Gospel Reflection for March 15 2020 | Third Sunday of Lent

Gospel Reflection

A spring of water welling up to eternal life.

The Gospel (John 4:5-42).

The theme of water is central to the first reading and the Gospel reading today. Water slakes thirst in the present life and can point to water of another order that looks forward to future fulfilment. In this journey through life and history, faith in the source of living water is a requirement. Our reflection on the reading can combine a little of historical background to the Gospel text, leading into reflection on the central role of faith.
This Gospel text is a rather lengthy reading containing different themes. Central ones are the Samaritan woman, the well and water. In Jesus’ day there was deep enmity between Jews and the Samaritans, who were regarded by the Jews as heretics and not part of the Jewish people at all. The Samaritans, however, regarded themselves as part of the family of the patriarch Jacob, and were awaiting the advent of a messiah, whose nature and mission remain unclear. A noted well in the area was connected with the patriarch Jacob. In the text as John presents it, the episodes in this reading function at two levels – this earthly one, and at a spiritual level, to which the earthly ones point. Thus, the water from the well is a symbol of the water that Jesus will give his followers, welling up to eternal life, that is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Samaritans worshipped at their own sacred site and the Jews at their Temple in Jerusalem, which led Jesus to speak of the coming age when both these would be irrelevant, and God would be worshipped in Spirit and in truth — everywhere.. His own hunger gives Jesus an opportunity to speak of his intense desire, his hunger, to complete the work the Father had given him, with the sowing of the Gospel seed and the ensuing harvest.

A common feature of the world in which we live is doubt in matters relating to faith, doubt about elements of moral teaching, about truths of faith, even at times about the very existence of God. An assertion of a certain philosophy, prevalent today, is that there is no certainty on anything. All we can have is speculation, guesswork, rather than certainty, opinions that vary from age to age.
An atmosphere of this sort adds to the difficulties on religious observance. Such doubt on fundamental matters is completely contrary to the teaching of the faith in matters relating to truths concerning this life and the life to come. Christian faith is thus described in the Epistle to the Hebrews (11:1): “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen” (NRSV). Two of the terms used there call for our reflection: assurance, conviction.
The assurance and conviction spoken of in this verse are not psychological attitudes of souls rooted in the human mind or soul. They refer instead to the divine, theological, virtue of hope, a gift from God that gives conviction which is beyond that which human nature can provide. This assurance and certainty bring with them a peace of soul, the peace which Jesus has granted to believers, and a peace that no one can take from them.

Fr Martin McNamara MSC