Reading I: Exodus 17:3-7
Reading II: Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
GOSPEL: John 4:5-42
The Heart Of Our Lenten Journey
A man once performed an amazing feat by going across Niagara Falls on a high wire. When he successfully made the crossing, the crowd cheered. So he asked them, “Do you want me to do it again, but this time pushing a wheelbarrow?”
The people responded with cheers and applause. They were yelling, “Yes, we have faith and believe in you.”
So the man carefully crossed the Falls – this time pushing a wheelbarrow. When he finally returned to the other side the crowd was even louder than before. Thousands of people were now chanting his name. He again addressed the crowd, “Would you like me to go across again – only this time with someone in the wheelbarrow?”
The people were all yelling “Yes, we have faith in you!”
The man then told the crowd, “If you believe and have faith in me – I will do it!” Pausing briefly, he looked around and said, “So which of you ‘believers’ will volunteer to be the first to get into the wheelbarrow?”
The crowd immediately went silent.
“I Thirst!”
This Sunday’s readings tell us that, while we are desperate to quench our thirst, God is able to provide us with living water.
We begin by looking at the first reading, where the book of Exodus recounts the time when Moses was leading the people and they ran out of water. They believed they were going to die. It must have been a difficult situation. After all, the body can go without food for many days, but without water we will only last a fraction of that time. These people were starting to turn on God and Moses – they were rattled and seemed to be losing faith.
And so Moses responded in his usual manner – he cried out to the Lord. The Lord responded by letting him know how the problem would be solved. The place where all of this took place was called Massah and Meribah, (which means quarrelling and testing).
It is not uncommon, when there is difficulty, for people to turn on one another and lash out. And this is what happened to the Israelites. Difficulties and set-backs are the times when we see how much faith a person has. Faith is easy when life is easy, but does our faith sustain us when we have come to a breaking point?
“Is the Lord in our midst or not?”
The final statement shows how desperate the people had become – “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” In fact, the first reading leaves us with this question.
In the second reading, Paul tells the Romans that our faith is not as much about what we are supposed to do, but rather what has already been done for us by God. Our actions should come out of a loving response to what has been done for us. Whether we deserve it or not, Jesus died on the cross for each person – and so with Love we respond to such a loving action.
Our society gives recognition to those who give their lives to save another person. Imagine the notion that we read here: Jesus died for every person of every generation (past, present, and future). How truly amazing and unbelievable is that kind of love? This love cannot be repaid, but we can return it as best we can to everyone we meet.
The Living Water
The gospel reading this week is at the heart of our Lenten Journey. While we hear in the first reading that everyone thirsts, in the Gospel we hear that, with faith, we will find the living waters. Most of us have an initial image of water – we think we understand water. The exchange Jesus has with the Samaritan Woman changes everything for her – and we are no longer limited by our understanding of water.
Jesus is again doing everything wrong according to the traditions and customs of his time. Jesus is talking to a Samaritan woman! Let’s think about this – she is a Samaritan. Jews didn’t have anything to do with Samaritans – ever.
Now imagine that this woman was walking with her eyes cast down away from Jesus – because that is how women responded to men. Women and men did not speak to each other freely. Yet, Jesus talks to her and after the initial shock she responds to Jesus.
In the beginning, the woman is trying to find all of the reasons that she cannot or should not talk to this Jewish man; and yet in the end it changes her life. It is in this part of the story that we can often see ourselves. I know when I encourage people to go on a retreat or to do something for their faith, they tend to be reluctant. They are usually afraid and yet, when it happens, and they have a positive experience, it changes the person’s life.
It is then that they understand the notion of living water. They understand the role of faith. And they understand that they are driven to do something to respond to this faith. The living water wells up within them and it cannot help but flow out of them. They feel a strong desire to share it with others.
The Samaritan woman went out to everyone she met, preaching the good news of Jesus. Preaching and living the good news is our response to having this living water within us.
Let us pray that we understand only God can quench the spiritual thirst we have. Our faith is based on the loving action that Jesus died on the cross for each of us, and it is in this action we are saved – not by the things we do. And finally, when we have been quenched by the living waters, we need to go out and live and preach the good news to all who will listen.
Remember it is one thing to have faith in Jesus; it is another to get into His wheelbarrow. We are really called to say “yes,” jump in, and head out across the Falls. Let’s take a risk and jump in for Jesus!
Life Applications:
In what parts of your life do you still thirst or struggle to find God?
When do you preach the gospel?
In what ways in your life have you still not “jumped into His wheelbarrow” (i.e. when it comes to finances, lifestyle, priorities – does God come first)?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 3rd Sunday of Lent (Cycle B):
Original article by Deacon Jim Corder, 2003-2021.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.