3rd Sunday of Lent (Fr. Vinner)
(Exodus 17:3-7, Romans 5:1-2,5-8, John 4:5-42)
Jesus my redeemer praised be His Holy name
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
God’s love and his mercy is seen from beginning to till now. There is none to substitute for His unconditional love and his mercy for us. This Sunday God’s word speaks to us about his tender mercy and love so much so he is our creator and our redeemer. All the earthly affairs will pass away but God’s love and His mercy only remain with us.
In the first reading, we see compassionate act of God and how he was merciful towards the people of Israel, even though they were testing God’s patience yet God is so loving and merciful to them. He quenched their thirst with spiritual drink, it is seen in the letter to I Cor 10:4 they all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. In our life we face whatever difficulties, failure, problem and temptations in our faith journey, we must remember that Jesus is in our journey as psalmist says even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. This is promise given to each one of us.
Today’s second reading also portraits the same theme the love of God pours out for us and for our salvation. St. Paul experienced God’s love and God’s mercy which we can see throughout his letters so He was calling us to experience that great love and mercy from God the Father. St.Paul too expressed his view on God’s love that everything will be gone way but remains God’s love.
It is seen in today’s Gospel account too that Jesus looked at the Samaritan woman with love and compassionate heart and He could see the heart of her and he showed the merciful act of love that moved her to speak the truth. At last she acknowledged her sinfulness and she began to ask God’s mercy. When she left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, ‘come see a man who told me everything I have done. It is a symbolic action that she left her old self and she already received forgiveness from Jesus. She began to follow Jesus and she showed a great testimony in the village and she called everybody to taste the love of God and to be reconciled with God of our ancestor.
This Lenten season we too call for this great conversion of heart like that of Samaritan woman who accepted her sinful ways and returned to God. She experienced God’s love and His mercy. At end she was filled with great joy and happiness that she shared with her country men and women.
In this Lenten celebration let us place ourselves to God’s tender care, mercy and love so that we may leave out all the worldly passion and hold fast God’s love and his mercy so we can live happily and joyfully; in the letter to Philippians says rejoice in the Lord always I say it again rejoice. Because Jesus forgave our sins and he clothed us with happiness and joyfulness and he gave new life for each one of us.
May God bless us all
Fr. S. Vinner HGN.