Homily Third Sunday of Lent Year A

Reading 1: On the First Sunday of Lent we read that God put Adam and Eve to the test to see if they would accept the fact they were creatures called to put their trust in and obey the will of God. If so, they would live eternally with him. They failed the test but succumbed to the temptation of the Devil, believing in his lies. On the Second Sunday of Lent we heard that Abraham believed in God, trusting in his promises and followed.

 

Today, we heard of the test God put the Israelites through after showing them his wondrous power, by delivering them from the bondage in Egypt. Instead of trusting in the providential care of God, they grumbled and complained. They couldn’t believe God could provide them food and water in the desert. They said: “Is the Lord in our midst or not?” God in his mercy provided them the water they craved. How do we test the Lord, rather than obey his will? The Israelites continued to test the Lord throughout their desert sojourn.

 

Gospel: The word of God taps into the theme of water. This was not a chance encounter between Jesus and the woman. It was a divine appointment. Jesus sees that within this Samaritan woman was a thirst for the truth, for the more. She longs for the Savior to deliver her from her bondage of drudgery and emptiness. 

 

Jesus plants the seed by offering her life-giving water. But before she is ready to receive this gift, she needs to recognize her sate of sin and verbalize her longing. Jesus reveals to her that he is the one she is longing for. The grace of conversion had its effect. Recognizing the mercy and forgiveness of God in the words of Jesus, she went to share with the very people who shunned her for her life style the good news of freedom.

 

Many came to Jesus at first one the word of the woman, but then came to believe because of their personal encounter with Jesus.

 

Jesus desires to encounter us through his life-giving word, so that we can be set free from whatever holds us in bondage and receive the life-giving water, the gift of the Holy Spirit. He gives us further his Body and Blood, so that we can share with him the new life now and forever.

 

Reading 2: Paul reminds us that Jesus died for us, when we were sinners. Through his death and resurrection, which we personally experienced in the waters of Baptism. This was our initial encounter. We believe that we have been justified by faith. God further loved us by pouring out his Spirit upon us, so that we can grow in our relationship with God, as we share his divine life. God demonstrates his love for us, not only by creating us in his own image and likeness, but by his Son giving his life for our life, by sustaining us in his life through the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose temple we are.