by Fr Raymond Raj
Exodus 3:1-8,13-15
Psalm 102:1-4,6-8,11
1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12
Luke 13:1-9
Theme: The Lord is Compassion and Love
Brothers and sisters in the blessed Lord, we live in a world that is judgmental. Like it or not, whether you like it or not, all of us live in a world that is judgmental. The society will judge you, regardless of your goodness.
The famous singer Lady Gaga, I don’t know how she looks but I took it from the internet, Lady Gaga has a famous saying: “I don’t judge anyone.“
Lady Gaga says: “I don’t judge anyone because I don’t trust anyone. Because I don’t trust anybody.“
So brothers and sisters, before you judge others, try to walk a mile in your opponent’s shoe. Then you decide whether you want to judge or just remain silent.
Speaking of judgements, a little story comes to my mind.
A newly married couple (baru kahwin) just moved in to a new neighbourhood. The next morning when the couple were having breakfast at the living area, the wife, through the window, the house window, saw a neighbour hanging her laundry. So she turned to the husband and said:
“Darling, look at our neighbour. Her laundry, her clothes are so dirty. I think she doesn’t know how to do laundry.”
Wife telling the husband.
The next day, again when the couple were having breakfast at dining area, again the wife saw the neighbour hanging her clothes, laundry. And she told her husband:
“Her laundry, her clothes look horrible. Probably she is using a cheap detergent.”
The third day as the couple were having breakfast again at the dining area, the wife in shock shouted to her husband:
“Darling, look at our neighbour’s laundry clothes. Super clean! Super white! Almost perfect!”
The husband looked at the wife and said:
“You know something? I woke up early this morning and wiped the dust from our window. That is why everything now looks super clean, super white.”
Brothers and sisters, judging others is the most easiest thing to do. Write this in your heart today. Judging others is the most easiest thing to do because when you judge others, automatically you feel good about yourself. Remember this. When you judge others, you feel “Wow”. You feel very good about yourself.
You know as a priest, I am not spared from judging. The moment I open my mouth, I am already judged. Anywhere I go. The moment I sit, I stand, I am already judged. But don’t worry. You can judge me so that you can feel good about yourself.
Brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel is very interesting because the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman started with a dialogue. Begin with a dialogue, slowly move into argument and the finale was conversion.
You see? Dialogue, argument and conversion.
Today’s Gospel is a paradox between these two characters.
The woman was a Samaritan, Jesus was a Jew. Samaritan, Jew.
The woman was married five times. Jesus was? Don’t say single. Jesus was celibate.
The Samaritan was a woman and Jesus was a man.
The Samaritan woman was a sinner, Jesus was a rabbi, which means no woman should associate or engage with Jesus in the slightest way because according to tradition, no woman must come close to a rabbi. By the way, I am not a rabbi.
Brothers and sisters, even when the disciples came back, they were scandalised to see Jesus dialoguing with this woman. Jesus neither rejected, condemned or avoided this woman. Jesus accepted this lady, this woman for who she is.
As the woman encounters Jesus today, the Samaritan woman was transformed from a sinner. She became a preacher. She became the first evangelist for the Samaritan people. This woman, after dialoguing with Jesus, became the first evangelist for the Samaritan people.
So brothers and sisters, according to the Book of Romans Chapter 3, Saint Paul says:
None of us here are perfect, holy and righteous.
Especially me. None of us here are holy. All of us are sinners and all of us fall short of the glory of God. Therefore my dear friends, in our imperfections, in our unworthiness, let us not judge one another, strike one another in order to feel good about yourself.
That said however, it does not mean we don’t correct one another. You see there is a big difference. Judging, correcting. It doesn’t mean we cannot correct one another. Yes, we must correct one another but please when you correct one another, do it with love, do it with compassion, like Jesus who ministered to this woman with love, with compassion.
So brothers and sisters in the Lord, as a Catholic priest, I sincerely believe conversion or repentance can only take place when the sinner has experienced love. If a sinner does not experience love, there is no way, there is no hope for conversion. If a sinner does not experience love and compassion, the sinner has no motive to repent.
So as we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Lent, God is inviting each one of us to repent, to become a better person. And I leave you with these words to ponder:
My dear friends, without dialogue no conversion can take place.
Amen.
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