Dear Parish Family,

We hear today about the Israelites grumbling against Moses in the desert because of their thirst for water. Now, this would not be the first nor the last time Moses had to deal with the people's grumbling! They grumble for food and God gives manna. They grow tired of manna and grumble for meat, so God gives quail. They get sick from greedily hoarding the quail and complain about their misery to the Lord! 

Taken together, these experiences really do show us how providential God is, not because we grumble or complain, but because He loves us. In fact, complaining actually hardens our hearts and prevents us from hearing God's voice and seeing His providential works, whereas placing our hope and trust in God opens our hearts to His voice even in the midst of suffering.

Now, in the Israelites' defense, what should have been an 11-day journey from Egypt to the Promised Land took 40 years. Either Moses is the worst navigator in human history, or God has a plan! To put this in perspective, the desert journey took 1,327 times longer than it should have. That's like Jesus' 40 days in the desert lasting only 40 minutes, or a 13-hour car ride from Cleveland to Jacksonville Florida taking two years, or a 1-minute period of silence after the homily lasting over 22 hours. Who wouldn't grow weary and complain?

And yet we need to consider the purpose of the time of the Israelites in the desert. God wanted them to hunger and thirst for Him. He wanted to form His people to trust in Him, to learn to receive and carry out His Commandments, and to prepare their hearts, minds, and bodies to enter the Promised Land. 

When Jesus speaks to the woman at the well in today's Gospel, He encounters her after her many years of failed marriages and attempts to have the stability of family life. At the end of the dialogue, she joyfully goes back to town to proclaim, "Come see a man who told me everything I have done!" She doesn't simply proclaim to her community only the good things she has done, but also her failures and the immoral things she has done as well in the light of Christ's redeeming mercy.

For her, this becomes a moment of salvation as she realizes that God has always been with her, loving her even as she sinned and as others sinned against her. I imagine the Israelites entering the Promised Land after 40 long years reflected back upon their desert experience in a similar way, not with complaint or regret, but with joy that the Lord was with them and had provided for them all along their journey. They probably even laughed at themselves for how they grumbled during the desert journey, "Can you believe we complained about manna, quail, and water even though the Lord was always there to provide for us?" Those embarrassing moments remain in the Scripture story for a very good reason!

We have another great week ahead at the parish for this Third Week of Lent. Join us on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 pm at St. Mary's for our Parish Mission with Fr. Jeremy Merzweiler, "Letting Go to Receive." As always, we have Fish Fry Friday at St. Mary's again from 4:30 - 7 pm with Stations of the Cross beginning in the church at 7 pm at both St. Patrick's and St. Mary's. Saturday is Pre-Cana Day, so please pray for our engaged couples attending this retreat. Finally, we have our Spirit Day Retreat this Sunday for our Confirmandi. Please pray for all who will be blessed with the Sacrament of Confirmation this Easter Season!

I am yours in Christ,

Fr. Scott Goodfellow