In his Spiritual Exercises, Ignatius Loyola states: “it is the prerogative of the Creator alone to enter the soul, depart from it” and draw “the whole person into love of His Divine Majesty” (# 330).
Ignatius’ words explain in depth the interaction Jesus had with the Samaritan woman. From her end, it started with water, passed to her life partner, to the place where one adored God, to prophets and, at last, to faith in Jesus.
Jesus broke through her defense, first by taking up the request to obtain water and then changing the conversation to her life-partner. He invited her to acknowledge her personal truth. After she parried his thrust, deflecting it with her question on worship, Jesus recalibrated the conversion as he acknowledged his own Messiahship by simply stating: “I am he, the one speaking with you.”
The woman left the scene and became a more effective witness than the Twelve put together. Is this where Lent guides believers as they witness Jesus’s truth and friendship?
--
Michael W. Lomax, MLD
610-209-7132
