Gospel Reflection - 3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A


John 4:5-42

Today's readings share the common idea of thirst. In the 1st reading, the Israelites grumbled to Moses in their thirst for water after being in the desert for so long. At God's directive, Moses struck a rock & water began to flow.

In the Gospel, Jesus sat at a well in Samaria, fully aware of the woman about to arrive to fill her bucket with water. When she questions Him, a Jew requesting a drink from a Samaritan woman, Jesus tells her about the Living Water He offers.

Two years ago this month, my 2nd oldest son was diagnosed with a central nervous system germinoma -- a brain tumor near the hypothalamus & pituitary gland. Due to its location & the damage it caused to his pituitary gland, his endocrine system does not function properly & he will need at least five medications for life. One of those is for a condition called Diabetes Insipidus* (no relation to the common Diabetes Mellitus which requires insulin, although some symptoms are similar). DI is a rare disorder in which the body cannot regulate how it handles fluids. One of the main symptoms is extreme thirst. Without proper treatment, DI patients run the risk of dehydration & seizures because their pituitary gland is not telling the kidneys to retain needed water & filter out the rest.

The medication works for my son's body as Jesus does for our spiritual thirst. Without Him in our lives, there isn't anything telling our brains to retain the good & filter out the temptations to sin. Through His Passion, Death, & Resurrection, we have been given the "medication" we need to overcome sin. When He ascended into Heaven, He did not leave us alone to fend for ourselves. As the 2nd reading states, "...because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." The Holy Spirit is our "medication," our guide to avoiding sin & quenching our thirst for God.

May any dryness you may be feeling right now become saturated in the love & mercy of Jesus. Only through Him may our spiritual thirst be satisfied.

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*You can go HERE for more information on Diabetes Insipidus. From what I understand, they are trying to change its name to AVP Deficiency (Arginine VasoPressin Deficiency) to avoid confusion with Diabetes Mellitus.  

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