Exodus 17.3-7 | Romans 5.1-2,5-8 | John 4.5-42

Today we begin with Mother Church the third week of Lent, our personal, family, and community preparation for the solemnity of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus. It is a liturgical season characterized by penance and conversion.

March 8th is International Women's Day. May it be an occasion to renew our commitment to respecting women, supporting them in their struggles and achievements in families, in the Church, and in society.

Today the evangelist John tells us about Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in the city of Sychar.

In short, at noon, while His disciples had momentarily left, Jesus was thirsty and asked the Samaritan woman for water to drink, beginning a long and profound dialogue that awakened in her a firm faith.

At one point, Jesus offered the Samaritan woman water that would become a spring of water welling up to eternal life—a reference to faith in Christ as the promised Messiah.

Jesus revealed Himself as a prophet when He told the Samaritan woman that she had no husband, even though she had been with six men—a reference to the pagan deities already worshipped in the region of Samaria; the Messiah Jesus would then be the seventh, definitive, and absolute deity (husband) to be worshipped.

Speaking about the correct place to worship God, Jesus reaffirmed that salvation came from the Jews and told the Samaritan woman that the Father sought those who would worship Him in spirit and in truth, since He is spirit—a reference to the relativity of traditional temples.

Finally, Jesus revealed Himself to the Samaritan woman as the saving Messiah who makes all things known. And she inwardly embraced this truth and transmitted this faith with conviction to the people of the city—a reference to the missionary nature of faith.

When His disciples returned, Jesus revealed to them that His food was to do the Father's will, and that they were being sent to reap the fruits of what had been sown by the ancient prophets.

The dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is even more surprising when one remembers that, according to the mentality of the time, there was a historical enmity between Jews and Samaritans for religious and cultural reasons, and that it was unusual for a man to converse privately with a woman. But, in view of salvation, Jesus breaks with all human protocols.

Let us take advantage of the occasions of daily life to meet with people and courageously and convincingly announce Jesus as the saving Messiah, who heals our inner wounds and restores our dignity as humans and children of God. May doing the Father's will also be our food.

Today the author of the book of Exodus speaks to us of the Lord who quenched the thirst of the people of Israel during their journey through the desert, leaving Egypt towards the promised land.

In their desperation over the lack of water, the Israelites murmured against Moses, who had convinced them to flee Egypt with the assurance that the Lord would satisfy their needs. But there, in Massah and Meribah, the people doubted the Lord's presence.

But the Lord proved His presence and assistance when He instructed Moses to strike the rock with his staff so that water would flow from the stone for the people to drink.

In this liturgical season of Lent, let us allow the Lord to quench our thirst for life and justice. Let us trust in Him and, like Moses, help humanity in the journey from sin and death to a new condition of grace and life for all. With the staff of unwavering faith, we will see the living water that quenches all thirst gush forth: the Messiah, the Savior Jesus.

Today, the Apostle Paul speaks to us in his letter to the Romans about the Holy Spirit as the love of God poured into our hearts.

The apostle said that we are at peace with God because He has made us righteous through our faith in Jesus Christ. Paul said that Christians, even in the midst of tribulations, have access to divine grace through faith, in the hope of the glory of God.

The apostle speaks of God's love for us when we were still sinners and enemies of Him. Through the blood of Christ we have become righteous and, through His death, we have been reconciled. Therefore, we glory in God through Christ.

In this liturgical season of Lent, on the one hand, let us trust in the love of Christ who takes away the sin of the world and that was revealed in His death on the Cross; and on the other hand, let us approach sinners who have strayed, with empathy, without judgment, motivating them to conversion, in the certainty that Christ is the best friend of wounded humanity in need of healing and liberation from all evil.