For whom or what do we thirst? We can only be fully satisfied in the Lord!
A homily from the Third Sunday in Lent based on readings from
Exodus 17:3–7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1–2, 5–8, John 4:5–42
These readings are available at the USCCB website.
Thirst really seems to be a theme in our readings today. Yesterday, Pat and I took a two-mile walk around the neighborhood. We worked it the yard for another hour or so, and when we came in at lunch time we were both thirsty. We went straight to the refrigerator for some cold, bottled water. It never even occurred to me to smack my hiking pole against a rock.
It is the same with the Isrealites, and the woman at the well. They were thirsty, but it in their physical thirst, the idea of something more important, like God seemed to slip away. It brings up the simple question, “For what do we thirst, for whom do we thirst?”
First week in Lent, we looked at our sinfulness, the very clear demonstration of our need for a savior. Last week, we looked at our very special call and how that call is fulfilled in Christ. Today, we consider the Lord as the one who satisfies our every longing. It is our Lord Jesus Christ who satisfies our true thirst. It is also our Lord Jesus Christ who thirsts for us, who thirsts for our salvation.
At our first Sunday Mass today, we had the first scrutinties for our candidates and catechumens. We ask them to open themselves to the Holy Spirit and see where their lives stand. Are they truly thirsting for the Lord? Is there anything in their lives that needs to be removed or reduced? This is a good exercise for all of us, to ask ourselves as well if our true thirst is for the Lord alone? Are we open to letting him fulfill our every longing?
The Thirst of the Israelites – and Our Thirst as Well
Our first reading takes place at Massah and Meribah, Hebrew words meaning temptation and strife. We read of the Israelites, freshly freed from slavery, in the desert. What are they thirsting for? Water! That is clear from the text, but what else? It seems to me that they were thirsting for their old lives. They wanted to go back to slavery rather than struggle for freedom in the Lord. They weren’t following the Lord; they were following Moses. They thirsted for many things, but it doesn’t appear that they were thirsting for God. Fortunately, Moses had a fairly strong relationship with the Lord. When the Israelites turned against Moses, he turn to the Lord. He listened. He obeyed, and the Israelites were satisfied. At least they were satisfied for a while. After all, they still did not turn their hearts toward God. I would take over a generation for the chosen people to accept that fact that God had chosen them for something truly special. No, they didn’t yet understand their calling, and so they named the place Massah and Meribah, Hebrew words for ‘temptation’ and ‘strife’. Certainly not the attributes we associate with true believers. Then again, they weren’t true believers yet, were they?
We see the theme of thirst continued in our gospel reading, the woman at the well. This is one of our richest readings. I could talk for hours about this gospel, and still have much left to say. But I won’t…
This morning, I’ll stay with the themes of thirst and satisfaction, although I’ll probably stray just a bit into evangelizing. Actually, I know I’ll say a few words on evangelizing. I can’t help myself.
Thirst
Let’s begin with thirst. Who’s thirsty in our gospel? For what are they thirsting?
Fist let me point out that the scene of our story is a well. The only reason to go to a well has a lot to do with thirst. Either you or your livestock or your family was thirsty – someone needed water and so someone had to go to the well. So here we are in the middle of the day. It is hot and we have two unlikely people hanging out at Jacob’s well.
The Samaritan Woman was there. Her being there was not unusual. Her being there in the middle of the day was. Usually, folks from that part of the world tried to stay in the shade in the heat of the day. They came to well in the morning to gather water and to water their flocks. But she was there in the middle of the day because she was a bit of an outcast. Her sense of right and wrong did not align with her neighbors. She probably thought that “she was basically a good person” but down deep she had to have known better. She was at the well in the middle of the day because she was thirsty and it was best that she not mix with the others from her village. She was at Jacob’s Well because she was thirst and had no better choice.
Jesus was there. That was unusual, too. Generally, men didn’t come to the well in the middle of the day, either. They often came when the women were there. In fact, the Jacob for whom this particular well was named met his wife Rachel at this particular well. It was also unusual that Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman. That was just not done. A Jew did not speak to a Samaritan. A man did not speak to a woman, at least under these circumstances. Jesus was at the well in the middle of the day because he was thirsty. Jesus, however, was thirsty to do the will of his Father. Jesus was thirsty for the Samaritan woman to come to faith.
Trust me when I tell you the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman is a story that belongs to all of us. It belongs to the catechumens and candidates coming into the Church. It belongs to each of us as we repent and enter into a deeper relationship with God. I shows us how we can bring others close to God, and to one another. Let me hit the high points.
Jesus starts the conversation with her, just he does with us. “Give me a drink.” Notice that she doesn’t give him a drink, just like us some times. God makes a request, we resist. Jesus offers her a gift of living water. She replies – “You don’t even have a bucket”. Just like us, it takes some persuasion on God’s part.
Jesus tells her the exact state of her life. Have you ever had the realization that you needed to change, that you life wasn’t quite right? Our story is the story of the Samaritan woman. She isn’t living a good life. She struggles with relationships. She is an outcast, and yet Jesus doesn’t cast her out. He sees her. He looks at her and he offers her the living water of life. He tells her that he is the messiah, the anointed one, the Christ.
Evangelization – the Thirst of God
Here is where the Samaritan woman’s story begins to diverge from ours. She takes Jesus at his word and she changes. She puts aside her priorities. She goes on mission. She leave her water jar behind – the only reason she had for coming to the well in the first placed was to get water. She leaves it behind. Her only thirst now is to share what she heard from Jesus with the town that shunned her. Her witness brings many to faith in Jesus. Many come to believe and are no doubt blessed because of an outcast.
She is a lesson to us. She shows us both the Jesus is persistent. Jesus thirsts for souls, even those of sinners. She shows us that sinfulness or lack of social status is not a sufficient barrier to helping others learn of the good news. Her story can be our story. Remember, one of our central celebrations in the Lenten & Easter seasons are that Jesus Christ gave his life for us, while we were still sinners, to rescue us from our sins! That is the hope that does not disappoint! Jesus ardently thirsted for the faith of the Samaritan woman. He ardently thirsts for our faith, too.
For what do we thirst? Do we just want to grab a cold water from the fridge? Or can we say like Jesus that our thirst is “to do the will of the [Father] and to finish his work?”[1]
“Let us thirst only for the will of the Father and to accomplish his work!”
[1] John 4:34