Jesus answered and said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.” The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
John 4:16-18
Reflection Prayer
Jesus, You knew this conversation would be difficult for this woman, so filled with pain and hurt from rejection and her own sins. So, with gentle honesty, you probed her heart and led her to acknowledge the truth. You knew she must see this and speak of it before she could move forward in faith and healing. You know this about us, too. You know we must face the truth of our sinfulness before we can move forward to a deeper faith and trust in You.
First, we must trust You with the deepest, darkest, messiest places of our hearts before we can be transformed completely into the children of God we were created to be. So, You gently called to this woman’s heart to speak the truth. Surely, she could sense You received her as she was, whether she spoke up or not. Surely, she could sense Your great love for her, whether she could face the truth or not.
When we experience Your love, we also come to understand Your desire for our salvation. This understanding beckons us to leave behind our old ways of sin and embrace the truth of who we are called to be.
This understanding, this experience of Your love, is what gave her the courage to be honest with You, to acknowledge the truth of her life without fear of condemnation or rejection. This is what freed her. This is what led her to the deep healing and merciful love of Your Most Sacred Heart.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, gently call to my heart. Thank You for receiving me in all my woundedness, sin, and pain. Help me not to be ashamed to come to You as I am, not hiding, not holding anything back, ready to speak the truth of my life. Help me to know You came to save me and not condemn me. To know You came to heal and renew my heart.
Draw me closer to You in each moment, with each breath. Purify my heart and free me from the burden of my sins.
I know that this healing process may be painful because my wounds are deep, and my sins have led me away from You. But I trust in You, Jesus. I know I need only turn my eyes toward You with yearning to receive You into my heart, so You may shower down Your heavenly mercy upon me and heal me. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition.