,

Uncertainty over tomorrow yawned.

Dark, impenetrable, yet alive with possibilities,

If only I had the courage to plumb their depths.

I touched the hearts of those before me who have found hope here.

Asked them what drew them to this lonely place.

And where their newfound hope sent them.

And most of all, what brought them hope, when all seemed cold, still, dim, lost.

I asked myself what right I had to look for peace, joy, fulfillment,

At this point in life.

When I had already received so much, from so many, over so much time.

After all, there must be a limit to the supply of grace for any one man.

And finally, after sundown, it came to me.

That the graces that I needed now were different from what I needed earlier in life.

Now I needed strength to continue, courage to persevere, and a prophetic voice to speak.

Now I needed to finish well, no matter how long it took.

Bones creaking and sinews complaining as I stood in the cold of early evening,

I once again turned toward the town and started waling.

Ready to minister peace and solace to those lost and alone.

Ready to give hope on those who have given up.

Shalom!

Weekly Readings Reflections