3rdSunday of Lent Year C (Scrutiny reading) 2019:
As we journey closer to Easter, it is becoming a more intense time of prayer and discernment for our Elect and Candidates. These men and women are preparing to enter the Catholic Church. 4 of them will receive the gift of baptism. We understand that the waters of baptism are foreshadowed in the water about which Jesus speaks in the gospel. I will give you the living water: you will never thirst again. We truly believe that God is the origin and destiny of every human being. This means that we were made by God and we were made for God. In our hearts, we all have a longing for the divine. We have a thirst that cannot be quenched. We have a God-sized hole, only God can fill it. Sure, many people try to fill this hole with many things: wealth, honor, privilege, pleasure. None of these things satisfy. We will remain thirsty. Jesus says: this water will satisfy, you will never be thirsty again. My dear Elect, this is the water the Church offers you. This is the water that Christ offers you. The waters of Baptism create union with God. The sacrament of Baptism will give you the gift of faith.
My dear friends here at the Cathedral, keep these men and women in your prayers. They are on the doorstep of a beautiful adventure, the adventure of faith.
But, as they are preparing for these sacraments, each of us should also take a moment to renew our own amazement for these gifts. Most of us here have received the gift of God in baptism. We have been washed clean of sin and given a new relationship with God as his adopted sons and daughters. What an amazing gift. We have received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. Every week, some of us every day, receive the amazing gift of the Body and Blood of Christ right here in the Holy Eucharist.
These brothers and sisters of ours are preparing to receive these sacraments for the first time. They are excited and filled with joy. My prayer is that they never lose this joy, the joy of coming into contact with God. But, what about all of us? Sometimes we can lose that awe and wonder. Sometimes we can take God’s gifts for granted. But, what a shame that would be.
One line from the Gospel really stood out to me today. Jesus says to the woman: if you knew the gift of God, then you would ask me for the living water. “If you knew the gift of God.” Hear Jesus saying that line to each of us, right now. If you knew the gift of God, how would that change your life? How would that make you look at the mass? How would that help you to change your lives? How might you treat people differently if you knew the gift of God each and every day of your lives?
I think it would make a huge difference. That is why I want to recommend the practice of Gratitude. I would recommend that every day you begin by simply remembering the gift of God. Doesn’t take long. Spend 3 minutes specifically and consciously remembering the amazing gifts that God has given you. These could be the gifts of life, faith, family, water, air, food, shelter, jobs, kids, etc. One thing I’m noticing more and more is that all of our news these days is bad news. People just report what’s wrong with the world, what’s wrong with the competing political party, etc. But, if we don’t take some time to give God thanks for all the good things, we might be tempted to think that our lives are all bad.
If you knew the gift of God every day, it would have a tremendous impact in your life. Get into the practice of gratitude and you will see big changes.
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