JESUS OFFERS LIVING WATER, THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
On this third Sunday of Lent, Jesus offers us living water with the gift of the Holy Spirit that wells up in us to eternal life. It is one of the most beautiful images of the Sacred Scripture an ever-flowing spring that sprouts for the fountain of God´s grace, mercy and love. Christ invites us freely to drink the living water that flourishes and refreshes us.
Therefore, the celebration of this Sunday has a lot of themes but the most profound is the invitation of Christ to us to come to him the living water that well up to eternal life. Christ is our baptism, the life-giving water to new life in God.
Hence, today, Jesus offers us the refreshing water of eternal life, a power of faith and union with God which is our deepest need and can satisfy the thirst of our soul.
OUR THEME
Today’s readings are centred on Baptism and new life. Living water represents God’s Holy Spirit Who comes to us in Baptism, penetrating every aspect of our lives and quenching our spiritual thirst. The Holy Spirit of God, the Word of God, and the Sacraments of God in the Church are the primary sources of the living water of Divine Grace.
We are assembled here in the Church to drink this water of eternal life and salvation. Washed in it at Baptism, renewed by its abundance at each Eucharist, invited to it in every proclamation of the Word, and daily empowered by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are challenged by today’s Gospel to remain thirsty for the living water, which only God can give.
FIRST READING: EXODUS 17:3-7
The first reading from the Book of Ex 17:3-7 presents how God´s living water flows for the rock to quench the thirst of ungrateful complainers and stifle the necked people of Israel. The fulfilling invitation of Christ our Rock to the living water that wells to new and eternal life.
There are two types of thirst – physical and spiritual. The people of Israel suffered the first in the desert and grew impatient with God and Moses. Yet, the Lord showed his grace, mercy and love amidst stubbornness of heart. Ex. 17: 3-7
The exceptional response to Psalm 94: 1-2, 6-9 invites us that “if today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. This is the Lenten call to all to embrace the invitation of God to repentance.
SECOND READING: ROMANS 5:1-2, 5-8
St. Paul’s letter to Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 encourages us to seek God´s grace in Christ Jesus the living water poured into our lives and hearts through the action of the Holy Spirit.
St. Paul in his letter to the Romans made a categorical assertion about our salvation. The human and Christian salvation is not any merit of ours: goodness or perfection; holiness or righteousness, and neither in the keeping of God´s commandments. Our salvation depends only on the amazing grace and unfathomable mercy of God. Rm. 5:1-2, 5-8
THE GOSPEL: JOHN 4:5-42
The Samaritan woman has both needs for physical and spiritual life. The basic search that characterizes life. She filled hers with men and a lifestyle which Jesus without condemning, threatening or intimidating her invited, enlightened, affirmed and challenged her to adjust. This is Lent. Jn. 4: 5-30
The Gospel of John 4: 5-42 is one of my most beautiful passages in the Bible. It presents several lessons or messages of Jesus’ salvific intervention in our lives and human history.
LESSONS FROM THE GOSPEL TEXT OF TODAY
1. JESUS BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS OF DIVISION, HATE, DISCRIMINATION, PREJUDICES AND SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, OR RACIAL STIGMATIZATION (JOHN 4:1-9)
2. JESUS IS THE LIVING WATER THAT WELLS UP IN US TO A NEW AND ETERNAL AND FILLS UP THE LONGING AND EMPTINESS OF HUMAN LIFE. (JOHN 4:10-15)
3. JESUS THE TRUTH THAT BRINGS US TO THE MOMENT OF FACING THE TRUTH ABOUT OURSELVES AND THE NEED FOR GOD´S INTERVENTION (John 4:15-21)
4. JESUS IS THE TRUE GOD THAT IS SPIRIT, IMMORTAL, AND INVISIBLE TO WHOM THE TRUE WORSHIP IS IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH AND NOT NECESSARILY IN CERTAIN PLACES OR THROUGH CERTAIN RITUALS AND RITES. (John 4:22-26)
5. JESUS IS THAT TRUE PASTOR WITH EMPATHY AND NON-JUDGEMENTAL ACT COURAGES ALL TO SHARE THE WONDER OF DISCOVERY AND EXPERIENCING HIM (John 4:27-30)
6. FOR JESUS, THE FATHER´S WILL IS THE MOST SATISFYING FOOD. OUR PEACE, JOY AND POWER TO VICTORY IS IN DOING GOD´S WILL AT ALL TIMES. (John 4:31-34)
7. THE SOWER, THE HARVEST AND THE REAPERS ARE JESUS´CALL TO US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO TESTIFY TO GOD ALONG WITH THE CHALLENGE IT PRESENTS. (John 4:35-38)
8. ULTIMATELY, JESUS IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD. THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND HER PEOPLE ARE THE DISCOVERY, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, AND THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS´ SALVIFIC INTERVENTION. (John 4:39-42)
MESSAGES OF THE GOSPEL TODAY
1. We need to allow Jesus free entry into our personal lives. A sign that God is active in our lives is His entering into our personal, “private” lives. Jesus wants to “get personal” with us, especially during this Lenten season. Christ wishes to come into that “private” life, not to embarrass us, not to judge or condemn us, not to be unkind or malicious to us, but to free us, to change us, and to offer us what we really need: living water.
2. We need to be witnesses to God’s work in us, just as the Samaritan woman was, proclaiming Jesus as God and Saviour through our loving lives. Let us have the courage to “be” Jesus for others, especially in those “unexpected” places for “unwanted” people. Let us also have the courage of our Christian convictions to stand for truth and justice in our day-to-day life.
3. We need to be open to others and accept others as they are, just as Jesus did. We have been baptized into a community of Faith so that we may become one with each other as brothers and sisters of Jesus and as children of God. To live this oneness demands that we open ourselves to others and listen to one another. Jesus did not allow the woman’s status, past, attitude, or anything else to obstruct his ability to love her.
4. We need to leave the “husbands” behind during Lent as the Samaritan woman did. Today’s Gospel message challenges us to get rid of our unholy attachments and the evil habits that keep us enslaved and idolatrous. Lent is the time to learn from our mistakes of over-indulgence in food, drink, drugs, gambling, promiscuity, or any other addiction that may keep us from coming to the living waters of a right relationship with God.
When we feel lonely, sick, and tired of the way people are treating us; when we are depressed and upset and can’t see anything good in ourselves; when our Faith is at rock bottom and we feel as if the Church and religion aren’t doing anything for us; when we beat ourselves up for lack of enthusiasm to be true disciples of Jesus ready to do anything for him.
When we survey the days that have gone by without a word of prayer; when all we feel is failure and defeat. During such moments it is great to read a story about Jesus and his love and acceptance of the woman at the well. Let us rest, assured that Jesus is there to accept us warmly and help us to see that he will give us the strength and the power we need to overcome whatever it is that is grieving us.
5) We need to turn to Jesus who loves us with non-judgmental, unconditional love: We all face moments when guilt plagues us; when we are upset for falling for the same temptations repeatedly. When we make choices that turn out to be all wrong; when our relationships with others fall in a heap.
OUR PRAYER
“When the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One of God comes, we will know all about it.” Jesus said to her: “I who am speaking to you am he.” Lord Jesus Christ, you are the revealer of God´s truth: his merciful, gracious and loving nature to all. Help us to know you are the Christ and imitate your character to be like you. Amen
