Our Sabbath Scripture Stories – 3rd Sunday of Lent – Cycle A

Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

  • Exodus 17:3-7
  • Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
  • John 4:5-42

Dad had just finished reading the Gospel passage for this morning.  It was a longer reading, but a truly great one.  Everyone had listened with keen interest, as if Dad had read a scene out of a storybook.  The images were rich in detail.

Mr. Pauline looked out over his family.  “Who’s got the first question about this reading?” he asked.

Lucy made a sigh.  “I keep going over and over the part about Jesus as the living water.  I know water is important for anything that grows.  But how come Jesus called Himself the living water, Dad?”

“Well, Lucy,” he answered, “let me show you!”  Dad got up and went into the kitchen.  Soon he returned with a pitcher of water and a very large pan.  “Everyone watch!” he instructed.  Dad slowly poured the whole pitcher of water into the pan.

“See that?” he asked.

“Ah … see … what?” Vincent said, shaking his head in confusion.  “All that I saw was the water being poured into the pan!”

“Exactly, Vincent!” Dad said with satisfaction.

“I think you might have to explain it a little more, Dad,” Vincent sheepishly said.

Dad began, “Did you notice how the water poured so directly and fluidly from the pitcher?  Then what did it do?  It went into the pan and reached out to fill every corner, moving along to get into every area.  And then it stayed there, and became a part of the pan.”

Mom got caught up in the analogy.  She spoke with strong conviction.  “Jesus said that He was the living water.  We know that water is important in the Bible—it cleanses, it baptizes, it gives life, and it promotes growth.  What Jesus was saying to the Samaritan woman, and to us, is that HE can cleanse us, He baptizes us and removes our sin, HE gives life through His name, and that He sustains our growth through the sacraments and our love for Him.  Jesus is the living water that is poured into our hearts and reaches every corner of our being!”

“Go, Mom!” Vincent shouted, quite impressed.

Mom laughed.  “I guess I get excited talking about the Lord!”

Mary Clare added, “The Samaritan woman called Jesus a prophet because He knew all about her life.  She even asks Jesus if He’s the Messiah!”

  “And what does Jesus answer her?” Dad said, referring back to his Bible.  “It says right here in Line 26 that Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking with you.’ “  (John 4:26)  

Then Dad added, “And remember in our reading how many people came to believe in Jesus when the Samaritan woman told them about Jesus?  They came out to hear Him themselves.”

  “Right, Dad!  And that’s why Jesus stayed there for two days, preaching and teaching!” Vincent offered.

“Absolutely!”  Mom said, still fired up.  “Verse 42 says that people commented,‘we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world!’ ”  (John 4:42b) 

  Just then a gleeful sound filled the room.  While everyone was talking, Baby Ben had gotten himself into the pan of water Dad used for his demonstration.  Water was everywhere!  Ben had even cupped his hands and drank half the pan!  He delighted in this newfound pool in the middle of the living room.

“I guess you could say that Jesus came to cleanse and fill each one of us—including Ben!”  Mom laughed.  Then she scooped up her soggy son and gave him a hug.

We have heard for ourselves, and we know
that this is truly the savior of the world!”
(John 4:42b)

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List the properties of water.
How do they correspond to the life and ministry of Jesus?

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Cycle A, 3 Lent, SSSDownload

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