Homily of Third Sunday of Lent of
Year A 2020
In the first reading, the
Israelites journeying in the desert thirsted for water. In their difficulty,
they did not cry to God. Rather, they grumbled against Moses. Sometimes, our
life’s journey can be without ‘water’ like the Israelites in the desert. Do we
do the same? Grumble against one another, blame one another and fight one
another; instead of coming together, reasoning together, and praying together
for God’s intervention, guidance and direction? When the people grumbled,
nothing happened. But when Moses cried to God, something happened. God does not
respond to our grumbling. He responds to our prayers.
God directed Moses to strike the
rock with the miracle staff in his hand. He did, and water flowed from the rock
for the people. The solution was in Moses’ hand but he did not know
it. The solution to our problem may be right before us. We need to always pray
for God’s divine guidance and direction.
Many times, God brings solutions
through unexpected and unlikely means. Probably, the expectation of the people
was a rain fall or find a cistern anywhere nearby for them to have some
water. Rather, God made water flow from rock. Our God is a God of
surprises.
St. Paul encourages us in the
second reading that we will never be disappointed if we have unshaken faith and
hope in Jesus Christ. Such faith and hope bring about the outpouring of God’s
love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Such outpouring by the Holy
Spirit is empowering and uplifting, and makes us radiate with joy no matter the
extent of the problem. It makes us not to be consumed by the hard times we are
going through. With such faith and hope, there is no space for grumbling.
Rather, we look up to our faithful God.
In the Gospel, the Samaritan
woman came to the well to draw water. At the well she met Jesus. The woman was
wounded in many ways. She carried racial wound. We read: “Jesus said to her,
‘Give me a drink.’” She immediately voiced out her racial wound, “‘How can you,
a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?’ For Jews use nothing in common
with Samaritans.” At that time, the Jews despised the Samaritans and claimed
superiority over them. But Jesus reached out to the Samaritan woman in order to
break down the racial gully between the Jews and the Gentiles.
Another wound the Samaritan woman
carried was that she had had five husbands and was at that moment cohabiting
with a man. We do not know her past life with the five men, but we can conclude
that it would have been very tough for her. One husband is tough enough, how
much more five!
From all indications, the
Samaritan woman was a frustrated, disappointed, unstable, isolated, dejected,
and humiliated person. Her wounded and depressed life can be seen in her
actions. She came to draw water alone, and at noon, at an hour she would meet
no body. People, usually, fetch water in the morning and in the evening, hardly
in the middle of the day. It was also strange, at that time, for a woman to go
anywhere all alone, not in a company of other women. Although the woman came to
draw water, Jesus saw that she needed healing and salvation much more than
ordinary water.
The Samaritan woman was healed,
liberated, and transformed. Her deliverance had immediate effect. The isolated
and depressed woman radiated with joy. She became a witness and an evangelizer.
As we read, she left her jar and hurried into the town and testified her
experience to her people. Many followed her to see Jesus, and began to believe
in him. On their invitation, Jesus stayed two days with them preaching to them.
“They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe because of your word; for we
have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the
world.’”
There are many people who are
dried up like Israelites in the desert, or depressed like the Samaritan woman.
As we celebrate this Eucharist, we are at the well and Jesus is meeting us.
Prophet Isaiah 12:3 assures us, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of
salvation.” As water flowed from the rock in the desert, so also God’s graces
flow from this sanctuary as we celebrate this Eucharist. Isaiah 55:1 invites
us, “All you who are thirsty, come to the water.” Psalm 34:18-21 assures us,
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those whose spirit is
crushed. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him from
them all. He watches over all their bones; not one of them shall be broken.”
Psalm 147: 3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds their
wounds.” May God heal our brokenness and wounds. May our testimonies
of answered prayers bring many to rejoice with us and in turn believe in the
saving power of God. Amen.
Fr Martin Eke, MSP
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