Cardinal Basil Hume said that meeting God will be the first time that one can whisper into the ear of a Compassionate Father the story of ones life, that one was never before been able to tell, and being fully understood, and totally accepted. I like to ask parents on Baptism day, to promise to tell the Jesus Story to their child, when they light a celebration candle, from The Christ Candle. What story. I would chose todays Story...The Samaritan Woman, at the water well, among the top ten. It has all the ingredients of Gods unconditional love, embracing human weakness, and told in sign language. It is hot mid day, at the water well, and the Samaritan woman is a loner...probably rejected by her community. Jesus breaks the first rule by talking to her, and a second rule by asking her for a drink. The thirsting for a drink is an image of our human condition, our thirsting desires, to be loved, to be noticed, to be approved, to be wanted, to be respected. There is wry humour too, when Jesus asks her to bring her husband to the well. She says ‘’I have no husband. Jesus says ‘’you’re right ...you have five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. I imagine that the tone of Jesus voice was ...Oh how interesting, rather than condemnation, pity rather than judgement. There is feminine beauty too, in how the woman is ’’ bursting’’ to tell her story to others in town’’. Come and meet this man that knew everything I ever did ‘’...and had a heart for me. Our humanity, weakness and all, can be a channel of love, because God is good. The Story is surely a Lenten tonic, to be imbibed gratefully.

Liam Hickey, St.Ciarans, Hartstown, Dublin 15.