Only God is Enough!

March 27, 2011

Third Sunday of Lent

Ex 17,13-7 . Rom 5,1-2,5-8

Jn 4,5-42

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In the past week, we have been experiencing a different kind of hot. we clearly see signs that summer is already here! After weeks of enduring very cold nights, here we are near the boiling point of excitement. School's over, students graduate, people take a time out. It's summer, and it's hot!

A very hot day. This is the setting of our Gospel today. Jesus walks in to Samaria thirsty looking for something to drink. At the same time, a Samaritan woman is working with her jar of water. This is one uncommon situation: a Jew and a Samaritan. A Man and a Woman. In high noon?

But in that unusualness, we can see a work of God. In that high noon, Jesus tries to teach the Samaritan Woman - and us - two big things. We can name it the Two Big Thirsts.

It all starts when Jesus asks: Give me a drink!

First: Thirst for Life. Jesus asks for something to drink. The Samaritan woman refused because He has no bucket for fetching water. For that, Jesus speaks that if ever she knows who's asking for a drink, she can ask for some Living Water. It will never make her thirsty again. It will lead her to life! As Jesus says it, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Water means life, and the Church helps us to be cleansed and to be ever nearer to God through the cleansing and living waters of Baptism. This is one great gift to man, the salvation that He has to offer for us! Not at all times does water mean death (like the Tsunami in Japan), it also means a new life. One which entitles us to become God's children.

This one goes especially to the Catechumens who will undergo Scrutiny today. In three weeks, they are to experience what it is to live as God's child. That is through the Waters of Baptism, solemnly blessed on Easter night. We ourselves had experienced it, and Lent is a time to remember this grace of 'Living Water,' the water of Baptism!

Second: Thirst for Contentment.  Jesus asks the Samaritan woman to bring her husband. She replied that she has none. When we put the reply of the Lord in our common tongue, he could say, Yeah, right. That man is not your husband, same thing with the five others. Really sweet! Through that, the Samaritan woman came to know that he is talking with a prophet.

Well, we are the present representation of the Samaritan Woman. Why? We usually look for comfort in material things and wealth. We dwell in worldly things, without thinking of God in a single moment. Even the day of rest was very much disgraced nowadays with man's busy endeavors which has nothing to do with his salvation.

But we should always remember that when that time comes when every worldly effort goes in vain, everyone fails us and we go on alone with our lives, there is still somebody waiting for us to come to him. As we thirst for contentment in everything we do in this world, somebody also thirsts for our love and attention. Nobody else but God. He is waiting for us to come approach him. 

Look! He also thirsts for us! Only in him can we find contentment. In him we can find rest! And so we ask ourselves today, Do I realize that God is thirsting for my conversion, while I diverge into mundane affairs?


The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Christ; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one speaking with you.”


We are assured that like the woman who had spread the news to the village, once we find the Lord and his goodness, we are surely to share his graciousness to others. We can also lead them to Christ. By that time, they may also experience the great compassion that is God and Jesus Christ! They may believe themselves! They may also be blessed by God's marvelous wonders.  We do not believe anymore because you told us; we have experienced ourselves and we believe!

This Lent, we are called more than ever to reflect on how grave is the Lord's thirst for our love. Like the scene at Samaria at high noon, let us approach the Lord with confidence. Let us ask him of that water which will never make us thirst anymore. As we realize how deep we thirst for him, let us also feel how deep he thirsts for us. May we also realize that we do not need anymore the things of this world to be contented, for only God is enough!