Friends, today we are celebrating the third Sunday of lent year A. Our Holy Mother Church encourages us to come to Christ, the Eternal Living Water. She calls us to break all cultural barriers and prejudices to let the eternal living water flow into all hearts. This Sunday brings us powerful readings that encourage us to deepen our faith and open our hearts to Jesus. In these passages, we see how Jesus reaches out to those in need, crossing boundaries and inviting them to new life. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well shows how a simple encounter with Jesus can lead to a life of faith, courage, and witness. Lord, help us to seek You with open hearts and to welcome Your love that brings true life. Teach us to break down barriers and share Your peace with others.
Friends, the first reading of today tells us of the tribulation of the Israelites in the wilderness. After four hundred and thirty years of slavery in Egypt, God came to deliver them. Nevertheless, they grumbled against Moses and, consequently, against God because they were thirsty. God instructed Moses to strike the rock. From it, water came forth. The Israelites drank and were satisfied. Brothers and sisters, the rock Moses struck, and the water gushed from it, allegorically and metaphorically prefigure Christ. He is both the rock of our salvation and our eternal living water. We all need a spiritual drink from the living water that flows from Christ, the Rock of Ages. While in the second reading, Paul described how the love of Christ “is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” Paul implicitly mentions water using the verb “to pour.” He reminds us also of how helpless our life was and could still be without Christ, the Living Water. In other words, Christ made himself the source of our own life through his death.
Friends, the Gospel reading invites us to consider how Jesus reaches across boundaries to show love and bring people to faith. When Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well, He crosses cultural and social lines. Jewish people at that time avoided Samaritans, and men generally didn’t speak openly to women they didn’t know. But Jesus doesn’t let these divisions stop Him. Instead, He shows that God’s love is for everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from. Jesus’ actions challenge us to examine our own lives. We may have people or groups we tend to avoid or judge, whether based on background, beliefs, or behavior. The Gospel of today calls us to follow Jesus’ example by breaking down barriers and welcoming others with respect and kindness. Just as Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman, we are called to reach out, share our faith, and listen with compassion. Through His conversation with the woman, Jesus shows that love and understanding are more powerful than division. In our divided world, this lesson is more important than ever. We are called to be peacemakers, willing to cross boundaries for the sake of love and truth. By breaking down barriers as Jesus did, we can share His message of hope and peace.
Friends, the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is about more than just a conversation; it is an invitation to change. Jesus meets her in her daily routine, drawing water from a well. But instead of just quenching her physical thirst, Jesus offers her “living water,” something that will give her a new life. Brothers and sisters, Jesus also wants to meet us where we are and offer us this new life. Jesus’ offer of living water is an invitation to open ourselves to Him, allowing His love to change our lives. Like the Samaritan woman, we may have things in our past that make us feel unworthy, but Jesus doesn’t hold these against us. He speaks to us as we are and calls us to accept His gift of new life. Through prayer, sacraments, or time spent reading the Bible, we can encounter Jesus and be refreshed by His presence. Brothers and sisters, Lent is a time when the Church invites us to seek that deeper relationship with Jesus. When we open ourselves to Jesus, we grow in peace and joy. We also become better able to share His love with others. The woman at the well becomes one of the first people to share Jesus’ message with others. Like her, we can bring Jesus to our families, friends, and communities by sharing what He has done in our lives. Are we ready to break down barriers, to let Jesus bring us lasting change, and to share His love with others? The Lord be with you …may the Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I wish you a blessed Sunday and a fruitful Third week of Lent ahead of you.
Fr. Ben Chola mccj
