3rd Lent A

Welcome to our Bible
Study
3rd
Sunday of Lent A
19 March 2017
In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy
As aid in focusing our homilies and sharing
Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st
reading: Exodus 17:3-7
 3 In those days, in 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?" 4 So Moses
cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people?
A little more and they will stone me!" 5 The LORD
answered Moses, "Go over there in front of the people,
along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your
hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river.
6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in
Horeb. Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it for
the people to drink." This Moses did, in the presence of
the elders of Israel. 7 The place was called Massah and
Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and
tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD in our midst or
not?"
The focus is on thirsting for water.

1st
Israel to Moses
 3 In those days, in 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?"
Moses to God
 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this
people? A little more and they will stone me!"
God to Moses
 5 The LORD answered Moses, "Go over there in front of the
people, along with some of the elders of Israel, holding in your
hand, as you go, the staff with which you struck the river. 6 I will be
standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. Strike the rock,
and the water will flow from it for the people to drink."
Moses
 This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place
 7 The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the
Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the
LORD in our midst or not?"
A simple outline!

1st
Israel to Moses
 3 In those days, in 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?"
Moses to God
 4 So Moses cried out to
the LORD, "What shall
I do with this people? A
little more and they will
stone me!"
Commentary
 The Israelites are on their way to
Mt. Sinai.
 In v.3, the people complain
against Moses, pointing on the
advantages of staying in Egypt.
• In the desert, there is no supply of
water.
 The people express regret for
having left Egypt.
 In v.4, Moses takes recourse to
God. He feels helpless. He
does not know what to do with
the people.
• He fears for his life. (They will
stone me.)
 People can become violent if
their need is not met.

1st
God to Moses
 5 The LORD answered
Moses, "Go over there in
front of the people, along
with some of the elders of
Israel, holding in your hand,
as you go, the staff with
which you struck the river.
6 I will be standing there in
front of you on the rock in
Horeb. Strike the rock, and
the water will flow from it for
the people to drink."
Moses
 This Moses did, in the
presence of the elders of
Israel.
The place
 7 The place was called
Massah and Meribah,
because the Israelites
quarreled there and tested
the LORD, saying, "Is the
LORD in our midst or not?"
 In vv.5-6, God instructs Moses to
go in front of the people (exposing
himself to danger), accompanied by
some of the elders (leaders), with
the staff that divided the river (water,
Red Sea).
 In v.6, God promises to stand in
front of Moses [to protect him] on the
rock in Mt. Horeb (=Mt. Sinai).
• Potable water will gush forth from the
rock, after Moses strikes it.
 Moses obeys.
 V.7 describes the place where
people grumble as:
• Massah means the place of test.
• Meribah means the place of quarrel (with
Moses)
 It is also the place where they test
(provoke) God.

Reflections on the 1st
reading
 We are all on a journey.
 We pass by unfamiliar places and encounter dangers.
We run short of provisions.
 When we lack our basic needs like food and water,
there is trouble.
 We question the decision of our leaders.
 We question the wisdom of God.
 We must keep moving forward, no moving backward.
 Forget the good ol’ days of plenty.
 We are destined to arrive at a better future.
 In times of trouble, do you practice damage control or
exacerbate the situation, by your threats and
invectives?

Resp. Ps 95:1-2. 6-7. 8-9
 R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
 1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
 6 Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
 8 Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
9 Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”

Resp. Ps 95:1-2. 6-7. 8-9
R. (8) If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the
LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our
salvation.
2 Let us come into his presence with
thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who
made us.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds,
the flock he guides.
8 Oh, that today you would hear his
voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
9 Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen
my works.”
Commentary
 The psalm is classified as a Royal Psalm
of God as king.
 The psalm is certainly an expression of
people, who are happy with God.
 Vv.1-2 contain three invitations which
mean the same:
• To sing joyfully
• To acclaim
• To sing psalms joyfully
 They invite people to worship God.
 V.6 is another invitation. It mentions the
gestures how to approach God:
• To bow down
• To kneel
 V.7 gives the reason for worshipping God.
 Vv.8-9 exhort people to listen to God. They
must behave differently from their
forefathers in the desert, who:
• hardened their hearts
• tempted God.

Reflections on the Psalm
 When we worship God, we must exert effort in
singing his praises and recognizing who he is.
 We must show reverence to God, by bowing down
and kneeling, or do some other reverent gestures.
 We must know why we are worshipping God.
 In our worship, we must acknowledge his power and
what he has done for us.
 Do you worship God? How do you show it? Do you
also observe dress code?
 What is the content of your prayer?

2nd
reading: Romans 5:1-2.5-8
 1 Since we have been justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2
through whom we have gained access (by faith) to
this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope
of the glory of God.
 5 Hope does not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out into our hearts through
the holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6 For
Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the
appointed time for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, only with
difficulty does one die for a just person, though
perhaps for a good person one might even find
courage to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in
that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
The focus is on the death of Christ.

2nd
 1 Since we have
been justified by
faith, we have
peace with God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ, 2
through whom we
have gained access
(by faith) to this
grace in which we
stand, and we boast
in hope of the glory
of God.
Commentary
 In vv.1-2, the result of
justification is peace with
God, access to grace and
to hope.
 Justification means giving
good reasons for our
deeds.
 Justification is brought
about by faith in Jesus.

2nd
5 Hope does not
disappoint, because the
love of God has been
poured out into our hearts
through the holy Spirit that
has been given to us. 6
For Christ, while we were
still helpless, yet died at
the appointed time for the
ungodly. 7 Indeed, only
with difficulty does one die
for a just person, though
perhaps for a good person
one might even find
courage to die. 8 But God
proves his love for us in
that while we were still
sinners Christ died for us.
Commentary
 V.5 tells us about hope. It does not
disappoint.
 We may interpret hope here as in v.2: hope
for the glory of God.
 We are sure to see God’s glory because of
God’s love poured out upon us.
 Because Christ dies at the appointed time v.6
 V.7 says it is hard for someone to die for a
just person; even for a good person, one may
take courage to die.
 V.8 repeats the idea that Christ dies for us
while we are still sinners.
 Jesus finds it easy to die for us. In this
manner God proves his love for us.

Reflections on the 2nd
reading
 The death of Jesus brings us life.
 Life means justification.
 Jesus shows his love for us by dying on the
cross.
 Can you give life to others by dying to
yourself, to your selfishness?

Gospel reading: John 4:5-15.19-26.39.40-42
Setting
 5 Jesus came to a town of
Samaria called Sychar, near
the plot of land that Jacob had
given to his son Joseph. 6
Jacob's well was there. Jesus,
tired from his journey, sat down
there at the well. It was about
noon.
The Samaritan Woman and
Jesus
 7 A woman of Samaria came
to draw water. Jesus said to
her, "Give me a drink." 8 His
disciples had gone into the
town to buy food. 9 The
Samaritan woman said to him,
"How can you, a Jew, ask me,
a Samaritan woman, for a
drink?" (For Jews use nothing
in common with Samaritans.)
Commentary
 Samaria is between Galilee and Judah.
 In going to Jerusalem, Jesus passes by
Samaria.
 Samaria is associated with Jacob/Israel.
 V.5 recognizes the significance of Sychar,
near the land of Joseph, given by Jacob.
 V.6 points to Jacob’s well. The whole
passage revolves around the well, which
provides water.
 V.7 introduces an important character: a
Samaritan woman coming to the well to draw
water.
 At this point, Jesus asks for water from her.
 V.8 is a parenthesis. The author, as a skilled
scriptwriter, exits the other characters in order
to focus on Jesus and the woman.
 In v.9, the woman reacts. She is culturally
conditioned.
• A Jew must avoid Samaritans and vice versa.
• A Jewish man must keep away from Samaritan
women.
Please read slide by slide. The text should be read along with the commentary.

The Living Water
 10 Jesus answered and
said to her, "If you knew
the gift of God and who is
saying to you, 'Give me a
drink,' you would have
asked him and he would
have given you living
water." 11 (The woman)
said to him, "Sir, you do
not even have a bucket
and the cistern is deep;
where then can you get
this living water? 12 Are
you greater than our father
Jacob, who gave us this
cistern and drank from it
himself with his children
and his flocks?"
 In v.10, Jesus wishes that the
woman would properly identify him.
Then she would treat him differently.
 In v.11, the woman still thinks in
terms of the material water, even if
she is already told of the “living”
water.
 In v.12, the woman challenges Jesus
if he is greater than Jacob. The
woman is resigned that Jacob is
greater than this Jew.
 Jacob is perceived as greater
because he has accomplished a lot:
dug a useful cistern for himself, for
his children and his flock.

 13 Jesus answered and
said to her, "Everyone
who drinks this water will
be thirsty again; 14 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." 15 The woman said
to him, "Sir, give me this
water, so that I may not
be thirsty or have to keep
coming here to draw
water."
 In v.13, Jesus affirms the natural
property of water that comes from the
well of Jacob.
 But in v.14, Jesus leads her back to his
own important message about the
water he is offering.
 Jesus adds a property of water that
sends a message that he is greater
than Jacob.
 “Anyone who drinks of it will never
thirst again.”
 In v.15, still the woman does not get
the message of Jesus.
 She is still thinking of the material
water.
 She misunderstands the meaning of
Jesus.
 This is the style of John the Evangelist.
(the style of misunderstanding in the
conversation, like Jesus’ conversation with
Nicodemus)

Place of Worship
 19 The woman said to him, "Sir,
I can see that you are a prophet.
20 Our ancestors worshiped on
this mountain; but you people
say that the place to worship is
in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus said to
her, "Believe me, woman, the
hour is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on
this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
22 You people worship what you
do not understand; we worship
what we understand, because
salvation is from the Jews. 23
But the hour is coming, and is
now here, when true worshipers
will worship the Father in Spirit
and truth; and indeed the Father
seeks such people to worship
him. 24 God is Spirit, and those
who worship him must worship
in Spirit and truth."
 Now in v.19, the woman senses
Jesus as not an ordinary man.
 She recognizes him as a prophet.
 In v.20, she brings in another issue
which divides the Jews and the
Samaritans. (place of worship)
 In v.21, Jesus assures her of a better
worship not tied anymore to a place.
 V.22 affirms the role of the Jews in
salvation history.
 Vv.23-24 follows up v.21. Now is the
time to worship God in Spirit and in
truth.
 No longer will God be worshipped as
in the days of old when fixed places
were important.

The Messiah
 25 The woman said to him,
"I know that the Messiah is
coming, the one called the
Anointed; when he comes,
he will tell us everything."
26 Jesus said to her, "I am
he, the one who is speaking
with you."
 In v.25, the woman
expresses her messianic
hopes.
 She knows the role of the
Messiah, the anointed.
• He will reveal everything.
 In v.26, Jesus reveals
himself as the Messiah.

The Samaritans
 39 Many of the Samaritans of that
town began to believe in him
because of the word of the woman
who testified, "He told me
everything I have done." 40 When
the Samaritans came to him, they
invited him to stay with them; and
he stayed there two days. 41 Many
more began to believe in him
because of his word, 42 and they
said to the woman, "We no longer
believe because of your word; for
we have heard for ourselves, and
we know that this is truly the savior
of the world."
 This last section (vv.39-
42) tells us of the coming
of many Samaritans to
Jesus who believe him.
 They believe in Jesus not
because of the testimony
of the woman, but
because they themselves
hear Jesus speak to them.
 The Samaritans believe
that he is the savior of the
world.

Commentary/ Reflections on the
gospel reading
 We are supposed to read the whole story of the
Samaritan woman to appreciate it better.
 However, the liturgists omitted some parts (truncated
it) to shorten the gospel reading (for practical
reasons).
 The reading is still very long.
 Long reading means less time to deliver homily.
 So the homilist must make his homily compact.
 He must concentrate on the water, on the thirst for
the Savior, thirst for true religion, thirst for new
relationships.

Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
 The first reading talks about the Israelites’ thirst for
water in the desert.
 The psalm invites us to worship God for he is our
shepherd (who leads us to the waters to quench our
thirst).
 The second reading talks about the death of Jesus.
(His death quenches thirst for salvation.)
 The gospel reading talks about Jesus, who can
provide water that quenches thirst forever.

How to develop your homily / sharing
 Have you experienced thirst for water?
 Water is a basic need. We cannot survive
without water.
 Lack of it spells sickness, disease and
trouble, even war (in the future).

 In the first reading, the Israelites thirst as
they travel in the desert to the promised land.
 They complain to Moses for the lack of water.
 Moses turns to God and God answers their
need.
 God produces water out of the rock (out of nowhere).
 God makes miracles to save his people.

 In our journey to God, we may not always have
water to drink.
 Like Moses, we have to turn to God for help.
 In our helplessness and poverty, only God can
save us.
 We show this by listening to him, by moving
forward, and not by grumbling and complaining.

 In the gospel reading, the woman does not ask
for a miracle.
 She draws water from a well dug by Jacob. The
town has a continuous supply of water. There is
life in that place.
 Jesus starts the conversation by asking for water
from the woman.
 From the topic of water, Jesus moves deeper to
a different kind of water.
 Slowly, she realizes in her conversation with
Jesus that Jesus can provide a life-giving water.
 Jesus comes to us when we are fetching water
for our bodily needs (earning our bread), when
we are helping ourselves to survive.

 When we converse with him in prayer, Jesus
also offers to us “water” that quenches our
spiritual thirst.
 We also thirst for justice, peace and love.
 Jesus also offers us this water of justice,
peace and love.
 It is not attainable by individuals alone.
Satisfaction has a communal dimension.
 Hence, building relationship with Jesus, and
with others, is important in bringing about
satisfaction and salvation.

 In the second reading, St. Paul declares that Jesus
died for us.
 Jesus satisfies our thirst for salvation by dying on
the cross.
 Our thirst for divine love and grace is satisfied by
Jesus’ shedding of his blood for us on the cross.
 We can fully appreciate what Christ has done for
us, when we also journey with him to Mt. Calvary,
by bearing our own crosses, by embracing the
paschal mystery.
 Thirst cannot be satisfied so cheaply.
 Jesus eradicates thirst by paying a high price, by
pouring out his life and blood.
 We, too. have to pay a high price to quench our
spiritual thirst.

 In this season of Lent, we, Christians, must
know whom to approach when it comes to
quenching our thirst.
 We must first of all recognize our spiritual
thirst.
 Apparently, we don’t feel this, because we are
more focused on our senses, stomachs and on
material things.
 We may not realize that the latest gadgets and
cars that we crave to buy just distract us from
what we really need, to put ourselves to rest.

 The eucharist is a sacrament that quenches
our thirst for God.
 He comes to us in the eucharist to accompany
us in our journey to salvation.
 When we receive the eucharist, we cannot ask
for more.
 In the eucharist, we truly attain fullness of life.

Our Context of Sin and Grace
 Scarcity of water in some
places due to the denudation of
forests.
 Underground water level going
down, due to deep well pumps
 Water can be a source of
conflict and wars.
 Stagnant water
 No accessible potable water in
many communities
 People are thirsty of good
governance (enough of
shameless corruption in high
places).
 Hunger and thirst for the
Word of God
 Bible Sharing, Bible Study
 Lectio Divina
 Verbum Domini
 Attentive listening to the
Word of God as proclaimed
in the Liturgy
 Biblical Apostolate
 Bible Distributions
 Hunger for justice and
equitable distribution of
goods

Suggested Songs
 Like the Deer that yearns
 Lord, I Know (communion)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqjOjYZOns

 Dear sisters and brothers,
Only Jesus can quench our thirst. There
is no substitute for him.
Fr. Cielo

3rd Lent A

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