12 March 2023
Third Sunday of Lent
Year A
The Spirit moves us to prayer, Jesus (the truth) introduces us to the Father as children.
With the third Sunday begins the so-called catechumenal Lent, in which, through three solemn gospel passages (Jn 4,4-52; Jn 9,1-41; Jn 11,1-45), the final catecheses were, in olden times, imparted to those who would receive the sacraments in the Easter Vigil.
After the sign of the temple and the inauguration of the new cult (cf. Jn 2:13-22), the Fourth Gospel presents three offerings of faith: to the Jews, with the representative figure of Nicodemus (cf. Jn 3,1-21); to the schismatic Jews, with the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4,1-42);to the pagans, with the royal officer (cf. Jn 4,43-54).
Jesus is the Messiah who calls all of Israel to faith, and also all the pagan world. Let’s focus on one element in today’s gospel: the jug, forgotten by the woman after meeting Jesus. When the Samaritan woman, after hearing that Jesus has a water that quenches thirst forever, says: “Give me this water” (Jn 4:15), she hears the Master retort: “Go and call your husband and come back” (Jn 4:16). The woman immediately recognizes the prophetic quality of words of Jesus and she responds with a question that was much debated at the time: in which place should one worship God, on Gerizim or in Jerusalem? Jesus replies that it is necessary to believe in him, and then announces a extraordinary novelty in the relationship between man and God: worship is no longer characterized by sacrifices but by adoration in spirit and in truth (cf. Jn 4:23). The Spirit moves to prayer, Jesus (the truth) introduces us to the Father as children (cf. Jn 1:12).
In this dialogue, the woman also declares her personal expectation of the Messiah. Jesus says to her (and it is the climax of the dialogue): “I who speak to you, I am He” (Jn 4:26). Who is Jesus? The expected prophet. The woman senses this and, taken over by her irrepressible enthusiasm, runs immediately to give the announcement to her fellow citizens. She felt her insides had been read. In running, however, she leaves behind the jug with which she had gone to draw water. If the jug was used to draw from Jacob’s well, after the meeting with Jesus that promises living water, she leaves everything. This gesture of hers directs her towards full disclosure. The Samaritans then accept the word of the woman and go directly to Jesus, in whom they recognize the Savior of the world.
After the sign of the temple and the inauguration of the new cult (cf. Jn 2:13-22), the Fourth Gospel presents three offerings of faith: to the Jews, with the representative figure of Nicodemus (cf. Jn 3,1-21); to the schismatic Jews, with the Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4,1-42);to the pagans, with the royal officer (cf. Jn 4,43-54).
Jesus is the Messiah who calls all of Israel to faith, and also all the pagan world. Let’s focus on one element in today’s gospel: the jug, forgotten by the woman after meeting Jesus. When the Samaritan woman, after hearing that Jesus has a water that quenches thirst forever, says: “Give me this water” (Jn 4:15), she hears the Master retort: “Go and call your husband and come back” (Jn 4:16). The woman immediately recognizes the prophetic quality of words of Jesus and she responds with a question that was much debated at the time: in which place should one worship God, on Gerizim or in Jerusalem? Jesus replies that it is necessary to believe in him, and then announces a extraordinary novelty in the relationship between man and God: worship is no longer characterized by sacrifices but by adoration in spirit and in truth (cf. Jn 4:23). The Spirit moves to prayer, Jesus (the truth) introduces us to the Father as children (cf. Jn 1:12).
In this dialogue, the woman also declares her personal expectation of the Messiah. Jesus says to her (and it is the climax of the dialogue): “I who speak to you, I am He” (Jn 4:26). Who is Jesus? The expected prophet. The woman senses this and, taken over by her irrepressible enthusiasm, runs immediately to give the announcement to her fellow citizens. She felt her insides had been read. In running, however, she leaves behind the jug with which she had gone to draw water. If the jug was used to draw from Jacob’s well, after the meeting with Jesus that promises living water, she leaves everything. This gesture of hers directs her towards full disclosure. The Samaritans then accept the word of the woman and go directly to Jesus, in whom they recognize the Savior of the world.
Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb Abbazia di Santa Maria – Praglia (Italy)
Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves, Prinknash Abbey