24 Feb
Sun
3rd Sunday of Lent (A)
Ex. 17:3-7
Ps. 94:1-2,6-9
Rom. 5:1-2,5-8
Jn. 4:5-42
(Ps Wk III)
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To the woman at the well Jesus said: "If you only knew what God is offering"¡K. Such great desire and longing in those few words, "If you only knew". Jesus knew, and His thirst and hunger was that she also might know. But she didn't understand Him, and thought He was only talking about the well-water she could see in front of her eyes. So with us. He has so much to share, but our eyes tend to be clouded over and we can't take it. We see the surface of things, unable to see behind or beyond them. We don't see what God is really offering us, and so are unable to know or appreciate it. "If you only knew¡K" is the longing of Jesus for us to respond to Him and open our hearts and minds, inspired by His Spirit and grace to dream dreams.

Suppose I really did know what God is offering: how would I react, and what life - difference would it make? Praying today, let me give myself space and time enough to imagine beyond my usual hopes and dreams, to see what the Lord might be offering me. At the very least, may I try to see beyond the obvious things before my eyes, and the bald facts of what happens in my life. Let me ask God's gracious gift to be able to recognise His hand in what happens, to discern His love in people and places where perhaps, before, I would not have expected to find Him.



Lord, that I may see!

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That the mentally handicapped may not be marginalized, but respected and lovingly helped to live in a way worthy of their physical and social conditions.
Elaboration

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