3rd Sunday of Lent

For the next three Sundays, we leave the gospel of St. Matthew and experience Jesus in three dramatic encounters as presented by St. John.  Today we hear about Jesus’ and the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob.  Next Sunday our gospel tells the story of Jesus and the man blind from birth.  And on March 29 we will reflect on the raising of Lazarus from the dead. The Church selected these readings especially for our catechumens and candidates coming into the Church through the RCIA experience at Easter but there is a powerful message for each one of us.

Jesus invited the Samaritan woman at the Well of Jacob to engage in a dialogue. This woman approached Jesus with three strikes against her.  She was a woman; she was a foreigner and she was a moral outcast.  What she initially saw in Jesus was a Jewish man (a potential enemy), who was tired, thirsty, probably very hot and hungry.  Although she did not know Jesus, he knew her and he did not judge her.  Rather, he responded to her with compassion and mercy. When Jesus asked her for water, she was shocked and said, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”  It’s ironic that the Samaritan woman was shocked by Jesus but he was not shocked by her. 

Jesus, acting out of love asked the Samaritan woman for water. We don’t know if she ever gave him water.  What we do know is that Jesus offered the woman much more, “whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Not only did Jesus offer the woman the promise of eternal life’ he offered her acceptance, compassion and hope.  He freed her from shame so she had the courage to return to her town and share the good news. 

Because Jesus and the Samaritan woman had a relationship of “openness and fruitful dialogue,” he was free to reveal to her that he was the Messiah. Her testimony was so effective that “Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him because of the word of the woman who testified….”   Many others came to believe because they too were given the opportunity to have a “relationship of openness and fruitful dialogue” with Jesus.  This invitation for an open and fruitful relationship with Jesus is extended to all of us.  We all have the opportunity to live abundant lives filled with love.  And we are expected to share that love with all the people we encounter.  Like the Samaritan woman, we are called to be evangelizers.  We are called to share the mercy and love offered to us to others so together we can build the kingdom right here in Peachtree City.

Creative and forgiving Father

you let people experience your mercy

when they encounter your Son, Jesus Christ.

Let Jesus, your living Word,

speak to us from heart to heart.

Give us an unquenchable thirst

for the things that matter:

for faith and for meaning in our lives,

for hope in a better world

filled with your justice and peace,

for a spirit of committed love

that knows how to share itself.

Generously give us all these things

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.