Saint Rita Catholic Church and School in Webster, NY - An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings

“Whoever Drinks the Water I Shall Give Will Never Thirst ”

In this Sunday's readings, we hear about water that quenches physical thirst and the "living water" that quenches our thirst for the fullness of life with God. Both are gifts from a loving and merciful God.

In our first reading (Exodus 17:3-7), we hear how the Israelites grumbled in the desert about their thirst for water, “the people grumbled against Moses, saying, ‘Why did you ever make us leave Egypt? Was it just to have us die here of thirst with our children and our livestock?’” God responded to their lack of trust with mercy as God instructed Moses to “Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for the people to drink.”

In our Epistle reading (Romans 5:1-2, 5-8), St. Paul reminds us that this grace that God has given us through the passion and death of His Son is truly unmerited and given purely out of the love God has for us, even while we were still sinners. Paul writes, “But God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

In our Gospel reading (John 4:5-42) we hear the story of the Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at Jacob's Well. In their conversation about water and thirst, the woman is led into a deeper understanding of who Jesus is and the true nature of the "living water" of which He speaks. Her increasing understanding and faith led her to lead others to Jesus - a mission we Christians are called to as well. (The Gospel readings for the next few weeks—the woman at the well, the man born blind and the raising of Lazarus—focus on the theme of conversion, healing and eternal life and in a particular way relate to the instruction of our Catechumens preparing for full communion with our Catholic Church.)

In some ways, we may be like the Samaritan woman and the Israelites in the desert, with our minds fixed on our physical needs while Jesus is leading us to thirst for our spiritual needs, conversion, and the fullness of life in Him. Would it be that we were as quick to recognize Jesus as was the Samaritan woman.