3-8-26 Third Sunday of Lent
As we look over the readings for this coming Sunday’s there appears to be three themes that repeat themselves, the theme of thirst, the theme of patience, and the theme of trust. In the first reading there is the story of how the Israelites, wandering through the desert for some time now, complain to Moses that they are thirsty, and that they are angry at him for leading them into the desert. When I was studying scripture several years ago, the professor describing this scene implied that in the situation of the Exodus, (i.e., Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt,) it was supposed by Pharoh and the Jews to be short trip into the desert and then they would return to Egypt. The professor pointed out that neither thought they were going for a long journey, one from which they would never return. So, when the journey is somewhat longer than anticipated and the provisions are beginning to wane, the people become very hungry and thirsty. It is not surprising that they came to Moses for the solution. But as we see in this weekend’s first reading that they come with a lot of anger. Sometimes when we are spiritually hurting or hungry and thirsty for answers or solutions, we may come to God to ask for an explanation of why things are happening to us in the way they do. And at such times we too can come with a lot of angst or frustration. Moses, fearing that they are going to kill him because of their disappointment in his leadership, begs God to do something. God does not become offended by the people’s reaction but, simply tells Moses to go over and to strike the rock of the cliff near them, and that the thirst of the people will be satisfied. So, this first reading may ask of us “What do we thirst for”? Do we thirst for forgiveness; do we thirst for relief of guilt; do we thirst for a resolution to a marital or family problem in our lives; do we thirst for a good a outcome to our medical treatment; do we thirst for finding a job that is rewarding and fulfilling; or do we thirst for an answer to the question of which vocation we should pursue? How indeed would we answer that question of- “What do we thirst for,” on this Third Sunday of Lent 2026? In the second reading this coming Sunday Paul speaks to the Jews in Rome about the fact that “Hope does not disappoint.” If Paul were to make that statement to us in person today, given where we are in our lives this Lent, how would we respond to him? He goes on to prove this statement by the evidence of the sacrifice Christ was willing to make for us. A sacrifice he was willing to make for us, not when we are a perfect people doing everything that God has commanded of us, but when we are deep in sin. His sacrifice is not just a limited one, not like a Lenten fast. No, Jesus is willing to give up his whole life that we might believe- “that hope does not disappoint.” How does that statement sound to us today? And then we come to this famous gospel story about the encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well. This Sunday, the third Sunday of Lent, liturgically is considered to be the First scrutiny of those in our parish's OCIA (i.e., Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) program, Each week, since the fall of 2025, they have been gathering together to pray and study in order to become Catholics through the Sacraments of Baptism and/or Confirmation on Holy Saturday. The scrutiny is a ritual blessing that is said over the candidates to give them strength to continue their journey toward these Easter sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. The prayer within the scrutiny realizes that there may be many temptations that these candidates will face on their journey toward the Easter sacraments. So, the community prays for them to be consistent and strong in their efforts to pursue their goal of full communion with Jesus Christ through the reception of these sacraments at the vigil mass on Holy Saturday evening. In the gospel account between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well lies the themes of thirst, trust, and communion. The Samaritan woman comes to the well at the wrong time of day. She comes at the height of the heat of the day, but she comes because she is not welcomed at the normal morning times when other women, “the good women, “of the town come to get their water. Because of her sinful lifestyle she is shunned by the community as much as a leper would be shunned by the people of Jesus’ time. She approaches the well and sees a man. She does not address him because she should not be talking to a man let alone a Jewish man. So, she quietly goes about her business of gathering water trying to ignore his presence. But Jesus is not to be put off by her hesitation and asks her for a drink. She has nothing in her bucket so, she cannot offer that to him and Jesus has not bucket, so how can they resolve this problem? Realizing her dilemma, Jesus says to her that if she were to ask him for water, he would create in her a solution, a well, by which her inner thirst for commune with others and acceptance within her community would be satisfied, now and forever. Jesus continues his discussion with her, although she probably wishes he would not. He asks her to go and get her husband and bring him to the well. But of course, she is not in any kind of rightful marriage now, nor has she been for a long time. so, how can she bring her “husband” to Jesus. She knows this and the town knows this also. This is her ultimate shame. And Jesus gently and patiently tells her she is right she is not in a right relationship with herself or her community. She is surprised by Jesus' understanding of her social situation and her thirst for resolution of that. But she changes the subject completely, and challenges Jesus about where true religion should be practiced. Do we ever change the subject when, in prayer, Jesus seems to be asking of us a question we do not wish to face? Again patiently, Jesus tells her that it is really not important what she is saying about the rightness of where one should worship. For the Spirit travels where the Spirit wills. And if people are sensitive to the Spirit’s presence in their lives, then it will lead them to a right relationship with God whether that be on a mountain top or in Jerusalem. The way Jesus speaks to her, and his understanding and acceptance of her situation, so touches her heart that she runs to the people in the town, now, unafraid that they will shun her and she proclaim boldly, and with new confidence, the Good News, the gospel, that Jesus has brought to her. And she proclaims that he wishes to bring it to all who thirst. They in turn are so impressed by her audacity that they too thirst to know what “well” of wholeness it comes from. He grants their wishes and goes to live with them, for a few days. And even though they are not Jews, and Jews do not associate with such people, Jesus comes to proclaim the good news that they too are thirsting to hear. So, now, stepping back from this beautiful story of the woman at the well, what questions would we asked of Jesus? Jesus was patient with the woman. He gave her time to tell her story. Do we feel that Jesus is patient with us and listens to our story? Jesus points out a truth to the woman about her relationship with her neighbors and this man with whom she is living. What truth is Jesus trying to point out to us on this third Sunday of Lent as we stop and reflect on this gospel? Jesus has fulfilled the woman’s lifelong thirst for peace, friendship, and understanding. He restores her to the community, and through her the whole community now knows the truth of the Spirit’s will. What are the ways in which, or to whom, does Jesus wish to restore us? Like the people of the town of Sychar in the gospel, our OCIA candidates wish to hear more from and of Jesus. Our candidates come to us because they have heard of the news, the good news, which Jesus brings to others, and they thirst for it for themselves. Through the blessing of this First scrutiny, let us pray also that the Spirit of Christ, the giver of hope, will bring them and us, through the waters of Baptism, a satisfaction of their thirst and our thirst to be one with Him forever.
“If today you hear the voice of the Lord harden not your heart”(Psalm 95:1)
