Be a Host to God

Dear Friends,

 The optional Gospel reading for the third week of Lent has always been one of my favorites, for it points clearly to the understanding and compassion of Jesus. In the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel we recount the story of the woman who has been married and divorced five times. She was a woman who was ostracized by her community because of her lifestyle. She was probably the talk of the village and even she undoubtedly felt shame and guilt for the life that she was living. She found in Jesus a man of understanding and poured her heart out to Him. While never agreeing with her tangled domestic affairs, He never put her down or condemned her for her behavior. She was probably hard enough on herself as she searched her own soul. Jesus sees us in two ways: as we are and what we can become. Jesus, who always taught the highest ideals on marriage, could see goodness beneath the surface of her shattered life. What is extraordinary is this woman, whom so many had shunned, was precisely the one to whom Jesus revealed, for the first time, that He was the Messiah (v. 25). And why? Because He didn’t look back, but looked ahead at what the woman could become.

Many of us are like that woman. We may have gone off the right path, have strayed, have fallen, have failed or have sinned, but that same Jesus can see beneath our surface and what we, too, can become. God is not shocked by our weaknesses and failures. He is more concerned with the sincerity of our efforts and the intensity of our struggling to be a better person. He is concerned with the goodness in our hearts as we turn ourselves around and go forward. No matter how much we may have failed, we will never make progress if we continually look back. If we are driving to a particular destination and all we do is look into the rear view mirror, we will never get to where we intended to go.

During Lent, let us look within ourselves and see where we may have to change directions. For many of us this change in direction is what we need to bring us that inner peace that we yearn for. Another lesson to be learned from this Gospel is not to be so quick in putting people down whom we deem less than honorable. Some people find it so easy to be judge and jury toward others. Do we really know what the inside of the other person is really like? Have we walked in their shoes? Do you know the internal struggles of that person that caused them to act as they did? Some are so quick to judge. If only we would be as generous with our empathy, love and understanding as we are with our judgment, the world would be a better place. I have even heard of people not feeling welcome at their Church because of demeaning sermons. Rather than putting a person down we might try to reach out, or at least pray that our attitudes towards them may change.

This past week, PBS featured a lecture by Dr. Wayne Dyer. At one point he remarked, “You can be a host to God, or a hostage to your ego.” These words are so meaningful and true, but at the same time difficult for many to practice. Being host to God equivocates openness to the Gospel, the teachings of Jesus, which often speaks about hastily judging another and reminds us of the importance of respect and love of neighbor. Being hostage to our egos, our lack of forgiveness and understanding is easily self evident.

I encourage you to read Chapter Four of John’s Gospel this week. Notice this woman’s encounter with Jesus, she turned herself around and felt a new sense of self-esteem. We see a rejected woman return to a woman of self worth. Jesus had touched her life. She was willing to look within herself and found herself to be a good person who had fallen, but was not a failure. Today, we will receive that same Jesus in Holy Communion. That same Jesus can reach out to each of us. All that is required of us is an open heart and a willingness to change direction. Let us not spend this week looking in the rear view mirror of our life; let us look at Jesus and see what we can become.

This week, I’m suggesting an easy exercise for your Lenten reflection. Point your finger at someone. Now notice your hand. Three fingers are pointed right back at you. It is a reminder to look into ourselves before we point a condemning finger at someone else. Another way of putting it, do some housecleaning yourself before commenting on the other persons life.

Have a nice week!
Fr. Martin