Shared in the diocesan e-newsletter, Thursday 5 March

Over the next three Sundays, the Gospel reading will be taken from St John’s Gospel.  This Sunday, we will hear about an encounter that takes place outside a Samaritan village called Sychar between Jesus and a woman. This will be followed by an encounter and miracle between Jesus and a man who was blind from birth.  On the fifth Sunday of Lent, a final encounter will take place, this time between Jesus and his dead friend, Lazarus.
 
These readings form a triptych with a word for those preparing to be baptised or received into full Communion with the Catholic Church this Easter.  To the woman of Sychar, Jesus says, ‘Give me a drink.’  About the man who was born blind, Jesus says that he was blind so ‘that the works of God might be displayed in him.’  In the final reading, Jesus asks this sister of his friend, ‘Do you believe this?’
 
The journey of faith begins with a request – ‘Give me a drink’.  Jesus is not asking for water but the one thing he will not force from us: faith.  As we grow in faith we come to realise that our past and present situation can hold us back from growing deeper in faith.  Our past is not an obstacle but the very place where the works of God are to be displayed.  At some point on the journey, we will be asked to commit freely with our whole life.  That is to respond to a direct question – do you believe?
 
As we pray through these readings over the coming weeks, we pray for those who will be received into the Church at Easter.  We pray for ourselves, too, that our lives may be transformed by responding with great faith to the simple request of Jesus: ‘Give me a drink’.

Fr Michael Glover
St Mary's College, Oscott

The Sunday Gospels of Lent

Resources for Lent and Easter

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