HARVEST HEART
A reflection on the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42)
Can the Samaritan's encounter with Jesus reflect my own?
Can the Samaritan's encounter with Jesus reflect my own?
AN ORDINARY HEART
"Gather us, O Lord, body, spirit, soul and mind.
Gather us, O Lord, one union now with you."
(Monica brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"Now, a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus said to her,
'Give me a drink.'"
As a humble cook, Brother Lawrence learned an important lesson through each daily chore:
the time he spent in communion with the Lord should be the same,
whether he was bustling around in the kitchen -
with several people asking questions at the same time -
or on his knees in prayer.
Do I actively try to find God in the every day ordinariness of my life?
Gather us, O Lord, one union now with you."
(Monica brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"Now, a Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus said to her,
'Give me a drink.'"
As a humble cook, Brother Lawrence learned an important lesson through each daily chore:
the time he spent in communion with the Lord should be the same,
whether he was bustling around in the kitchen -
with several people asking questions at the same time -
or on his knees in prayer.
Do I actively try to find God in the every day ordinariness of my life?
A BUSY HEART
"Time spent with you."
(in Come as you are)
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet
listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
but few things are needed—or indeed only one.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
(Luke 10: 38-42)
"I came to be filled
but I am already full.
I am too full
This is my sickness
I am full of things
that crowd out your healing presence."
(Macrina Wiederkher)
What will I let go?
Will I sit and listen?
(in Come as you are)
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman
named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet
listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
but few things are needed—or indeed only one.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
(Luke 10: 38-42)
"I came to be filled
but I am already full.
I am too full
This is my sickness
I am full of things
that crowd out your healing presence."
(Macrina Wiederkher)
What will I let go?
Will I sit and listen?
A THIRSTY HEART
"Lead me, guide me in your way
Your holy way, O my God."
(Monica Brown, Bring Us Home, 1995)
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said,
rivers of living water will flow from within them."
John 7:37-38
The breeze, the blessed breeze,
the merest waft of a wind,
the health of sun on my back,
a long, luxurious draft of water
and a quiet place to sit -
these (oh woman, I swear,
though five husbands could not slake your thirst,
and your jars empty out,
and you keep trudging back)
these, I swear, are more than enough,
for I, weakened and bone-dry,
know that out of nowhere -
out of do-dads in the dust -
a whole heaven suddenly wells up."
(Pamela Smith, Waymakers, 1982)
The Samaritan woman wanted to quench her thirst. In ancient times, the nomads wandered with their flocks from one water source to another. I, too, am thirsty. I wander from one water source to another: seeking knowledge of God, then knowledge of others, then knowledge of self. But I am still the same person.
When will I stop and simply experience God's love for me? When will I drink the living water?
Your holy way, O my God."
(Monica Brown, Bring Us Home, 1995)
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said,
rivers of living water will flow from within them."
John 7:37-38
The breeze, the blessed breeze,
the merest waft of a wind,
the health of sun on my back,
a long, luxurious draft of water
and a quiet place to sit -
these (oh woman, I swear,
though five husbands could not slake your thirst,
and your jars empty out,
and you keep trudging back)
these, I swear, are more than enough,
for I, weakened and bone-dry,
know that out of nowhere -
out of do-dads in the dust -
a whole heaven suddenly wells up."
(Pamela Smith, Waymakers, 1982)
The Samaritan woman wanted to quench her thirst. In ancient times, the nomads wandered with their flocks from one water source to another. I, too, am thirsty. I wander from one water source to another: seeking knowledge of God, then knowledge of others, then knowledge of self. But I am still the same person.
When will I stop and simply experience God's love for me? When will I drink the living water?
A RESISTANT HEART
"Healing is your touch, O Lord
renewing the spirit of the broken heart."
(Monica Brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water!
Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
(John 4: 14-15)
The Samaritan woman was unable to take any leap which would lead her outside her own categories. So She simply replies to Jesus using the same words.
I am very good at playing with words and ideas, of manipulating the conversation away from the threatening. Will I take the opportunity Love offers?
renewing the spirit of the broken heart."
(Monica Brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water!
Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
(John 4: 14-15)
The Samaritan woman was unable to take any leap which would lead her outside her own categories. So She simply replies to Jesus using the same words.
I am very good at playing with words and ideas, of manipulating the conversation away from the threatening. Will I take the opportunity Love offers?
AN EMPTY HEART
"Shekinah, shekinah of God."
(Monica Brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"So the woman left the water jar and ran to town."
(John 4:28a)
"There is the prayer of the quiet in that deep well of inner silence when nothing happens and everything happens and we are wholly renewed."
(Cahill in Marist Messenger, June, 1999)
"Is it possible, I asked myself, that I am being summoned from some deep and holy place within?
Am I being asked to dismantle old masks and patterns and unfold a deeper, more authentic self - the one God created me to be?"
(Sue Monk Kidd)
(Monica Brown, A Remembering Heart, 1991)
"So the woman left the water jar and ran to town."
(John 4:28a)
"There is the prayer of the quiet in that deep well of inner silence when nothing happens and everything happens and we are wholly renewed."
(Cahill in Marist Messenger, June, 1999)
"Is it possible, I asked myself, that I am being summoned from some deep and holy place within?
Am I being asked to dismantle old masks and patterns and unfold a deeper, more authentic self - the one God created me to be?"
(Sue Monk Kidd)
HARVEST HEART
"Let the trumpet sound, let the music play
Let the song of God's people be heard.
And let the praise of god resound throughout heaven and earth."
(Monica brown, A Remembering heart, 1991)
"There she said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I did! Could he not be the Christ? ...
In that town many Samaritans believed in him when they heard the woman who declared,
'He told me everything I did.'"
(John 4: 28b, 29, 39)
The Samaritan woman responded to Love's words, even though she was unsure. Her response was to go and tell the villagers of her encounter.
What is my response?
Let the song of God's people be heard.
And let the praise of god resound throughout heaven and earth."
(Monica brown, A Remembering heart, 1991)
"There she said to the people, 'Come and see a man who told me everything I did! Could he not be the Christ? ...
In that town many Samaritans believed in him when they heard the woman who declared,
'He told me everything I did.'"
(John 4: 28b, 29, 39)
The Samaritan woman responded to Love's words, even though she was unsure. Her response was to go and tell the villagers of her encounter.
What is my response?
Already
I see the new, tender,
spring growth.
Fragile.
Full of promise.
I see the new, tender,
spring growth.
Fragile.
Full of promise.
