Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

 Third Sunday of Lent, Year, A – March 15, 2020

Readings: Ex 17:3-7; Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2.6-7abc.7d-9(R7d,8a); 

2^nd Rom 5:1-2.5-8 & Gospel Jn. 4-5-42 Or Jn. 4:5-15.19b26.39a.40-42.

Theme: Be Marketers of the Kingdom!

Sunday Synopsis

In response to the grumbling of the Israelites at Massah and Meribah about physical thirst, God provided them with water as our first reading (Ex 17:3-17) indicates. In the second reading (Rom 5:1-2.5-8), St. Paul suggest that the theological virtues of faith, hope and love can quench the thirst of any soul that longs for God. While Moses gave the Israelites physical water, Jesus promised the Woman of Samaria “Living Water.” Our liturgy indicates that both Moses and Jesus want us to be marketers of God’s love and mercy to a troubled world.

Introduction

Friends in Christ, our readings today present Jesus as a marketer per excellence who invites us to be marketers of the kingdom. From the grumbling of the Israelites about physical water in the first reading, our liturgy takes us through the promise of the “living water” by Jesus to the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well. In a society where Jews and Samaritans, men and women don’t easily mix, an exciting encounter turns a supposedly wayward woman into the first herald of the gospel in her city. We shall scan through the readings for the requisite pastoral lessons. 

Background and Summary of the Readings

The first reading (Ex 17:3-17) relates the story of the grumbling of the people of Israel over water. In fact, it narrates that they almost stoned Moses. They quarried why God brought them out of Egypt. Moses responded by asking God to provide them with water. We are told that God ordered Moses to take some elders of Israel and move to the fore front of the people and with the staff in his hands at Horeb, strike the rock. At that, water gushed out and the place was named Massah and Meribah because it was there that the Israelites grumbled against God and tested him. 

In the second reading (Rom 5:1-2.5-8), St. Paul tells us that by faith, we are judged righteous and are at peace with God. He stresses that hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by his Spirit. He maintains that while we were still helpless, Christ died for sinful humanity even as he discloses that it is not easy to even die for a good man. He surmises that what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.  

In a society where Jews and Samaritans, men and women don’t easily mix or relate with each other publicly, the gospel (Jn. 4:5-15.19b26.39a.40-42) reveals the story of the woman of Samaria who went in search of water and met a stranger (Jesus) who took her through the worship of the true God in Spirit and in Truth. He also tells her all that she has ever done; at the jaw-breaking encounter, she throws her jar of water and goes to the city to give a testimony of her experience. We are told that many people from that city believed in him not only on account of the woman’s testimony but based on their eye-witness account.

AIDA Model of Marketing as Recipe for Our Liturgy

Awareness, Interest, Desire and Action (AIDA) is a marketing strategy that advertisers use as a bait to entice customers to purchase their products.

1. “A” stands for Awareness: According to this theory, one has to be aware of a product before he thinks of buying it.

2. “I” means Interest: This means that one has to develop an interest in a certain product before one patronises it.

3. “D” represents Desire: Here, a person ought to desire goods before he or she acquires them.

4. “A” denotes Action: This is the main or actual action of buying the item.

This principle fits into our liturgy because the encounter between Jesus and the woman of Samaria presents a scenario which brings out the AIDA principle. Jesus was aware of all this woman had gone through; he became interested in saving her and he ignited the desire for “living water” in her. The good news is that she fell for his “product” because we are told, she left her water-jar and ran back to the village where she told the people: “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” Therefore, she became the first herald of the gospel in her town. 

Pastoral and Practical Lessons

1. Be Marketers of the Kingdom: While Moses gave the Israelites water at Massah and Meribah, Jesus promises the woman of Samaria Living Water which shows that both Moses and Jesus teach us to be marketers of God’s love, mercy and hope who are charged to recruit others for kingdom like the woman in the gospel.

2. Practice the Theological Virtues: In the second reading, St. Paul encourages us to embrace the theological virtues of faith, hope and love bearing in mind that hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by his Spirit.  

3. Desire the Water of Life: Jesus asked the woman of Samaria for a drink in order to ignite the desire for God in her soul, as such, we are charged to always desire the Living Water which wells up to eternal life.

4. Eschew Mundane Interests: That the woman in gospel threw away her jar which was meant to get her water that would quench her thirst and assist in fulfilling domestic chores, teaches us to shun mundane interests bearing in mind that: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

5. Worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth: As worshippers in Spirit and in Truth, we must leave the Samaria of lack of water in search for the fountain of life, Jesus by being open and sincere like this woman of faith. 

6. Shun Discrimination and Social Prejudices: Like Jesus, we must be ready to break away from discriminatory traditions and social prejudices which stop us from interacting with other people based on tribe, race or colour, sex, religion, politics and or social standing.

7. Work for Justice and Peace: We are challenged to change the current status quo which causes injustice leading to strife and war by engaging humanity in the fight for a just and equitable society.

8. SEE, JUDGE and ACT:  The motto of Young Catholic Students (YCS), SEE, JUDGE and ACT fits into today’s gospel narrative as it invites us to seek a personal encounter with God not just based what others say of him but based on personal experience like the people of Samaria in the gospel who begged Jesus to stay with them for two days.

9. Acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah: That both the woman of Samaria and the people in her village heard the words of Jesus and believed that he indeed is the Saviour of the world urges us to have no other gods but acknowledge Jesus as the Lord of our lives.

Summary Lines

1. The first reading presents us with the story of the grumbling of the Israelites over water.

2. In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that by faith, we are judged righteous and are at peace with God.

3. In a society where Jews and Samaritans, men and women don’t easily mix or relate with each other publicly, the gospel reveals the story of the woman of Samaria.

4. She throws her jar of water and goes to the city to give a testimony of her experience.

5. Many Samaritans from that city believed in him not only on account of the woman’s testimony but based on their eye-witness account.

Conclusion

In conclusion, rather than grumbling over mundane desires and putting the Lord our God to the test like the Israelites in the first reading, we are called upon to have an enduring-faith, trusting that God would give us the water of life. While Moses gave the Israelites physical water at Massah and Meribah, Jesus promised Living Water to the woman of Samaria. Both Moses and Jesus teach us to be marketers of God’s love, mercy and hope. This is because “hope does not disappoint us” as St. Paul insists in the second reading. As we rely on the Living Water, may the lessons of Lent enrich us in every way even as we become marketers of the kingdom. Have a blessed week ahead!