III SUNDAY OF LENT - John 4:5-42
Today, we are invited to reflect upon human thirst and the water of life that quenches it. The physical thirst is just a symbol of the thirst of the heart: thirst for justice, peace and love. That is thirst for God, and our hearts do not rest until they find the spring of life.
In the first reading, by the order of God, Moses gets water for the people from a rock, and that rock stands for Christ (Exodus 17:3-7). He is the one who gives us the living water. He is the fountain of life. And, in the gospel, Jesus reveals himself to the Samaritan woman as the giver of life and salvation.
In the dialogue of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, the Gospel of John presents the journey of faith of that woman as a model for all those who search for meaning and accept Jesus’ invitation for a dialogue in which He guides us to the full truth.
Thirsty and tired, Jesus was resting by the well. It was about midday when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. It was as if Jesus waited for her. And he requested from her something very common and very easy to give – a cup of water. Jesus took the initiative and started the conversation. She was surprised and puzzled, feeling uncomfortable. She simply saw a man, a Jewish man in that case. And she made it clear, as if telling him that he was not welcome. However, the conversation had begun, and Jesus surprised the woman even more by offering her living water. How could he? Was he greater than Jacob, who had dug that well? Realising that Jesus was much more than a Jewish man, she dared to ask, "Give me some of that water.” Like the Samaritan, we must ask for the living water, even if we don’t understand its meaning well and what it implies.
Then, without any kind of accusation, Jesus leads her to have a good look at her life. Her life was a mess. With six men in her life, she could not be at peace with herself. She had been searching for love and dignity, but nothing could quench her thirst. Then, she takes one step more towards Christ, recognising him as a prophet. Being the case, she asks for clarification: What is the true worship? And Jesus shows her the truth. Those who worship God “must worship in spirit and truth.” Then, the woman goes one step further, putting herself among those who are waiting for the coming of the Messiah. And Jesus reveals himself to the woman as the Messiah, declaring, "I am he.” Hearing this, she forgot about the water and rushed to the village, telling everybody about the good news of the Messiah.
To the disciples, surprised to see him talking to a woman, Jesus says that his food is to do the will of the Father. Meanwhile, with her witness, the woman led many people to faith in Jesus Christ. They decided to invite Jesus to their village. They had a deep desire to have the same experience of encounter with Christ.
The passage ends with the profession of faith of those Samaritans: “Now we no longer believe because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves, and we know that he really is the saviour of the world.”
May the journey of our life lead us to encounter Jesus and be guided by him to the recognition and the proclamation that He is the Saviour of the world.
