Third Sunday of Lent

Today's Mass Readings

Today’s first reading and second reading offer great parallels and contrasts. First, there is in both these readings the theme of a gradual discovery of God, and secondly, they both use the theme of water. Both the story of the grumbling Israelites and the story of the woman at the well offer us some deep insights into our own faith journey. The Israelites in their struggle for freedom from Israel knew God as a God of power, wonder and marvellous works. But as they traverse through the desert toward the Promised Land, they also learn that there is a "relationship" involved. While God takes the initiative, they too must respond in ways that befits the divine –human relationship. God wants them to love him, trust him, and depend on him. They discover in the process that God is not a chill-pill they can take to get rid of their problems. Rather God uses life and its challenges to help them grow into strong, mature, faith-filled people.

Today's gospel reading is a long reading but please take the time to read it slowly. Notice how the woman progresses from calling Jesus a mere Jew (Jn 4:9) to “Sir,” (11) then “Prophet,” (19)then “Messiah” (29). There is a growth, there is a discovery, there is a new meaning.

The second common strand that runs through both these readings is the use of water. Both the Israelites and the Samaritan woman are thirsty. They are both looking for water. The point is that their thirst leads them to God! Analogically, the deepest longing and thirst of every human heart is for God. Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of this. Look at the Israelites – when they are tested they lose sight of their God. They accuse God of taking them our of the slavery in Egypt only to kill them in the desert. For a moment, even the slavery in Egypt seemed better than the suffering in the desert. They lost sight of the God who was with them.

The same is true in the story of the Samaritan woman. She had five husbands but was still thirsty. It is not until, both the Israelites and the Samaritan woman come to God that their real thirst is fulfilled. God fulfils every thirst of human beings.

Two things then: First, our faith is a process. Our faith process begins at the waters of Baptism. From that initial response till now we should have been growing in our relationship with God. Second, the second reading has perhaps the most important message of the scriptures for us this week. "... the love of God has been poured into our hearts…” (Rom 5:5). "God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ dies for us” Rom 5:8). In other words, we will all be thristy till the unconditional love of God quenches our search for meaning, purpose and salvation.

More than anything else, today's readings lead us to the Eucharist. Every thirst is quenched at the altar where the love of God is poured into our hearts. Every search ends with the Messiah, our God. Let us then come thirsty like the Israelites, like the Samaritan woman and drink from the wells of God’s love.

- Fr. Satish Joseph