HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF THE LENT YEAR A.
THEME: The water that I shall give will become a spring of eternal life.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Exodus 17:3-7
Romans 5:1-2,5-8
John 4:5-42
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
PURPLE
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday is the Third Sunday in the season of Lent. And Todays liturgy invites and encourages us to come to Christ the Eternal Living Water. As we know our life as human beings depends on water. Water is one of the most important requirements for the sustenance of all lives.
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, recounts the water flowing from the rock in the desert as a symbol of salvation for the children of the Hebrews. We believe this rock is the Lord Jesus Christ, from whom we receive our salvation. So it is in our Christian dispensation, water and salvation are especially connected to the sacrament of Baptism, where we experience our incorporation into the Mystical Body of Christ.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR THE 3RD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A
*FROM OUR SECOND READING*
In our second reading, Saint Paul beautifully says that, the love of God is also compared to living water “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,”
He reminds us also of how helpless our life was and could still be without Christ, the Living Water. In other words, through his death, Christ made himself the source of our own life.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In our Gospel reading we hear the incidence at Jacob’s well, when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman, describing the thirst which ordinary water cannot quench. The God who loves us without measure is the only one capable of quenching our thirst for eternal life, for true life. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that, “Whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty…the water I give shall become a fountain within, leaping up to provide eternal life.”
*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE LITURGY OF TODAY?*
Like the woman at the well we are often on the verge of giving ourselves completely to God, but something holds us back, the stagnant waters that we hope will give life but really do not. May the marvelous words of Christ about life-giving water encourage us to plunge deeply into the well of life that is to be found in Christ.
In this season of Lent, Christ is calling us to the renounce self, to a conversion of life. Jesus left us a supreme example of this in coming to serve rather than to be served. He gave his life without counting the cost or running in fear. We are called to do likewise.
*CONCLUSION*
The Gospel today is good news, like a living stream or a well in the midst of the desert. Christ has the water of eternal life. He is the Word of God that, like rain falling on the good and bad alike, does not fall in vain.
Let us draw near to the table of the Eucharist in order to tell the Lord: thank you for being the fountain of living water springing up to eternal life and thank you, Lord, for being the Bread of Life.
Blessed Sunday to you dear Friends.
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