Today, the word of God focuses on thirst, one of the daily needs that drives us to seek water. That being the case, we can appreciate the crucial importance of water in human and all living beings’ lives. There is a popular saying: “Water is life.” In other words, our lives depend on it. Thirst for water is an existential need, and no one is spared. In biblical history, there are also instances in which the need for water is especially urgent. Concrete examples of this reality are illustrated in the first reading from the Book of Exodus and in the excerpt from the Gospel of Saint John.
First reading
In the first reading, the Jewish people, travelling through the desert towards the Promised Land, feel thirsty and begin to rebel against God and Moses. They quickly forget all that the Lord has done for them throughout their journey and ask Moses, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? Was it to make us and our children and our flocks die of thirst?” Despite this ingratitude, Moses remains undaunted and continues to plead with the Lord. In His mercy and infinite love, the Lord commands him to strike the rock, from which water will flow to quench their thirst. Through this gesture, God manifested his faithfulness and unwavering love for his people. The psalmist illustrates it in these words: “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations” (Ps 100:5).
Just as these people do, we too sometimes rebel against God and quickly forget his blessings, especially during difficult times. When we suffer, we feel abandoned, helpless and angry, and we may even question God’s presence in our lives, asking: “Why must God allow this illness, this war, this disappointment or this ordeal to happen to me?” Well, whatever difficult situations we may experience, the Lord remains present in our lives. He never ceases to fill us with his love through his compassion. This passage invites us to persevere and to pray without ceasing, especially during this season of Lent.
We have only one rock, the inexhaustible source of water that is the Lord. He is our refuge, our strength and our shield to withstand the shocks of life. Let us return to him, for he is the source of our salvation. He calls us today to conversion of heart and, above all, to identify our spiritual dryness so that we may receive the water from the rock, which quenches our thirst.
Second Reading
Within this salvific perspective, the second reading from the letter to the Romans invites us to taste and savour the love poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit so that we may obtain eternal life. It was out of love that Christ shed his blood, and living water flowed from his heart to deliver us from death and sin. This letter invites us to hope and to trust in the Lord who willed that his only Son be the cause of our redemption.
Gospel
In the Gospel, we have a moving encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. This encounter is marked by a dynamic of conversion and profound transformation, as Jesus breaks down the cultural barrier separating Jews and Samaritans. For him, salvation is universal, and no discrimination is tolerable. Through his reassuring words, Jesus helps the Samaritan woman to let go of her fear and open herself to salvation. Through this constructive encounter, the woman recognises Jesus as the prophet, the Messiah, or even the saviour of the world.
After this revealing recognition, she asks him to give her this living water so that she will never thirst again. For her, Jesus is the true source of living water springing forth for eternal life. Those who drink this water will never thirst again. In other words, if we accept Jesus and allow ourselves to be transformed by him, we open ourselves to abundant grace and salvation. Accepting Christ means choosing a new direction that opens us to repentance and fills our hearts with the thirst for God.
We are all thirsty for something: power, money, security, love, a stable job, etc. When these different thirsts go unsatisfied, we may complain against God and perhaps look elsewhere for solutions. Now, we must realise that apart from Jesus, the true source of living water, anything else will only bring us temporary satisfaction. May we change our hearts and seek this living water during Lent through prayer, true fasting, penance, and almsgiving.
May God help us to put his word into practice and to bear witness to him among our brothers and sisters. Have a good journey towards Easter and a fruitful Lent.
By: Gilbert Serge Assani Kakusu, M.Afr.