2026年3月08日・四旬節第3主日 (A)

出エジプトEx 17.3-7・詩編 95. 1+2, 5+6, 7+8・ロマ 5.1-2, 5-8・ヨハネ 4.5-12

Today is the Third Sunday of Lent. We come to Church today and these coming weeks before Easter with our prayer intentions for those who will be receiving the Sacrament of Baptism on Easter Vigil Mass.

A short reading from the book of Exodus today talks about the instruction of the Lord to Moses as a response both (1) to the complaint of the people to him (to Moses) regarding insufficient water to drink for themselves, for their children and their livestock, and maybe as a response also (2) to the concern of Moses of what people can do to him (to Moses) if things get worst. In here, our short reading can be understood as the Lord`s providence for His people, and protection to leaders of His people, in this case, to Moses.

Today`s Gospel account talks about Jesus as the Living Water. Whoever drinks this Living Water will never thirst. The woman, in our gospel reading, so preoccupied with her purpose of coming to the well has led her to confusion on Jesus` Words. The Woman a little later understood what Jesus was saying. Indeed, she needed to open her heart a little more to understand. We are indeed called to realize that because and most often we understand things in a very plain manner with plenty of our material concerns, we often fail to understand what Jesus is exactly saying.

Our Second Reading summarizes the Joy of Christians. Jesus has first shone us the glory of the Cross. While there are challenges in choosing Him over anybody and anything else, we have peace in Jesus and we trust in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our hearts each day.