Tuesday of the Fourth Week
Reflection
Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God’s gonna trouble the water
The imagery in Ezekiel of the living waters flowing from the temple of God really sticks with me. I love the contrast of the dry ashes of Lent with the flowing waters. When I think of Lent and the journey my soul makes each Lent, I am filled with images of the dark ashes on my forehead, time alone in the hot dry desert, that burning soreness in my heart that reminds me of how far I have managed to stray. Yet, here Ezekiel gives us this beautiful passage of renewing waters—flowing from God!! Everything this river touches will have abundant life.
In the Gospel, we hear the story of a man just waiting near the pool of Bethesda hoping to make it into the water to be healed. Jesus comes along, on the Sabbath, and heals the man. Again, another awesome contrast—all these people lying around the pool waiting for the water to be “stirred up” in hopes of a healing. Here comes Jesus—the embodiment of that river described in Ezekiel, the Living Water in the flesh, and just heals this man on the spot! Leave it to Jesus to trouble the water in a very different way. The Jews are angry the healing was done on a Sabbath — that’s all they can see.
There is so much that speaks to me in these Scripture readings. Lent isn’t just a time to be wallowing in the desert (although I do think some earnest self-reflection is important work during Lent), it’s a time to remember that we are all being called, invited, to wade in the water. Perhaps we have forgotten all about that healing water or maybe we are being challenged to wade in more deeply, to come to know and love Jesus more fully. I need this reminder of Jesus my Healer, Jesus the Living Water. Lent is a promise, a promise of renewal on the way, a healing we all need — that amazing renewal just waiting for us on Easter Sunday. God’s gonna trouble the water….
Prayer
Jesus, help me to love You more deeply and see You more clearly. Give me strength to follow You and courage to do what You might ask of me. AMEN.
Meeghan Bird Matarazzo, ‘97, Member of the Worshipping Community
Scripture
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16
Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29
Second Reading: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
Gospel: Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2:41-51a
Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website
Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website
3 comments:
Sorry this post got delayed in getting posted on the blog this morning...the time on the "schedule" was wrong. If you tried to see the post this morning and had to come back, my apologies! However, it is definitely one worth coming back for!
Meeghan - this tied in so perfectly with Fr. Ray's homily at Daily Mass today at St. Mike's! He spoke of the imagery of water being an important symbol during the Lenten season. Thank you for your beautiful reflection on the healing waters full of abundant life that is available to all of us. May Jesus stir up our water of hope and healing in our lives.
And thanks to the person who asked where I was and missed my daily comments...while the students were on Spring Break, I wasn't online much and used the printed booklets of the Daily Reflections that I have next to my bed instead (we printed 600 copies in the Chapel and they were all gone by the end of the second week of Lent!). I am using this time to go back and pray and reflect on the ones I "missed" online. The contributors to the blog and printed booklet put in so much time, thought and prayer into their reflections, it's nice to reflect back to them how much their words impact and inspire me!
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