HOMILY FOR THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A, 12TH MARCH, 2023

Readings: Ex. 17:3-7; Ps. 95; Rom. 5:1-2.5-8; John 4:5-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

GOD WILLS TO SATISFY THE SINFUL AND THIRSTY SOULS OF HUMANITY WITH LIVING WATER.

 

One of the most essential commodity for human survival is water. Water makes up most of the essential part of the human body. In fact, life as we know exists because of the properties of water. It is the most abundant resources on earth and fundamental to the survival of all living things.

 

We can just think about all the things we use water to do on a daily basis, then we will discover how important water is for the survival of humanity. I don’t know if you have ever been so thirsty while in desert or where water is very scarce, then you must have understood the value of water in relation to human survival. That is why in the absence of water, the feeling of thirst causes one to look for water at all costs in order to satisfy the external and internal stimuli of the human body.

 

With this we can understand the situation of the people of Israel in our first reading today. For tormented by thirst, the people complained against Moses at Massah and Meribah and they put the Lord to the test saying, ‘Is the Lord with us, or not?’. ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt?’ they said. ‘Was it so that we should die of thirst? Then, the Lord told Moses to strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink.’ This is what Moses did, in the sight of the elders of Israel. Here the Lord quench their thirsty tongue with water from the rock.

 

Consequently, in our Gospel passage today, we heard about water and human thirstiness. But this time a different kind of water and a different kind of  thirstiness. That is, a living water and the thirstiness of the sinful souls of humanity. Here Jesus came to a Samaritan town and when a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ The woman said to him, ‘What? You are a Jew and you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?’

 

 This is because Jews, in fact, do not associate with Samaritans.  So, Jesus replied: ‘If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you Living Water.’ You have no bucket, sir,’ she answered ‘and the well is deep.

Jesus replied: ‘Whoever drinks this well's water will get thirsty again; but anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will turn into a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.’ Sir, said the woman ‘give me some of that water, so that I may never get thirsty and never have to come here again to draw water.’

 

This story demonstrate God’s will to satisfy the inner desire and thirstiness of human soul. While the Samaritan woman represents sinful and poor thirsty humanity lost in sin, but desires to be united with God the fount of Living Water.

 

And as we know, “Living Water” is a biblical term which appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In Jeremiah 2:13, the prophet describes God as "the spring of Living Water”, who has been forsaken by his chosen people Israel. In the New testament, Jesus the son of God offers himself as the living water, who through the Holy Spirit will satisfy humanity's thirst for God.

 

Telling us that only the Lord Jesus can quench our inner thirst; he is the true living water. He wants us to drink of him in order to quench our thirst for holiness and righteousness, and to drink until rivers of living water flow out of our innermost being to all other creatures. Little wonder, throughout the scriptures, numerous verses show us God’s desire for us to satisfied our thirstiness in Him, to drink from Him who is the living water.

 

As the Scripture says in John 7: 38: “out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” But quite often, instead of feeling satisfied and watered, we feel dry, because we have not truly allowed ourselves to be watered by living springs of God’s grace and mercy. For only the Lord Jesus can truly quench our inner thirst for mercy and love.

 

Thus, goal of Jesus is to help humanity to recognize their greatest need, so he could supply us with the only gift that would meet that need, that is, the salvation and forgiveness of our sins. Humanity have spent all their energy trying to find love and acceptance in all the wrong places. Jesus offers us the living water of the Holy Spirit, the only thing that would quench our spiritual and emotional thirst.

 

Therefore, like the Samaritan woman, we can at times be so intent on getting our immediate needs and fail to see God’s hand reaching out to us in love, offering what will truly satisfy us. Because we have failed to understand that only Jesus can fill and satisfy our empty souls for eternity and also provide for our essential emotional needs now.

 

Dear friends, this world is filled with wells that promise to provide love, acceptance, wealth, fame, and self-worth but can never fully satisfy us. Therefore, whenever our souls are empty and the wells of this passing world run dry, look for Jesus and he will quench your thirst with his Holy Spirit. Little wonder, St. Paul in our second reading today tells us that, it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. Because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us.

 

Brethren, Jesus’ words of invitation echo in our ears and speaks to the heart of each one of us, offering the water of eternal life that flows from God, as he repeat his words saying: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The first requirement is thirst. Everyone has spiritual thirst, for it is part of the human condition. Our needs, our thirst, are what we bring into our relationship with God.  But the questions remain: What do we thirst for? What do we really desire? What do we request from God?

 

This Holy season of Lent, Jesus invites us to take the initiative and come to him with our needs and thirstiness, so as to drink from the living water and be satisfied. Here, “drinking”, refers to believing, which means identifying oneself with Jesus, trusting him, receiving his teaching and obeying his commands. Such faith will enable us to receive the Holy Spirit and enter into an abiding relationship with Christ the true Living Water.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God,  the human wells of this passing world has failed to satisfy our inner desires, today we turn to you like the Samaritan woman so that you can give us the living water of your love and mercy in order to quench our inner thirst for you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful Sunday celebration.