Jesus offers the “living water” to the Samaritan woman. This water, capable of destroying the bonds of sin and nourishing our souls for eternal life, transforms our lives and configures our hearts to Christ.
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
***************
Here are some of the themes that we find in the Mass readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent.
1st Reading – Exodus 17:3-7
Psalm – 95:1-2,6-9
2nd Reading – Romans 5:1-2,5-8
Gospel – John 4:5-42
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
***************
Study: Reflect on a time when you felt a deep emptiness in your soul. Where did you find relief?
Pray: Is there a longing in your heart right now? Ask the Lord to touch your life with his grace.
Serve: Many people are struggling, sometimes lost in destructive distractions; how can you help them?
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
As we enter into the heart of Lent, we encounter two readings that speak of a fundamental human need: to satisfy our thirst. We have all known moments of thirst, accompanied by the profound satisfaction of a cool drink of water. The relief is tangible, and the sensation reveals in a direct way how our bodily needs can be fulfilled.
In the first reading the people are grumbling to Moses in their thirst for water. A miracle is performed by the power of God, and the people once again witness the Lord’s presence in their lives.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is standing by a well and strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman. Here, however, there is more than just physical thirst; the Lord speaks to her heart and satisfies a deep longing for spiritual life. In turn, she goes back to the villagers and brings them to Jesus…so that their spiritual thirst might be quenched as well.
Today we reflect on the reality of physical thirst to help us understand the longing in our souls. What’s missing in our lives? Do we have an ache, an emptiness that longs to be fulfilled?
There are many temptations and distractions in the world that promise fulfillment: drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power, fame, beauty…but all of these ultimately leave us empty. They are pleasing for a moment, but we long for something lasting.
Jesus Christ is the answer. The Lord comes to us in our need, knows our sins, and invites us to draw into his grace. Christ speaks to the deepest longings in our hearts and offers the love, joy and peace that reign supreme in the halls of Heaven.
May we draw close to the Lord today in our need, trusting in his compassion and mercy to quench our spiritual thirst!
***************
***************
Note: This post was first published on March 13, 2017
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
Our spiritual thirst helps us understand that there is a need in our hearts that will only be met by Jesus. May we pay attention to the thirst in our souls and respond – not to the temptations or distractions of the world – so that our we can drink deeply from the Water of Life.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Reflect on a time when you felt a deep emptiness in your soul. Where did you find relief?
Pray: Is there a longing in your heart right now? Ask the Lord to touch your life with his grace.
Serve: Many people are struggling, sometimes lost in destructive distractions; how can you help them?
Mass Readings – 3rd Sunday of Lent
As we enter into the heart of Lent, we encounter two readings that speak of a fundamental human need: to satisfy our thirst. We have all known moments of thirst, accompanied by the profound satisfaction of a cool drink of water. The relief is tangible, and the sensation reveals in a direct way how our bodily needs can be fulfilled.
In the first reading the people are grumbling to Moses in their thirst for water. A miracle is performed by the power of God, and the people once again witness the Lord’s presence in their lives.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is standing by a well and strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman. Here, however, there is more than just physical thirst; the Lord speaks to her heart and satisfies a deep longing for spiritual life. In turn, she goes back to the villagers and brings them to Jesus…so that their spiritual thirst might be quenched as well.
Today we reflect on the reality of physical thirst to help us understand the longing in our souls. What’s missing in our lives? Do we have an ache, an emptiness that longs to be fulfilled?
There are many temptations and distractions in the world that promise fulfillment: drugs, alcohol, sex, money, power, fame, beauty…but all of these ultimately leave us empty. They are pleasing for a moment, but we long for something lasting.
Jesus Christ is the answer. The Lord comes to us in our need, knows our sins, and invites us to draw into his grace. Christ speaks to the deepest longings in our hearts and offers the love, joy and peace that reign supreme in the halls of Heaven.
May we draw close to the Lord today in our need, trusting in his compassion and mercy to quench our spiritual thirst!
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: When have you been in need for water? When have you been in need of God’s grace?
Pray: Is there something in your life that is parched and dry? Ask the Lord for the Living Water that refreshes our souls.
Serve: Is there someone you know who is withered and weak? How can you bring them new strength and assistance?
Imagine a tall glass of water. You are tired and hot, and you hold the cool glass and start to drink. Immediately, relief spreads through your throat and body, and as you set down the glass you say, “Ahhh!” and smile.
We all have experiences of being thirsty. Maybe it is after a few slices of pizza or some extra salty snacks; perhaps it’s before an operation or medical checkup, when we are told that we cannot eat or drink anything from midnight on; it could be that we have just had a lot of exercise and are dehydrated. Yet no matter what the situation is, we know the feeling when we are thirsty for water.
Our bodies need water. Some studies tell us we should be drinking a minimum of eight glasses a day. This dependence on water is found in our survival; a person can live for weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water.
Our critical need for water becomes the source of the images found in the first reading and Gospel today. Water is the subject for both Moses and Jesus. Under God’s direction and guidance, Moses strikes the rock and provides water for the people in the desert. Jesus, through his discussion with the woman at the well, reveals that he is the water that gives eternal life.
These readings remind us that God brings the Living Water to us. In our need the Lord quenches our thirst as he did for the people in Meribah. In our need the Lord comes to us as he did for the woman at the well. For just as we need water to sustain our bodies, so too do we need Jesus Christ to give us life in this world and in the world to come.
Are you spiritually thirsty? Is there something missing that you long for in your soul? Is it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control? Just as our bodies respond to water with renewed strength, so also our thirst for “living water” reminds us that God offers us refreshment for our souls. Lent is a perfect time to recognize our need for the Lord and ask for the grace and strength to face the challenges of today.
It is with water that we welcome new members into the Christian family through baptism. It is with Holy Water that we sign ourselves with the Cross of Jesus Christ. During the Easter season we will celebrate the sprinkling rite as we renew our own baptismal promises. In all these cases, water becomes the medium to remind us of God’s presence.
Every time we pick up a glass of water we have the chance to remember how dependent we are on this simple substance. May this reminder lead us more deeply into the mystery of God’s love for us and our need to recognize the Lord each day in the world around us. May we drink deeply from the living water of Jesus Christ.
Three Great Things 