Mar. 15, 2020: 3rd Sunday of Lent A
3-15-20 3rd Sunday Lent A
A few days ago during our parish mission, Fr. Whitney Miller shared a quote which he dubbed, ‘Cajun Serenity Prayer.’ “Lord, open the doors that need to be opened, shut the doors that need to be shut, and help me to pay attention. Amen!” It was only a week ago that Coronavirus seemed like someone else’s problem, and here we are with our schools closed beginning Monday, most of the sporting events cancelled, and most of our social and parish events postponed or cancelled. What an abrupt change we are facing! One priest shared that the threat of pandemic reminded him of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in Baton Rouge. All of a sudden, a 10-minute drive on the local streets turned into 40 minutes, grocery store shelves were empty, and our homes became lodging for evacuees. Yet, it was also a blessed time when without power, neighbors hung out together, kids once again played in the streets, and more people prayed earnestly. While some doors were shut by the hurricane, new doors of opportunity opened.
We have to ponder what doors are being shut and what doors are being opened by the arrival of this invisible virus. While the fear of this virus has caused panic buying and hoarding of goods, the virus is also prompting us to reprioritize our lives and to open our hearts to God. Are we seizing this opportunity to invite Christ once again into our lives? Are we being faithful to our Lenten practices which help refocus our distracted hearts back to God? If we have eyes to see, every moment is an encounter with Christ who asks us, “Are you thirsty?”
Thirst is what prompted Jesus to rest at a well in a Samaritan town around noon time. There he encountered a woman who came to draw water. It was an odd hour for this chore since most of the women in the town came in the morning to draw water to beat the heat of the day. Perhaps she was trying to avoid the shame of unwelcomed stares and gossip about her lifestyle. The woman had been married five times, and living in unrepentant sin by living with her boyfriend. Jesus was waiting for her to open a new door to a life she deeply desired and to close the door to her old way of life. She was dissatisfied with her current life; she was thirsty for a life that would give her fulfillment, worth, and joy. Jesus told her “whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13–14). The woman came face to face with the One who could forever and always meet her greatest desires and needs. Upon her encounter with Jesus, she left her water jar behind to tell others about this amazing man who gave her a new spring in life. She was no longer the woman known for multiple husbands, but rather the woman who introduced her neighbors to the Savior of the world. Instead of being an outcast, she was now a disciple of Jesus and an heir to God’s kingdom.
As we are anxious about the unknown course of this virus and proper “social distancing” to keep the virus at bay, let us remember what God told Moses, “The Lord will fight for you; you have only to keep still.” (Exodus 14:14) St. Thomas Aquinas said, “Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts.”
Inside a basilica, in Northern Italy, are relics of a saint who was martyred at the tender age of 16 for caring for a fellow Christian who was being tortured. She did not fear being tortured for going to the aid of the suffering person. Her name is Saint Corona, and she is one of the patron saints of pandemics. Let us ask the intercession of St. Corona during these days when we are so easily overcome by fear of the pandemic. This week, we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph whose power of intercession is praised by all the saints of our Church. In addition to invoking the help of St. Corona and St. Joseph, we also ask our patron saint, St. George to defeat the evil of our fear. Let us work on closing the door of fear and allow the doors of compassion for our neighbors and trust in Christ to be opened. Jesus I trust in You!
