There is a scene in the movie ‘The Nativity Story’ that came to mind this morning as I read the story of the Samaritan woman from John’s Gospel – v. 1-42.
This must be an important event for John to spend so much of his writing on it. Think how earthshaking this would have been for the disciples. The Samaritans were not just outsiders, they were outcasts and enemy politically and spiritually. As the woman clearly states to Jesus, “for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (v. 9). She was very antagonistic towards Jesus through the initial interactions – “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” v9, “you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” v.11-12, and so on. Jesus is persistent and break down her walls, making her the great apostle of the Samaritans.
Which brings me back to this Christmas meditation.
In the movie, Mary holds Jesus, and says to the shepherds, ‘He is for all mankind.”
Jesus goes to Samaria first, later to other locations that cause scandal. He calls Matthew from his tax booth and collect harlots and tax collectors and lepers to His side. All the ‘scum of the earth”, sinners! Gasp!
As we reflect upon this Christmas gift, we see Jesus looking out from Mary’s arms, with eyes of mercy confirming this statement. “I have come for all men.” “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:32
Notice the first called to behold the presence of the Messiah, of God in the flesh, aren’t the Levites or Pharisee, but the lowly shepherd and the outsider Magi.
Reflecting upon this line in the movie and scenes like that at Jacob’s well, we see clearly the scandal of God. Jesus scandalously left Heaven’s throne to come to a fallen world, more scandalously, He didn’t come for the righteous or holy of men, He came specifically for the fallen and lost, for ALL mankind.
He came that all mankind may be saved. Sinners first….
““Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 1146