John 4:19-24
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Reflection
Jesus spoke “truth in love.” He showed this woman how faith matters for her present life. Jesus spoke an objective gospel: “there is a Messiah, coming to free you to worship God in spirit and truth, and I am he!” But he spoke that gospel in a way that addressed her subjective situation: he started with her felt needs and pointed to her greater, heart-level need: “God will satisfy you more than THIS!”
· Recall a time when someone shared God’s love and grace with you in a way that went beyond your immediate or surface level needs.
· When have you shared God’s love and grace with someone else in this deeper way?
