III Sunday of Lent:[A]: Ex 17:3-7; Rom 5: 1-2, 5-8; Jn 4: 5-42

III Sunday of Lent:[A]: Ex 17:3-7; Rom 5: 1-2, 5-8; Jn 4: 5-42

Introduction: The gospel reading of today invites us to reflect on the story of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, so that we may experience Jesus as the Living Water.  The Holy Spirit of God, the Word of God and the Sacraments of God in the Church are the primary sources of the living water of Divine Grace. Washed in it at Baptism, renewed by its abundance at each Eucharist, invited to it in every proclamation of the Word, and daily empowered by the Spirit, we are challenged by today’s Gospel to remain thirsty for the living water which only God can give. We are assembled here in the church to drink this water of eternal life and salvation.  

Background: Jesus was crossing through Samaria – a fact registered at the beginning that probably doesn’t mean much to us.  But most Jews of the period would not have gone through Samaria; they would have gone around it. Samaritans and Jews, though they believed in the same God, had never forgiven each other for earlier issues, especially the Samaritan intermarriages with pagans. There were also some theological differences, one main one being that Jews believed God was in the Temple in Jerusalem while Samaritans believed God was on Mount Horeb where they worshipped.  In any case, Jesus goes through Samaria, making that the first rebellious thing he does. He and the disciples are tired, so when they reach a famous watering place called Jacob’s well, he sends the disciples into the city for food, but they seem to have taken with them their supplies – which meant that Jesus did not have a container to put any water in. It was noon and it was hot and Jesus became thirsty.

Now the woman who comes to the well is not traditional either. Normally women would come to the well for water early or late in the day to avoid the heat of the noon sun. No woman in her right mind would come at noon. Women would always be accompanied. This woman came at noon and alone. Unusual! It might have meant that she was an outcast and the other women might not have anything to do with her, for as we see later she was very promiscuous / licentious.  In no way would a man sit with a woman, alone, in Hebrew society. It just was not done. But Jesus asks the woman for water. Even if he could have talked to her, he certainly would not, for purity reasons, drink out of her vessel. But he asks her for water.  She is rather taken aback by this, and does ask him if he knows what he is doing. The fact that she would flaunt tradition and talk to him is important also, and says something about her character.  Was she looking for someone to pick up at the well, that she would engage in any conversation?

Exegesis: The experience of God often comes in stages.  It is a journey.  This was true also for the Samaritan woman.  When Jesus initiated a dialogue with her, her immediate reaction was, “You are a Jew.  How is it that you ask me…“ (Jn 4:9). A blatant refusal to relate!  This refusal comes from her wounded self. As she was wife to many men, she has a problem in relating to people. She has a very dubious way of relating to men that makes her suspect Jesus’ intentions. She is too physically oriented in her outlook of events and persons.  She looks at Jesus as a man – a Jew.  And when Jesus talks about water, she is thinking of H2O. But Jesus has a plan for her.  He would not give up.

As the “hound of heaven” God comes after us.  He moves us from within.  He stands and knocks. Waiting! This gratuitous way of relating to the woman begins to touch her. This is not perhaps how her previous six men had related to her.  She responds.  She gets interested. “Sir,” said the woman, “give me some of that water…”(v.15). Her respect for Jesus increases.  She addresses Him, “Sir!” A step further from verse nine where she wanted to have nothing to do with that Jew!  But still she is physically oriented: she is focused on the water from the well.  When Jesus speaks of ‘the living water’ she thinks in the Semitic sense of ‘water from the spring’: “You have no bucket, sir, and the well is deep: how do you get this living water” (V.11)?  Further on, when Jesus challenges her at a personal level and to invite her to get deeper, she begins to discover Jesus more, “I see you are a prophet, sir” (v.19).  Nearing the climax of the journey, she comes up with a sense of expectation, “I know that Messiah – that is, Christ – is coming; and when he comes he will explain everything”(v.25). This was her time.

Anecdote: There is a Greek monastery at Mount Athos in which nothing female is allowed. Men can enter but not women, roosters but not hens, horses but not mares, bulls but not cows.  Armed guards patrol the border to insure that nothing feminine passes the gates.  It has been this way for more than 700 years. [Arnold Prater, The Presence, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1993).]  Separate but definitely not equal: that has been the attitude toward women of many churches through the ages.  So, it's really remarkable that this particular Samaritan evangelist happens to be a woman.  She would be as surprised about it as anybody.  When she first met Jesus, she was surprised that even he talked to her.  Once converted, she became an evangelist, enthusiastically introducing Jesus to her fellow villagers.

Joke:   On Sunday morning, the preacher brings in 4 covered jars with one live worm in each. In one he poured whiskey, in one he poured liquid chocolate, in the third one he poured cigarette smoke and in the fourth one he threw in dirt. Result was nothing unusual. Worms in first three jars died. He then looked at the congregation and said, "I don't have to tell much. I believe you have learnt a clear lesson". Then he pointed at a little girl and asked, "Sweet heart, can you tell what have you learnt?" Without any hesitation she said," If you drink, smoke and eat chocolate you'll never have worms".

Practical Applications: 1) We need to allow Jesus free entry into our personal lives.  A sign that God is active in our lives is His entering in to our personal, “private” lives. Jesus wants to get personal with us.

2) We need to be witnesses to Jesus like the Samaritan woman.  Let us have the courage to "be" Jesus for others, especially in those "unexpected" places for unwanted people.  Let us also have the courage of our Christian convictions to stand for truth and justice in our day-to-day life.

3) We need to be open to others and accept others as they are, just as Jesus did. We have been baptized into a community of faith so that we may become one with each other as brothers and sisters of Jesus and as children of God.  To live this oneness demands that we open ourselves to others and listen to one another.  We need to provide the atmosphere, the room, for all to be honestly what they really are: the children of God.  It is the ministry of Jesus that we inherit and share.

Introduction: Third Sunday of Lent

Message: Jesus satisfies our thirst for eternal life.  Through his Spirit his grace has been poured into our hearts.  God satisfies the thirst of the Israelites whose hearts had become hardened and rebellious. 

Saints and Events in this week: 25-Twentyfifth-The Annunciation of the Lord;