So put down your “umbrella” and feel the rain on your face!

Today at Holy Mass we heard from the Gospel of St John the story of the Samaritan woman who meets Jesus at the well…As many of us know who are very familiar with this story, this woman was public sinner….And Jesus had no issues engaging her in conversation even though she was known to be who she was - An adulterous woman…This is the first point I want to highlight in this narrative by St John…..As Catholics we should offer a hand of friendship to all people, even those who live outside the walls of the Church…Its through the vehicle of friendship that the world gets to “see” in real time what it means to “have life and have it abundantly”…And the only way one has “life within them” is to feed off the very Body and Blood of Christ in the state of grace….With that said, lets get to the part of the Gospel today that I want to highlight….After engaging this Samaritan woman in conversation, she began to understand that Jesus was “someone special” and asked him an interesting question….“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water”…Clearly, this woman could tell that Jesus was not like everyone else and she wanted what he had…..But before Jesus addressed her “ask” for “life giving water” - He masterfully draws out of her the very thing that kept her from the grace of God - Her sin….”Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands,  and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet”……And after Jesus tells this woman what he already knew - That she was living an adulterous life - The Samaritan woman admits her sin - And this confession changes the dynamic of the conversation - It also changes the Samaritan woman!….This is the aspect of this story told to us by St John that we must focus on….We will never be fulfilled in our relationship with God until we “come clean” with him by and through the Sacrament of Reconciliation…Our eyes will remain “closed” - We will never “hear” the Gospel as it truly is meant to be heard - Until we confess our sins……Many will hear this Gospel today at Masses across the entire world…But how many will “hear” the message - That in order to possess “the life giving water” of Christ, we must first repent - As this adulterous woman at the well did…..John the Baptist showed the world the way to God…Notice in the message that John the Baptist proclaimed to the world - “Repent - The Kingdom of God is at hand”……Again - notice the order of his message - First we must repent and then the Kingdom of God will be at hand to us…Then and only then we will “see” and “hear” God as He is.

“Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

There are some in the Catholic Church, that believe that the Blessed Sacrament can be received no matter what state a person is in, meaning we can receive it “as we are” and on “our terms”……This is fundamentally incorrect - The Church is very clear  and always has been clear in its teaching authority - In order to receive the Blessed Sacrament, a Catholic must be in full communion with the Church and be in the state of grace - Meaning free from objective moral sin….No Pope, Cardinal, Bishop, Priest of Lay person can change this teaching…….For this very reason, we must instruct our people that they must frequent the Sacrament of Reconciliation before fully participating at Mass… And if a person finds themself in a irregular situation where they can not receive the Blessed Sacrament for whatever reason, that person is of course welcome to attend Mass - Everyone is welcome to attend Mass! - They just can not receive the Blessed Sacrament…And during that time away from the Eucharist, such a person must pray…And if they pray - God will address what is keeping that person away from living a Sacramental life - And in time, God will address what needs to be addressed…..Why is this so important? - Because the Church very clearly teaches that to receive the Blessed Sacrament in the state of mortal sin is a grave offense against God….As a lifelong Catholic - Have you ever heard people say? - “I have been going to Mass every Sunday for forty years and get nothing out of it”….If a person who says that only would go to Confession with a priest…If they did, they never would say such a statement again….The grace of God is always falling upon us like rain - Sadly we sometimes put up an “umbrella” and “the rain” does not touch our face…We must put down the “umbrella” so God’s life giving grace can fall upon us…..The story of the Samaritan woman told to us at Mass illustrates this point…The woman did not receive the “life giving water” Jesus spoke about, until she was open and honest about her sins with Christ….This woman’s example points the way forward…..Repent - The Kingdom of God is at hand!

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Today at Mass a very important message was communicated to us…First of of which is that as Catholics we must be a welcoming people - No matter who God puts in front of us, we must be encouraging and friendly….However at the same time, this Gospel also tells us that in order to build a fruitful relationship with the Lord, we have to be honest with God and our self - We must admit where we have sinned, repent of our sin and ask God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation for not only forgiveness but the grace to overcome our sin….This is the key!….Catholics must return to the practice of frequent Confession - The saints recommend going once every month…….Notice in the Gospel, the Samaritan woman who Jesus spoke with at the well, she perceived immediately that Jesus was “someone special”….The same will go for us as practicing Catholic when we encounter the unbelieving world around us - If we live a Sacramental life, if we pray daily and fast weekly - The secular world will notice the life of God in us…And that will encourage them to inquire about possessing the same grace we have been given….Grace falls upon the world like rain - It is always pouring down upon the earth - Maybe its time to “put down our umbrella”…..This is the “life giving water” that we all “thirst” for - So put down your “umbrella” and feel the rain on your face!…..JMJ