God’s love has been poured into our hearts
From this Sunday onwards, our Lenten Gospels come from John and focus on very personal encounters with Jesus. Today, Jesus risks scandal by approaching a Samaritan woman at a well. Seeing her deepest need for healing, he invites her to draw from the well of living water. He is the Messiah she has been waiting for, and her response is a model of Christian discipleship. She believes, and with joy-filled faith, invites others from her community to encounter Jesus (Gospel).
The First Reading stands in stark contrast to this image of faith and surrender. Moses has led God’s chosen people out of slavery from Egypt. Years of exile in the desert causes them to grumble and doubt. They are tired and thirsty. God hears their cry and provides a spring of water.
The Psalm reflects on this painful part of Israel’s history and encourages us to be joyful and faithful; always listening to the voice of God and not hardening our hearts towards him.
The Second Reading is a beautiful letter of love, reminding us that God’s love is forever poured into our hearts. Graced with so much love for us, we must never lose hope, no matter what trials we might face.
Filled with this love and sustained by living water, we, too, are called to go out beyond our comfortable boundaries to pour out God’s love on others. This week, let us pray for the grace to respond generously to this love, and like the Samaritan woman, invite others to believe and be transformed by the healing love of God.
