by Fr Raymond Raj
Exodus 17:3-7
Psalm 94:1-2,6-9
Romans 5:1-2,5-8
John 4:5-42
Theme: Living Water
My dear brothers and sisters in the blessed Lord, some of you attended Mass yesterday. So don’t blame me as it is the same sermon. It is the same reading.
Brothers and sisters, we live in a world that is judgmental. Therefore, whether you like it or not, this world, this society will judge us regardless of our merits or demerits. The world will continue to judge us whether you like it or not.
The famous singer Lady Gaga, not that crow (burung gagak). You know Lady Gaga? I do not know her anyway. Once she said this:
“I don’t judge anyone because I don’t trust anyone.”
See? How simple she is? “I don’t judge anyone because I don’t trust anyone.”
So brothers and sisters, before you judge others, try to walk a mile, at least one mile, in your opponent’s shoe. Then you may decide whether you want to judge or you just want to remain silent. Walk in their shoes first before you open your mouth.
Speaking of judgment, a little story comes to my mind:
A newly married couple (baru kahwin) just moved in to a new neighbourhood. The next morning as the couple were having their breakfast at the living area, the wife noticed the neighbour next door was hanging her laundry, her clothes. So she turned to the husband and said:
“Darling, look at our neighbour who is hanging her laundry. Her clothes are so dirty. I think, darling, our neighbour does not know how to wash clothes.”
The following day, the next day, again when this couple were having breakfast, again the wife saw the neighbour hanging her clothes and she told her husband:
“Darling, her clothes look horrible. Probably she is using a very cheap detergent.”
The third day as the couple were having breakfast again at the dining area, this time around the wife shouted to her husband:
“Darling! Darling! Look at our neighbour’s laundry clothes. They are super clean! Super white! Perfect!”
The third day. Super clean, super white, perfect.
Hearing this, the husband looked at the wife and said:
“You know something? I woke up early this morning and wiped the dust from our window. So everything now looks super clean.”
So brothers and sisters in the Lord, listen to this. Judging others is the most easiest thing to do in life. To judge others is the most easiest thing to do because you know why? Because when you judge others, you feel good about yourself as if you achieved something. As you judge others, you feel very good about yourself. “Wow”.
You know I am a priest for two years, of course seminarian for almost nine years. I am not spared from judgment. As I stand, as I walk, as I pray, I am always being judged by the people. Anyway I have got used to it already. And I want to share what Emeritus Bishop Selva said about priesthood. When I was in my first year in the seminary, I met Bishop Selva and he told me:
“You know something, brother? You know when the people will stop judging the priests?”
You have any idea when the people will stop judging the priests? Any idea? When he is dead? Oh my goodness! You went to the funeral already. Even in funeral, they will judge, “Such a horrible priest. Thank God he died.”
Anyway, you know Bishop said what to me?
“When their own son becomes priest, that is the day they will stop judging a priest.”
When your own son becomes a Catholic priest, that is the day you will zip your mouth.
So brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel is very interesting because in today’s Gospel, the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman started with a dialogue. Dialogue, slowly move into argument and the finale was conversion.
From dialogue to argument to conversion.
So brothers and sisters, today’s Gospel is a paradox between these two characters.
The woman was a Samaritan. Jesus was a Jew.
The woman was married five times. Jesus was celibate. Not single.
The Samaritan was a woman and Jesus was a man.
And the best part is, the best paradox is Jesus was a rabbi and this woman was a sinner. Which means Jesus being a rabbi, no woman should associate or come close to Jesus in a slightest way. According to the tradition of the Jewish people, if you are a rabbi, you should not approach a rabbi because it is a sin.
So brothers and sisters, even when the disciples came back, they themselves they were scandalised to see Jesus dialoguing with this Samaritan woman. Jesus neither rejected, neither condemned or avoided this woman. Jesus accepted her for who she is.
This was my first speech that I gave in this parish. The 1st January as I came in, “Take me for what I am.” Maybe you have forgotten, just to remain you. Take me for who I am. I am not living in your dreams. I don’t want to live in your dream. Take me, accept me for who I am.
So brothers and sisters, as the woman encounters Jesus today, this woman was transformed from a sinner to a preacher. Imagine, from a sinner, she became a preacher. She became the first evangelist for the town of Samaria.
So brothers and sisters, according to the Book of Romans Chapter 3, Saint Paul says:
None of us here are perfect, holy and righteous.
Therefore, all of us here are sinners and all of us here are in need of God’s glory. Therefore in our imperfections, in our unworthiness, let us not strike one another. Let us not judge one another in order to feel good about yourself.
That said however my dear friends, it does not mean you and I cannot correct one another. Judging others and correcting others are two different things. So brothers and sisters, yes you and I must correct one another. But when we correct one another, learn how to do it with love and compassion. Like Jesus today, he corrected this Samaritan woman with love and compassion.
So brothers and sisters, as a priest myself, I sincerely believe conversion can only take place when a sinner has experienced love. If a sinner does not experience love in his life, in her life, the sinner has no objective, no motive to repent.
So as we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Lent, God is inviting each one of us to repent, to be a better person. And I leave you with this little phrase ponder, a little question for you to ponder this weekend:
When was the last time you dialogue with Jesus?
Brothers and sisters, without dialogue no conversion will take place. Always remember this.
Amen.
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