Friday April 1, 2011

Happy April Fool's Day!

John 4:28-34

"The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 'Come see a man who told me everything I have done. Could he possibly be the Messiah?' They went out of the town and came to him. Meanwhile, the disciples urged him, 'Rabbi, eat.' But he said to them, 'I have food to eat of which you do not know.' So the disciples said to one another, 'Could someone have brought him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of the on who sent me and finish his work.'"

The Little Black Book really wants the lesson of this week to be how mundane matters, of taking things at their surface meaning, is an all too common trait. I want the lesson of this week to be how easily we miss important matters of theology, important matters of people, by dismissing them for petty reasons.

There's something here for both of us today. The disciples blundering around wondering what on earth Jesus is talking about (instead of just asking Him what He means - He is right there) and the Samaritan woman making the final leap from "prophet" to "Messiah."

But what really struck me today was "to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work" because I just love that. Jesus came down not just to correct, not just to set everything right again, but to "finish his work." To finish the work of creation, the adoption of man into the heavenly family. The completion of our creation as children of God. He gave us His light from the beginning, Jesus came down to tell us it was there. To see it in us, and to pave the way for the Spirit to be alive in us. To give us, everlastingly, permission to shine.

Permission through the Church which welcomes us and declares the beauty of the Body of Christ, permission through the sacrament of Reconciliation to have forgiveness and keep moving forward, permission through the Eucharist to become one with God. Permission to minister and to build a family and to die knowing that we go into the arms of God.

Permission to be wonderful and kind and forgiving and loving and shining with the light and the strength of God - and also the injunction to do so. That's what He gave this woman. He looked beyond her "deplorable lifestyle" and made her His messenger - declared her worthy and gave her permission to be better than she had been. And what He did, by doing so, was to finish God's work. Complete God's creation of her. Of all of us.

I love that.

Dear Lord, help me to always grow and love You, remind me when I forget that I have Your permission and Your command to grow and love always. Help me to never grow smaller and pettier and less loving. Be with me, Lord. Let Your love and light shine in me. Thank You, for completing my creation.