The Well of Mercy
Come and see a man who told me everything I have done.
Could He be the Messiah? (John 4:29)
What humility this Samaritan woman has as she leaves her encounter with Jesus! When I was 16 years old, I went on my first Youth2000 Retreat where I experienced a significant conversion experience, similar to this account from Scripture. I had no idea that up until that point I had only been barely living my faith and, in all honesty, my life. I felt like I needed to be able to stop sinning and be a good person before I could really go to Jesus, but this was a problem since without Him this was impossible. At this point in my life, I had not yet really begun to understand the gift of Reconciliation.
While on this retreat, there was a Eucharistic procession around the room where the priest, using a stole wrapped around the base of the monstrance (the receptacle that holds the Blessed Sacrament), gave us a chance to touch the garment of Christ and it was truly powerful. Like the woman at the well, in that moment, I could clearly see all that I had done, and it changed my heart forever. Although I had been to Confession before, this time, I went for the first real time in my life, recognizing the miracle that was taking place in and before me. Although this began God’s work within me, I wish I could say that from that point forward I lived my life truly, permanently changed like the Samaritan woman, but that would take a few more years and a few more encounters with Christ.
Later, when I was 19 years old, I had a rare side effect from a medication which caused permanent catastrophic damage to the optic nerve in my left eye and some damage to my right eye as well. I was confused and devastated to say the least. I prayed for a complete healing and became extremely frustrated when the physical healing didn’t happen.
Shortly after this traumatic experience, a youth group was launched at my parish. It was led by a priest who had been one of the organizers of the retreat from years ago. I joined, and, slowly through these meetings over the years, God continued the restoration of my soul that he had begun years earlier. Though I never regained my physical sight, slowly God began to help my heart get 20/20 vision. I can now see the beauty in Reconciliation and even in the vulnerability of the Samaritan woman. For though she was exposed by being before Christ Who saw everything she had ever done, she was truly seen with the eyes of LOVE and helped to see how her life was through His eyes.
Today, I love going to Confession because I know Who I am really meeting there at the well of mercy and forgiveness. During this time of Lent, let us all go to the well and, like the Samaritan woman, allow Christ to tell us everything we have ever done, so we too may experience His mercy and go out into the world proclaiming Him and bringing His mercy to everyone we meet.
Loving, merciful Father, thank you for the gift of my life. Thank you for the gift of my struggles and suffering that has brought me to the well where You continue to meet me over and over again. Help me to never lose sight of the hope that lies in your gift of Living Water that allows us to never thirst again. Amen.
Christine Dufresne has been a Promised Pauline Cooperator for 5 years. Originally from New Bedford, MA, she served at a mission in Kentucky for 16 months before moving back to MA where she currently lives in Norwood. In addition to being a foster parent, she has been working with children in various ways for the past 25 years, helping with the children’s program on retreats and with the Holy Family Institute group in Boston, and is currently a nanny for several families. She serves as a Eucharistic minister in her home parish of St. Catherine’s in Norwood. Most recently she has completed her studies and is awaiting graduation with her Bachelor’s in Psychology/Human Services. She has embarked on latest part of her journey to adoption from foster care of a sweet seven year old little girl. God is Good!!!
