Too good to be true…!

In today’s gospel, Our Blessed Lord draws the Samaritan woman to the mystery of faith, reveals and acknowledges himself as Messiah and gently turns the woman into a missionary whose testimony draws the whole community to faith. St John writes that, ‘…the woman said to him ‘I know that Messiah is coming – he who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you, am he.’ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony…. They said to the woman, ‘…we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Saviour of the world’ (cf Jn 4:5-15, 19b-26a, 40-42). Imagine how the Samaritan woman must have felt at the words of Jesus, “I who speak to you, am he”

Beloved People of God, the most amazing realities of faith are often made manifest in ordinary ways, things and events of life. To many, this is too good to be true. The Mystery of Faith, as the Church calls and describes them, ought to strengthen and not weaken our belief. We believe because they have been taught and given by Our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, who is Messiah. He does not lie. God reaches out to us through the ordinary. When we respond in love, in faith and trust, we discover the extraordinary. Ourselves and those we help to put their faith in him will never be disappointed. Jesus never fails.

May his grace strengthen our faith in his love and providence. May we neither murmur nor grumble against God.  (cf Ex 17:3-7). May we never harden our hearts today as we hear his voice. Instead, may we always remember that through Jesus Christ, we stand in grace and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. This hope does not shame us because of the love of God that has been poured into hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  

Fr. Ted