The Third Sunday of Lent – March 12, 2023
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March 11, 2023The Third Sunday of Lent – March 12, 2023
Romans 5:8: But God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
John 4:13-14: Whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again; but anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will turn into a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in the Gospel of St. John is one that is touching and yet profound. In our journey of faith much is revealed to us: Jesus is the living water, Jesus forgives our sins, Jesus heals us from the wounds of sin, Jesus quenches the thirst of souls, Jesus gives us the hope of life eternal, He fulfills our deepest longings and desires, God loves us and brings us salvation.
What particularly appeals to us is that the Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan woman is personal. Jesus saves souls one by one. We are not just faceless members of a group. Jesus as God-man can befriend each man and woman, each boy and girl, down through the long march of time. He knows me by name and brings me His life. He died for me as if I were the only one in need of salvation. That is why I place my whole life in His hands, humbly repenting of my sins, knowing that they are washed away, that I am clean and refreshed, and full of His amazing and saving grace, His life. It is this life that gives me the hope of eternal life in the kingdom of heaven. The Lord’s kingdom is here already, but not yet fully come to its completion. Soul by soul the kingdom of heaven is built up.
In John 4 the image of water is clear. We see in it a prefiguration of the waters of Baptism. From the pierced side of the Lord, as He was nailed to the Cross, came forth blood and water, that point to the waters of Baptism that are efficacious by the power of His blood shed for us on the Cross. The blood also clearly manifests the perpetual renewal of the Lord’s Sacrifice on the Cross in each Holy Sacrifice of the Mass -- the power of the Holy Eucharist. The Lenten and Easter seasons give us the opportunity to reclaim what was given us at Baptism. We are also drawn closer to the Eucharistic Lord. In Christ we wish to enter more fully into His death so as to enter more fully into His resurrection. We are called to die to sin and rise up to new life. This is the rhythm of the Christian life. Authentic Christianity has both going on at the same time. We all need to convert by turning away from sin and living more fully in Christ. It is our daily struggle. And it is only possible through the Lord Jesus who died on the cross and rose from the dead for me and loves me.
Yours in the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Fr. Mark G. Mazza, Pastor
