Our Lady of Sorrows
    info@oladyofsorrows.org
    956-686-0251
    • Home
    • News
      • Weekly Bulletin
    • Homilies
      • Msgr. Gustavo Barrera
      • Dcn. Ray Thomas
      • Dcn. Johnny Gonzalez
      • Dcn. Crawford Higgins
    • About Us
      • Office Directory
      • Worship & Liturgy Schedule
      • Our Pastor
      • Photo Gallery
    • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Matrimony
      • CCD
      • RCIA
    • Donate
    • Capital Campaign
    • Ministries
      • Adoration
      • Altar & Rosary Society
      • Altar Servers
      • Asamblea de Oracion de Matrimonios (AOM)
      • Catholic Daughters of the Americas
      • Homebound Ministry
      • JCDA
      • Choir
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Legion of Mary
      • Readers of the Word (Lectors)
      • Serra Club
      • Star of Hope
    • Faith & Spirituality Groups
      • Bereavement Support
      • Centering Prayer Group
    • Become a Parishioner
    • Funeral Information
    • Quinceañera Information
    • OLS YouTube Channel
    • School
    • Diocese of Brownsville
    • Contact Us

    3rd Sunday of Lent, CYCLE A

    3/12/2023

     
    John 4:5-42
    ​
    We like movies that takes us from the ordinariness of life into the supernatural.  People who can tell the future, levitate, perform magic are the ones who capture our attention. 
     
    Jesus took the woman at the well from the ordinariness of her life into the realm of the unexpected.  The common human need of being thirsty brought them together.  Although people gathered at the well, there were protocols to observe.  Men did not talk to women; women did not talk with men.  Jesus broke the rules.  He asked the “nameless” woman for something that He could have gotten Himself—a drink of water.  She was shocked because Jesus acknowledged her presence.  Most would have ignored her because she was a woman.  More importantly, Jesus was a Jew, and she was a half breed.  They observed real “social distancing” without COVID.  The Samaritans and the Jews couldn’t stand each other, so they just kept their distance.  Jesus not only acknowledged the woman’s presence, He requested a favor.  There was probably an awkward moment of silence.  Then the woman asked, “Are you supposed to be talking to me?  Are you aware of who I am and who you are?”  Jesus answered, “Of course I am aware, more than you can possibly imagine.”  “I am aware that you need me, more than I need you.”  “The need for water will pass but there are other needs which cannot be satisfied at this well.”  We can picture the woman listening while she stood nervously wondering what Jesus was going to say next.  Jesus then asked her about her personal life.  He invited her to bring her husband.  “You have had five husbands and the man with whom you live now is not your husband.”  Sounds like a modern woman!  She was ahead of her time.
     
    What a scene.  Nowhere to run.  The woman was backed into a corner.  She knew that Jesus spoke the truth.  The truth is often difficult to handle.  That’s why most of us run from the truth, especially personal faults.  Even in Confession we try to rationalize our sins.  “My spouse made me angry….; I drank too much because of peer pressure…..; my foot gets heavy and before I knew it, I was speeding….”  The woman could not make excuses.  She could not hide because Jesus knew her.  So, she started talking about religion.  Religion is a topic that can distract us.  Many would rather talk about religion than about themselves.  We usually pick on the Pope, or the President, or whatever is wrong with the world.  We avoid looking inwardly at the stuff that needs to change in our person. 
     
    We need to become the change that we want to see.  We waste a lot of energy in making judgements, even on ourselves.  Notice that Jesus did not condemn the woman.  He reached out to her with compassion, knowing that she needed a friend.  Someone who could love her without wanting something in return.  Notice that the woman probably never gave Jesus the drink of water.  She was so taken with the unconditional acceptance of Jesus that she forgot about herself, she forgot about the conversation, she forgot her water jar.  The water jar is symbolic of her “old self”.  Her “old self” stayed at the well.  The woman became an evangelizer.  She ran to the town to speak with anyone who was willing to listen.  She told everyone about her encounter with Jesus Christ.  How often does that happen in our life?  How many times have we spoken to others about what the Lord has done for us?  We are very blessed.  Just the fact that we are here.  Some of us have been on death’s door.  Others have experienced severe depression.  Many have battled cancer or are still undergoing treatment.  But here we are.  The opportunity comes to face our truth.  We are fragile human beings.  Despite our sins God loves us unconditionally.  The least we can do is to give witness of His love.
     
    Let’s forget our water jar.  We can put aside our agenda.  The Lord offers us a better purpose—to speak about Him and His love for each of us.   

    Comments are closed.
      Picture
      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera,
      ​celebrated his first Holy Mass as pastor on September 15, 2007, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. With his enthusiasm and spiritual guidance, OLS continues to serve our Catholic family in a way that challenges us to grow as an evangelizing community.

      Archives

      May 2023
      April 2023
      March 2023
      February 2023
      January 2023
      December 2022
      November 2022
      October 2022
      September 2022
      August 2022
      July 2022
      June 2022
      May 2022
      April 2022
      March 2022
      February 2022
      January 2022
      November 2020
      October 2020
      September 2020
      August 2020
      July 2020
      June 2020
      May 2020
      April 2020
      March 2020
      February 2020
      January 2020
      December 2019
      November 2019
      October 2019
      September 2019
      July 2019
      June 2019
      May 2019
      April 2019
      March 2019
      February 2019
      January 2019
      December 2018
      November 2018
      October 2018
      September 2018
      August 2018
      July 2018
      June 2018
      May 2018
      April 2018
      March 2018
      February 2018
      January 2018
      December 2017
      November 2017
      October 2017
      September 2017
      August 2017
      June 2017
      May 2017
      April 2017
      March 2017
      February 2017
      January 2017
      December 2016
      November 2016
      October 2016
      September 2016
      August 2016
      July 2016
      June 2016
      May 2016
      April 2016
      March 2016
      February 2016
      January 2016
      December 2015
      November 2015
      October 2015
      September 2015
      August 2015
      July 2015
      June 2015
      May 2015
      April 2015
      March 2015

      Msgr. Gustavo Barrera, Pastor.

      Categories

      All

      RSS Feed

    About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Office Directory
    • Stewardship
    • Pastor
    • Our History
    Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • First Reconciliation
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Marriage
    • Anointing of the Sick
    Parish Life
    1. Become a Parishioner
    2. Bulletin & Newsletters
    3. Planning Center Log-in​
    Worship and Liturgy
    • Daily Readings
    • Liturgy of Hours
    • Mass & Reconciliation
    • Eucharistic Adoration
    Faith Formation
    • CCD
    • RCIA​
    Links & Resources
    • CDOB
    • USCCB
    • Vatican: Holy See
    • American Catholic
    More
    • Homilies
    • Online Giving
    • OLS School
    • OLS on YouTube
    Our Lady of Sorrows Parish
    1108 W Hackberry Ave.
    McAllen, Texas 78501-4370
    Telephone
    : (956) 686-0251
    Picture
    Picture

    Website Development by The Parish Solutions Company
    Our Lady of Sorrow Image Copyright Cromo NB permission to use by CNB Basevi.
    Back to top