A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings
In this passage, Manoah offers to prepare a meal for the angel of the Lord but the angel declines to eat the food and suggests instead that Manoah prepare an offering and present it to the Lord. Have you ever ministered to someone in their time of need, and received an outpouring of appreciation from? The thanks we receive from the world should be directed towards God and not ourselves. Those who provide ministry to the needy should never selfishly hoard indulgences as this only serves to distance the faithful from God. We must take note that it was through the humble actions of the angel in redirecting the praise of Manoah and his wife that they were able to see God clearly. The angel set a powerful example for Manoah and his wife that life is not about glorifying ourselves but rather about glorifying God. When their son was born, they named him Samson, and they observed him grow. Ultimately, Samson used his blessings not to glorify himself but to glorify God.
If Satan is not able to divide the church from outside the walls of the church, then Satan will attempt to divide the church from within. In this passage we see conflict between the Hellenists and the Hebrews. In the midst of such distraction, the leadership from both communities gathered to focus the attention of everyone on the word of God. How do we address and resolve conflict in our faith community? Do we strive for unity by focusing on the word of God or do we attempt to take sides in a divided church? A church will only thrive when faithful Christians prayerfully commit to identifying people of good standing who are full of the Spirit and of wisdom and appointing them to the task of sharing the word of God with the larger faith community. It is only through such strong leadership that the word of God will continue to spread and the number of disciples will increase. Is our leadership community full of grace and power; do they expect great things from God, attempt great things for God, and, by their example, lead others to Christ? We are warned in scripture, that there will be bad apples in the bunch who are not willing to accept the wisdom and the Spirit by which faithful leaders speak. Evildoers will secretly instigate division within the church. They will stir up the people as well as the leaders. They will confront those who speak the truth and try their best to spread lies. Spiritual warfare is a reality within the life of the church. Let us then be on guard and focused not on picking sides in a divided but on spreading the word of God in hopes of experiencing unity in the body of Christ.
In this passage, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman as she comes to draw water from a well. It was her normal practice, and she had done this many times before. Jesus interrupts her old ways with a new request. Jesus says to her, "Give me a drink." The Samaritan woman chose to lean on the division between Samaritans and Jews instead of leaning into the new possibilities of a relationship grounded in love. What simple thing is Jesus asking you to do today that can have profound implications for your life? Jesus answered the Samaritan woman, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." Again, the Samaritan woman chose to lean on what was impossible in the eyes of the world instead of leaning into the truth that all things are possible through Christ. Jesus pointed out to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." Finally, it clicked for her, and she was able to move past her obvious worldly concerns and realities and into the mystery of God’s grace and mercy. We must understand that God knows everything about us; he knows what we need, and he knows our potential. Can we see God in the simple things of life or are we so blinded by worldly realities that we miss out on profound encounters with God. What are you searching for in your life? Insanity is often defined as doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. What new thing is Jesus calling you to do today that can transform your life situation for the better? Do not let the old ways of doing things rob you of the new blessings that God has in store for you.
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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