Standing in awe
Encounters and miracles are the stuff that believers are made of.
The woman at the well believed in Jesus because he told her everything that she had ever done. The Samaritans believed because they heard Jesus themselves and were convinced that he was the savior of the world. The Israelites got to drink water that Moses brought out of a rock.
I don’t get to hear Jesus tell me about myself like the thirsty woman at the well. I don’t get to host Jesus for two days and hear him for myself. I don’t get to drink the water from the rock in Horeb.
So what will cure my grumbling? My thirst? What will make a believer out of me?
Encounters — every day we are close to people who are suffering. We bind up wounds, we share food and drink, and if we’re lucky, we learn something about ourselves in the process.
Miracles — We see children achieve permanency; we see people placed in housing. We see immigrants lay down roots and enrich our communities. Every day we witness reasons for our hope.
Jesus won’t tell us about ourselves like he did the woman at the well. Our clients will. We won’t drink water from a rock. But we will stand in awe when our clients achieve what they never thought possible. Our encounters and the miracles that we witness allow us to boast in the hope of the Glory of God. Our hope will not disappoint.
Jay Brown is the CEO of Commonwealth Catholic Charities. He likes the Celtics.