The Waters of March

March came into my town as neither lamb nor lion, so I'm not sure what that means for the weather at the end of the month!

For me, March and water go hand in hand, maybe in part due to this great Art Garfunkel cover of "The Waters of March" that was popular when I was in college. You can just smell the March rain when you listen, don't you think?

Water of the supernatural kind was the focus this morning of my pastor's homily, based on a truncated version of John 4:5-42. (And of course, that means I had to include this James Tissot painting of the woman at the well.) My pastor noted the woman's practical, earth-based response when Jesus talks about the living water: Give it to me, so I don't have to keep coming back to this well. Jesus, he said, was talking about the supernatural water we can't live without, just as we can't live without the water we get from the well, the tap, or a bottle.

I made me think about the times I think I can do this life without bothering God... and how I always end up back there anyway. So I guess I'll be praying that that's how my March goes out... in praising and serving the Lamb of God remaining day of the month until the last, which just happens to be Easter Sunday this year.

Unnamed Women of the New Testament: Your Turn

Thanks to those of you who provided thoughts on your favorite unnamed woman who encountered Jesus in Scripture! I selected at random these two responses, and each woman will get a copy of my new book, Unforgettable Women of the Gospels: 8 Unnamed Women in Scripture and Their Encounters with Jesus.

Gemma in Ohio said: "By far my favorite unnamed woman in the bible is the one whose faith seems the strongest to me; the bleeding woman. She’s heard about Jesus and she believes! She has so much faith that when she hears that he is in town, she goes out in the crowd. She thinks, “If I can just touch his robe, I know I can be healed.” Her faith is huge!! And it works!! She is healed AND Jesus knows that someone with a huge dose of faith has touched him and was healed. His apostles think he is crazy when he mentions that someone has touched him. Sure dude, everyone in this town is crowding around us. But He knew!! A simply amazing story of faith!!"

Angie in Louisiana said: "... the first one that comes to my mind is The Woman at the Well. Her story reminds me that, no matter my past, no matter how awful I have been, despite my sins, God loves me. His grace, mercy, forgiveness and patience overwhelm me."

On the Nightstand: Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

I went to a healing retreat last month, and one of the speakers was a priest and exorcist. His talk included thoughts about Matthew 12:43-45, when an unclean spirit returns to the person from whom it was removed and brings along its friends. The point, the speaker said, is that when demons have been cast out of us, we must fill the space with God. That resonated with me, since this Lent I'm focusing more on living a life pleasing to God and less on people's reactions to me.

This book by a mega-church founder and senior pastor was recommended to me. It promises to use Scripture and brain science to help readers thwart the enemy.

What's on your nightstand?

Busy month for me! I'm going to West Virginia this week to reconnect with a friend I haven't seen in way too long. Then on March 9, I'll be attending and helping out with exhibitors at the Arlington Diocese and Arlington Diocesan Council of Catholic Women's conference. We're sold out this year!

I'll be at the Faithbooking retreat in the Shenandoah Valley March 12-14. My plan is to knit, do a little writing, and take a lot of long walks.

And of course, food is always a thing for me. My sister and I will be headed for our area's best Lenten fish fry March 22. And, in a first for us, we've found a restaurant that does takeout Passover dinners.

I'm praying that the remainder of your Lenten journeys may be fruitful! Peace, Mel