Come, Holy Spirit, and give us living water!

John 4 is a beautiful encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well. As the sun blazed at noon, Jesus sat by Jacob’s well. When the woman approached, likely at this time to avoid interactions and potential judgments from others, Jesus asked her for a drink. This breaks cultural norms and expectations – both because she was a Samaritan and because she was a woman outside his family. Yet this simple request for water alludes to courtship, as Isaac, Jacob, and Moses all met their wives at the well. Jesus shatters all that keeps us from an enduring relationship with the Lord, inviting us to be wed to him, a marriage that will endure for all eternity.

And who was Jacob? One of the great patriarchs, along with Abraham and Isaac, he helped establish the covenant, the people’s relationship with God. From his twelve sons came the twelve tribes of Israel. Though Joseph was sold into slavery, the Lord used even that suffering to save his people from famine. Still, their time in Egypt led to bondage, and God raised up Moses to lead them to freedom. Even after entering the Promised Land, the people repeatedly drifted from the Lord, despite his constant call to return.

Jesus, the Savior of the whole world, works for the restoration and unity of God’s people. As the woman dialogues with Jesus, she slowly comes to believe that Jesus is the source of eternal life. From her disbelief, she moves from a cold, respectful “Sir” to acknowledging Jesus as a prophet to even the Messiah. Her witness convinces others to come to encounter Jesus as well.

This weekend is truly a blessing for our parish. Bishop Adam Parker has confirmed about 160 of our youth and children, the first year that we have confirmed Elementary (3rd-5th), Middle, and High School students. Jesus truly is a gift to the world, but those confirmed also share in that blessing. The Holy Spirit fills us with gifts to encourage others to come to the Lord as the source of life. Please keep praying for those confirmed and their families that they may be on fire with love for the Lord and desire to strengthen our Church. As I met with the candidates and their families, I am truly impressed by how they live the faith and bear witness to God’s goodness.

Please also pray for those in our Becoming Catholic program who are preparing for the Easter Sacraments. This Sunday marks the 1st Scrutiny (of 3). For the Samaritan woman, the encounter with Jesus led to a need for conversion. This should serve as a reminder for all of us of our need to cooperate with the ongoing need for conversion.

Next Sunday, we are blessed to have Fr. Lenin Suarez with us at our 9 am and 11 am Mass. As the Associate Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese, he will remind us of our need to listen to God’s call in our lives and encourage all of our youth and young adults to discern God’s vocation for them.

Lastly, I encourage those who have yet to make a gift or pledge to the Annual Appeal for Catholic Ministries to consider this important opportunity for almsgiving prayerfully. The Annual Appeal supports so many of the charities and ministries that bless the Church of Baltimore and our wider community. We have reached 225 gifts, which are short of the 241 from last year, and our goal is to reach 300 this year (which I still believe is reasonable). To make a gift, go to archbalt.org/mygift.

May we walk together in faith, renewed by Christ’s living water.