Ex. 17:3-7, Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9, Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8,
John 4:5-4

This week’s Gospel reading about the woman at the well is one that has resonated with me from a young age. I find that it hits me differently year after year, as facets of my life and identity shift with time and growth. Because that’s what this story is all about, isn’t it? It’s about identity. We get a front row seat to Jesus displaying his unique ability to cut through the societal stigmas to identify this woman, not as the world sees her, but as a loving Father looks at his precious daughter. He sees through her faults and still deems her worthy of a love that will satisfy her deepest longings.

How many times do we see Jesus display this kind of miraculous love, and yet still look in mirror and consider our own selves somehow the exception to this rule? I am so guilty of this! I recognize that He is eager to offer his forgiveness and salvation, but I have such trouble believing that I am worthy of it.

This woman felt ostracized, unable to even come into contact with the people of her community for fear of judgement. Thousands of years later, and not much has changed. In an image-obsessed society, it’s hard to see ourselves outside of that worldly context. We are so eager to slap a label on people, simplify their existence down to a single identifier. And yet, the Christ that we see in this week’s Gospel reading calls us to a more nuanced and thoughtful understanding of ourselves and others.

As a young stay at home mom, I am living a call that is uniquely challenging in our modern world. Choosing to forego a career in favor of raising a family and making a home, doesn’t exactly compute with hustle-culture. But, when those thoughts creep into my subconscious - the whispers that tell me that I am not contributing enough or that my worth is less because I don’t earn a paycheck - I have to call them out for what they are: Lies. And He doesn’t lie.

He calls us to see through His eyes. With this view, we can come to understand that our worth is not based of meeting some societal standard, but is inherent to our identity as His sons and daughters. He longs to love us, forgive us, and call us by our true name. This Lent, let’s open ourselves up to that kind of treatment from our Father.


Mary Butler is wife to Jake and is a stay-at-home mom to Sawyer and their new little one due in October. She has grown up at Holy Family and is now raising her family here as well. She attended Franciscan University where she studied theology and now helps facilitate our Mommy & Me group.