At first blush, the readings today center around water—water as a source of life; water as a source of destruction; water we thirst for. And, while the water imagery is important, the readings also speak to one’s relationship with God—Moses seeking God’s help as he deals with his people; Paul speaking to the Romans about being in a right relationship with God, being justified by faith and, then in the gospel, Jesus entering into a relationship with the Samaritan woman.
And, the Church calls us, as a community of faith, into special relationship beginning this weekend with those who are preparing to receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. On this third week of Lent, we deviate from the normal readings in Cycle B and return to the readings found in Cycle A. A quick orientation to the Sunday Scripture Readings. There is a three-year cycle for the Sunday Scripture readings- A, B, C. By creating a three-year cycle much of the New Testament and a good portion of the Old Testament is read in this three-year period.
We are in cycle B- Mark’s Gospel, but on the 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Lent we read from Cycle A. Why? Beginning today, our Lenten journey joins with those who have been on a spiritual journey as apart of the RCIA- Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults that culminates in receiving the sacraments of initiation at Easter Vigil—
On each of these Sundays we join Stephen, Kitrell and Bill as we partake in a ritual (a scrutiny) that marks the final preparation of these elect. (10:30 mass). As a community of faith, we join with these people in listening to and reflecting on the Word of God.
These gospel readings for the three scrutinies are the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (today’s reading); the young man born blind and the raising of Lazarus. They are stories about profound conversion to Jesus’ offering of healing and salvation. As each of us prepares to renew our baptismal vows at Easter, we are reminded once again of our call to conversion, healing and discipleship.
In today’s gospel, we find ourselves reflecting on the Samaritan woman and her relationship with Jesus. And, in that emerging relationship we see a profound conversion taking place as the Samaritan woman finds new meaning in her life; is healed; and is called to discipleship. How does her experience relate to us? Imagine yourself as that Samaritan woman.
Each of us, I believe, struggles at some level with coming to an understanding about the meaning of our lives, our relationships with others, and our relationship with God. We want to be a hopeful, faith-filled people, but it is hard especially in this culture and at this time of uncertainly throughout the world.
Imagine how you might feel if you were the woman at the well. Her life is in turmoil, but she does not recognize it. She has been married five times and is now living with another man who is not her husband. She goes about the drudgery of her daily chores without any real purpose in life, other than getting through the day. She is an outcast in her own community. She has a bad reputation and it bothers her. Jesus breaks with custom and religious directive by speaking to her. He gently draws her back into a life of meaning. Life is drudgery without a sense of hope. Jesus Christ gives her and us that hope. With him in our lives, every action of our lives has meaning, even the chore of getting water from a well…even in our anxieties and fears in the midst of the injustices we see around us.
All of life has meaning to the extent we walk with Jesus. We have the responsibility of letting him into our lives. Jesus pursues the conversation gently, changing the subject from his thirst for water to her thirst for life and finally arousing her to request from him of eternal life. A request the people of the town later join in making. This is what our Elect are seeking now. And, this is our salvation renewed at Easter.
Jesus teaches her and he teaches us to trust in the Spirit, the Spirit we receive in the living waters of our baptism and in truth, the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus is our salvation. Jesus replaces the spirit of contention and grumbling we see in the First Reading with the Spirit of prayer and of hope. It is also a Spirit of forgiveness and healing.
The woman is an outcast among her own people. She comes to the well alone, at mid-day, not in the morning with the rest of the women. She is a sinful woman, and, for the Jews, for Jesus and his disciples, a Samaritan–an unclean person.
We are like the Samaritan woman in need of healing, forgiveness and reconciliation. We thirst for the life-giving water that only God can give us through his unconditional love and his son’s life, death and resurrection. Just as Jesus lets the woman draw her own conclusions, we are encouraged to prayerfully reflect on who we are, and our relationship with God and with our sisters and brothers. And, we are called to experience the conversion of heart we see in the Samaritan woman.
How might we experience conversion of heart? By putting ourselves in the presence of Jesus Christ, by experiencing mass more often, in a daily prayer life, in ministering to others. And when that healing takes hold and we sense that joy and hope, there is a natural inclination to want to share it with others.
As we see in the gospel story, Jesus’ living water is not just for the Jews, but also for all people. The same is true of the church’s ministry now as we reach out to all people, not just Catholics, not just Christians, but to all people.
Some theologians say the Samaritan woman was the first Evangelist, certainly in John’s Gospel she is. I like that description. She goes to witness to the people in the village who come to see for themselves. In her spiritual conversion and enthusiasm, she goes back to the very people who have shunned her. And, this Samaritan community is transformed–they truly believe Jesus is the Savior of the world. She has brought to her village the Good News of Jesus. And I doubt the woman ever went to the well again by herself, or at mid-day!
What we find in John’s gospel is a sincere discourse between two people- Jesus and the Samaritan woman. You can’t get any closer to Jesus than in this exchange. This personal relationship between the woman, a sinner and Jesus is an important reminder to us that our faith journey is also a personal relationship, a conversation with Jesus who offers us salvation–the living water of eternal life. It is a moment of profound conversion!
An amazing faith journey ! And, I can’t think of a better example of that faith journey than our Elect who, in their personal journeys, have sought out and found meaning in their lives and healing. And by their actions, have become disciples. They are an inspiration to this parish and a hopeful sign of Christ’s presence as the living water of eternal life.