Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Third Week of Lent by Ms. Joan Watson.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent by Dr. Shane Owens.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Third Week of Lent by Dr. Scott Hahn.

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Readings:
Exodus 17:3–7
Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9
Romans 5:1–2, 5–8
John 4:5–15, 19–26, 39–42

The Israelites’ hearts were hardened by their hardships in the desert.

Though they saw His mighty deeds, in their thirst they grumble and put God to the test in today’s First Reading—a crisis point recalled also in today’s Psalm.

Jesus is thirsty, too in today’s Gospel. He thirsts for souls (see John 19:28). He longs to give the Samaritan woman the living waters that well up to eternal life.

These waters couldn’t be drawn from the well of Jacob, father of the Israelites and the Samaritans. But Jesus was something greater than Jacob (see Luke 11:31–32).

The Samaritans were Israelites who escaped exile when Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom eight centuries before Christ (see 2 Kings 17:6, 24–41). They were despised for intermarrying with non-Israelites and worshipping at Mount Gerazim, not Jerusalem.

But Jesus tells the woman that the “hour” of true worship is coming, when all will worship God in Spirit and truth.

Jesus’ “hour” is the “appointed time” that Paul speaks of in today’s Epistle. It is the hour when the Rock of our salvation was struck on the Cross. Struck by the soldier’s lance, living waters flowed out from our Rock (see John 19:34–37).

These waters are the Holy Spirit (see John 7:38–39), the gift of God (see Hebrews 6:4).

By the living waters the ancient enmities of Samaritans and Jews have been washed away, the dividing wall between Israel and the nations is broken down (see Ephesians 2:12–14,18). Since His hour, all may drink of the Spirit in Baptism (see 1 Corinthians 12:13).

In the Eucharist, the Lord now is in our midst—as He was at the Rock of Horeb and at the well of Jacob.

In the “today” of our Liturgy, He calls us to believe: “I am He,” come to pour out the love of God into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. How can we continue to worship as if we don’t understand? How can our hearts remain hardened?

Lecturas:
Éxodo 17,3–7
Salmo 95,1–2.6–9
Romanos 5,1–2.5–8
Juan 4,5–15.19–26.39–42

Los corazones de los israelitas fueron endurecidos por las pruebas en el desierto.

Aunque habían visto las proezas de Dios, cuando estaban sedientos murmuraron contra Él y lo pusieron a prueba, según nos dice la primera lectura de hoy. El salmo recuerda también ese momento de crisis.

También Jesús tiene sed en el Evangelio de hoy. Está sediento de almas (cf. Jn 19,28). Anhela dar a la samaritana las aguas vivas que brotan hasta la vida eterna.

Esas aguas no podían sacarse del pozo de Jacob, padre de los israelitas y también de los samaritanos. Pero Jesús es mayor que Jacob (cf. Lc 11,31–32).

Los samaritanos eran israelitas que escaparon del exilio cuando Asiría conquistó el Reino del Norte, ocho siglos antes de Cristo (cf. 2R 17,6; 24–41). Fueron despreciados por casarse con no-israelitas y por rendir culto en el monte Garizim, no en Jerusalén.

Pero Jesús le dice a la mujer que ha llegado “la hora” del auténtico culto, cuando todos adorarán a Dios en Espíritu y en verdad.

La “hora” de Jesús es el “tiempo señalado” del que San Pablo habla en la Epístola de hoy. Es la hora en la que la Roca de nuestra salvación fue golpeada en la Cruz. Herida por la lanza del soldado, de nuestra Roca brotaron aguas vivas (cf. Jn 19,34–37).

Esa agua es el Espíritu Santo (cf. Jn 7,38–39), don de Dios (cf. Hb 6,4).

Por las aguas vivas, se ha lavado la antigua enemistad entre samaritanos y judíos; se ha derrumbado la muralla entre Israel y las naciones (cf. Ef 2,12–14.18). Desde la llegada de la hora del Señor, todos pueden beber del Espíritu en el bautismo (cf. 1 Co 12,13).

En esta Eucaristía el Señor está en medio de nosotros, como lo estaba en la roca del Horeb y en el pozo de Jacob.

En el “hoy” de nuestra liturgia, nos llama a creer que Él es Aquel que ha venido a derramar el amor de Dios en nuestros corazones por medio del Espíritu Santo. ¿Cómo podemos seguir rindiendo culto como si no entendiéramos esto?¿Cómo podemos seguir con nuestros corazones endurecidos?

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Saturday of the Second Week of Lent by Mr. Clement Harrold.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Friday of the Second Week of Lent by Dr. John Bergsma.

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Join the roundtable discussion with Dr. Scott Hahn, Mrs. Kimberly Hahn, Dr. John Bergsma, and Mr. Rob Corzine about the recent news from the St. Paul Center.  

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Second Week of Lent by Ms. Joan Watson.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com