When a person is touched by God, a real qualitative change becomes apparent. I am reminded of two women. One is the Samaritan Woman in the Gospel, and the other is Gloria, whom I met during a spiritual conference.
The Samaritan woman went to Jacob’s Well at noon to fetch water (John 4). Jews and Samaritans were poles apart both socially and religiously. They lived in different regions because they were not allowed to intermingle. Yet Jesus starts a conversation with her by asking that she give Him water to drink. According to Saint Augustine, “Although Jesus asked for a drink, His real thirst was for the woman’s faith.” The Savior of the world knew exactly what her thirst and desires were and used His thirst to satisfy hers.
But when He asked her for water, she avoided His request several times. Jesus was persistent. When it comes to satisfying our thirst and desires, God is more determined than we are. Our Savior pointed to an aspect of her life that glowed like burning embers. “Go, call your husband and come back,” He told her. (John 4:16). She became nervous and replied, “I do not have a husband.” She’d had five husbands. But the one she was with at that time was not a real husband. When Jesus revealed her deepest secrets, the woman was stung with pain. She had found several husbands in her quest to satisfy her thirst and desires. But none filled the spiritual void within her. Only the one who offers the water of life can do that.
The woman, whose life was in shambles, underwent a sudden transformation. She smashed her pitcher at once. She went to the town and preached about the Savior. She will no longer be weighed down by shame and guilt. She will no longer seek out anyone to satisfy her desires. Why? Because the true Bridegroom came in search of her. And the encounter turns her into an evangelist.
Gloria had a similar story. A psychotherapist by profession, her three marriages each ended in disaster. She was at a point where she could not sleep without the help of pills and alcohol. Desperate, she knocked on several doors but found no help. One day, she happened to attend a spiritual retreat. There she met Christ, the Savior. He tended her wounds and understood her needs. After thirty years, she made a good confession. Her life became focused and peaceful. Jesus entered Gloria’s life on that retreat, and as with the Woman at the Well, He turned her into an evangelist and entrusted her with the task of helping Him build His Church. She became a missionary bringing hope and love to countless young women and men, and medical support to those in need.
The Master’s touch can change everything. Yearn for His healing touch to bring healing and focus to your life.
Prayer: Oh God, come to me as the river of life-giving water and quench my insatiable desires and thirst. In that manner, let me become Thine always. Amen!
