Third Sunday of Lent

Third Sunday of Lent March 08, 2026

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

(image courtesy: Google)

This real story is said of the German concentration camp during the Second World War.  In the camp were a group of rabbis and learned Jews along with persons who had been in high standing prior to their arrest.  They had to work for six and half days every week but on Sunday afternoons they were left in relative peace. One such afternoon, some of the learned Jews in their despair decided to put God on trial. The rabbis acted as judges and witnesses came forward for defence and for the prosecution.  The case for the prosecution was overwhelming. They had only to look around them: they were being wiped out as a race; many of their families had already died in the gas chambers.  They were unable to look for their dear ones. How could a good God allow this to happen? The judges, despite a stout defence, had no difficulty in reaching the verdict.  God was guilty as charged, guilty of abandoning his chosen people. Silence fell upon the court. Then an elderly Jew got to his feet and said: “Nevertheless, let us not forget…it is time for our Evening Prayers.”

This striking moment reveals something profound about faith. Even amid doubt and suffering, the human heart continues to seek God. Faith does not always begin with certainty. Often it begins with questions, struggles, and searching. Yet slowly, step by step, people come to know the Master more deeply. This gradual realisation of who God is and how He works in life becomes the heart of the Lenten journey.

The first reading from the Book of Exodus presents the people of Israel wandering in the desert. They are tired, thirsty, and frustrated. The harsh desert conditions test their faith. In their distress, they begin to complain against Moses and even question God’s presence. They cry out, “Is the Lord among us or not?” This question reveals their inner struggle. They have witnessed God’s power in the liberation from Egypt, yet in the desert, they feel abandoned.

God responds to their complaint with mercy rather than anger. He tells Moses to strike the rock at Horeb, and water flows from the rock for the thirsty people. In the middle of the desert, where life seemed impossible, God provides what they need. The place is named Massah and Meribah because the people tested the Lord and questioned His presence. Yet the miracle of water reminds them that God had never truly left them. The desert experience becomes a lesson in faith. At first, the people see only dryness and hardship. Later, they discover that God is quietly present even in their struggles. Their understanding of God grows gradually through experience. This is often how faith develops in human life. Many people first encounter God not in moments of comfort but in moments of need.

The second reading from the Letter to the Romans speaks about the deeper meaning of faith. St Paul explains that through Jesus Christ we have been justified by faith and now stand in the grace of God. Paul reminds believers that the love of God has been poured into their hearts through the Holy Spirit. This love is not something distant or abstract. It is something real and living within the hearts of believers.

Paul highlights the greatest sign of this love. Christ died for humanity while people were still sinners. This means that God’s love does not wait for human perfection. Instead, it reaches out first. God reveals Himself through self-giving love. As people reflect on this love, they slowly begin to understand who God truly is. Faith, therefore, becomes a journey of discovering the depth of God’s love.

The Gospel presents one of the most beautiful encounters in the New Testament. Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. At first, this seems like a simple meeting between two strangers. Yet the conversation gradually unfolds into a profound revelation. Jesus begins by asking for a drink of water. The woman is surprised because Jews normally avoided contact with Samaritans. As the conversation continues, Jesus speaks about living water, a water that satisfies the deepest thirst of the human heart. The woman begins to sense that there is something special about this man. At first, she calls Him “Sir.” Later, she begins to recognise Him as a prophet. Finally, she wonders whether He might be the Messiah. Her understanding grows step by step.

What begins as a simple conversation becomes a life-changing encounter. The woman realises that Jesus knows her life completely, yet He speaks to her with compassion and truth. She leaves her water jar behind and runs to her village. She tells the people about Jesus and invites them to come and see Him. Because of her testimony, many people come to believe in Him.

The journey of the Samaritan woman reflects the journey of faith that every believer experiences. At first, Jesus may appear simply as a teacher or a historical figure. Gradually, through prayer, reflection, and personal experience, believers begin to understand Him more deeply. Eventually, they recognise Him as the source of living water who brings meaning and hope to life.

Lent is a season that invites believers into this journey of deeper realization. It is a time to rediscover Christ step by step. Through prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, people open their hearts to the presence of God. Just as the Samaritan woman moved from curiosity to faith, Lent invites every Christian to move from a superficial understanding of Jesus to a personal encounter with Him.

The story from the concentration camp reflects this same truth in a powerful way. The prisoners struggled with questions about God’s presence in suffering. Yet the elderly man who called everyone to prayer showed that faith is not simply about having answers. Faith is about continuing to turn toward God even when life is difficult. In that simple act of prayer, he revealed a deep realization. Despite everything, God remained the One to whom they could turn.

Both the story and the Gospel point to the same insight. Faith grows gradually. It begins with questions, moves through experiences, and finally leads to recognition and witness. When people come to know Christ personally, they naturally feel called to share that discovery with others.

The Samaritan woman did not keep her experience to herself. She became a messenger who invited others to meet Jesus. In the same way, every believer who encounters Christ is called to become a witness of His presence in the world.

1. Faith grows step by step. Like the Israelites in the desert and the Samaritan woman at the well, people often begin their journey with questions and doubts. Yet when they remain open to God, they gradually discover His presence and guidance in their lives.

2. Christ alone can satisfy the deepest thirst of the human heart. Many people search for fulfillment in success, possessions, or recognition, but the Gospel reminds believers that the living water offered by Christ is the only source of lasting peace and meaning.

3. A true encounter with Christ leads to mission. When believers truly know the Master, they naturally feel called to make Him known. Like the Samaritan woman who invited her village to meet Jesus, every Christian is called to share the hope and love of Christ with others.

The story of the prisoners who continued to pray even after putting God on trial reminds us that faith is ultimately a relationship. The Lenten journey invites believers to deepen this relationship step by step, until knowing Christ personally leads them to share His presence with the world.

Happy Sunday 

Second Sunday of Lent

 Second Sunday of Lent, March 01, 2026

Genesis 12:1-4; 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Matthew 17:1-9

(image courtesy: Google)

The epic film Les Miserables, based on the Victor Hugo novel and the international stage sensation, is a story of grace, redemption, compassion, and mercy.

The story begins with a simple but profound moment of forgiveness. The kindness of the bishop is a moment of transfiguration for Valjean: As the three disciples behold the divinity that radiates from the vision of Jesus on the mountaintop, Valjean realizes the ember of God’s goodness that has continued to burn within him despite the brutality and cruelty of his two decades in prison. That same touch of divinity exists within each one of us, as well: God is present within us, animating us to do good and holy things; guiding our steps as we try to walk justly and humbly in the ways of God; enlightening our vision with wisdom and selflessness to bring the justice and mercy of God into our world. The challenge of discipleship, like the touch and compassion of the bishop that transformed Valjean, is to allow the love of God to “transfigure” despair into hope, sadness into joy, anguish into healing, and estrangement into community.

Today’s Gospel tells us about the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a high mountain. There, before their eyes, Jesus is transfigured. His face shines like the sun and his clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear and speak with him. The disciples are overwhelmed by what they see. They fall to the ground in fear. Then they hear a voice from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

This Gospel gives us an important message for our Lenten journey. The disciples are allowed to see the glory of Jesus so that they may be strengthened for the days ahead. Soon, they will witness suffering and rejection. They will see Jesus arrested and crucified. But before that happens, they are given this vision of hope. The Transfiguration reminds them that Jesus is truly the Son of God and that suffering will not have the final word.

Lent is like climbing a mountain with Jesus. We step aside from our usual routine in order to see more clearly. Through prayer, fasting and charity, we try to draw closer to God. When we make this effort, God helps us to see our lives in a new light. The Transfiguration shows us who Jesus truly is, but it also shows us who we are called to become. The light that shines from Jesus is the light of God’s presence. Through baptism, that same light has been placed within us. Sometimes that light is hidden by our weaknesses and failures, but it is still there. Lent is a time to let that light shine again.

The first reading speaks about the call of Abraham. God tells Abraham to leave his country and go to a land that God will show him. Abraham is asked to leave behind everything that is familiar and secure. He does not know where the journey will lead, but he trusts God and sets out. This reading reminds us that faith is always a journey. God calls us to move forward. He invites us to leave behind whatever keeps us from growing closer to him. Sometimes what holds us back is fear. Sometimes it is comfort. Sometimes it is a sin. Like Abraham, we are asked to trust God even when the path is not clear.

Abraham’s journey is not easy. Yet God promises to bless him and make him a blessing to others. This is always the pattern of God’s call. When we respond to God, our lives become a source of blessing. Faith is never only about ourselves. It always leads us to serve others.

The second reading from Timothy tells us that God calls us to a holy life. This call does not come because of our own strength or goodness. It comes from God’s grace. St Paul reminds Timothy that Christ has brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. This message is important during Lent. Sometimes we think that becoming better depends only on our own effort. We try to change by relying only on our own strength. But the Christian life is not based only on human effort. It is based on God’s grace working within us. God is always reaching out to us. He invites us to a deeper relationship with him. Even when we fail, God continues to call us. Even when we lose hope, God remains faithful. The light of Christ continues to shine in the darkness.

In the Gospel, Peter wants to stay on the mountain. He says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” He wants to build tents and remain in that peaceful moment. But Jesus does not allow them to stay. They must go down the mountain and continue the journey. This teaches us an important lesson. Moments of prayer and closeness to God are important, but they are not the end of the journey. We are called to bring what we receive in prayer into our daily lives. The real test of faith is not what happens on the mountain, but what happens when we return to ordinary life.

The disciples fall to the ground in fear when they hear the voice from the cloud. But Jesus comes and touches them and says, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” These words are meant for us as well. Many people live with fear. We fear the future. We fear failure. We fear suffering. But Jesus tells us not to be afraid. God walks with us in every moment of our lives.

Then the voice from the cloud says, “Listen to him.” These words are at the centre of today’s Gospel. To listen to Jesus means more than simply hearing his words. It means allowing his message to guide our lives. It means trusting his teaching even when it is difficult. It means following his example of love, forgiveness and service. Lent is a time to listen more carefully. We listen when we read the Gospel. We listen when we pray. We listen when we spend time in silence. When we truly listen to Jesus, our hearts begin to change.

Transformation usually happens quietly and slowly. It does not always come through dramatic experiences. Often it happens through small daily decisions. Every time we choose patience instead of anger, generosity instead of selfishness, or forgiveness instead of resentment, God’s grace is at work within us. The Transfiguration reminds us that our final destiny is glory. God did not create us for darkness but for light. The journey of Lent leads us toward Easter, where we celebrate the victory of life over death. The light that shines on the mountain is the same light that shines from the empty tomb.

At the end of the Gospel, Jesus tells the disciples not to speak about what they have seen until after the resurrection. Only then will they fully understand the meaning of the Transfiguration. Only then will they realize that suffering and glory belong together in God’s plan. As we continue our Lenten journey, we ask God to help us trust in his grace. We ask for the courage to follow where he leads. We ask for open hearts that are ready to listen to His Son.

Just as the mercy shown to Jean Valjean awakened goodness within him, God’s grace continually works to renew us. When we allow God’s love to touch our lives, we too are transformed. Then we become people who bring hope, mercy and light into the world, reflecting something of the glory of Christ in our everyday lives.

Happy Sunday