Newsletter Third Sunday of Lent (Year A) 8th March, 2026
- glendalough5
- Mar 6
- 5 min read
GOSPEL REFLECTION:
The Samaritan woman at the well.
The Samaritan woman was at the well on her own – and at midday – the hottest time of the day.
This was probably to escape criticism or scornful looks and verbal abuse because the woman had had five husbands and the man, she now lived with was not her husband.
For this reason, she may have been despised by all the people in the village.
A woman perhaps not receiving true love from anyone.
She may have even despised herself as being sordid, cheap and sinful.
When she arrived at the well and saw a Jew she would have expected to be totally ignored as Jews don’t associate with Samaritans or she could have expected a demeaning look or word.
But, to her astonishment Jesus would have related to her with true love and acceptance; something no Jew would ever do.
And when the woman realized that Jesus knew that she had 6 men He continued to show love and acceptance.
This was the reason why she was converted.
From the Gospel we learn that Jesus is all mercy.
If we are the worst sinner in the world, He does not condemn us but offers us Himself – the Holy Spirit – everything He has.
In today’s Gospel Jesus said:
“Whoever drinks this water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again.
Today’s Gospel is also a betrothal story.
A story of how men and women have met and married.
A man from a foreign country stops at a well to drink water.
A woman arrives and gives him water.
Betrothal later takes place.
That is how Isaac was betrothed to Rebekah, Jacon and Rachel and Moses to Zipperah; all of whom met at a well.
Today’s Gospel is a story of a woman who is searching to be loved, especially by a man.
In Jesus she finds that man.
Jesus is the perfect bridegroom who gives living water.
Water which satisfies fully and never runs out.
Today I will share a talk by Mary (not her real name) from a parish here in Perth.
In 2013 a visiting priest came to OLM parish and discussed Eucharistic Adoration.
I put my details on a piece of paper and put it in the collection basket.
I then forgot about it.
My name is Mary, I am 35 years old.
Extremely happily married to the most wonderful man, I have 4 amazing, healthy and happy children.
I have a very happy home, but I am not immune to the challenges of daily life.
One morning I woke up to the sound of children making a little noise and talking loudly whilst getting ready for school.
The usual conversation of “Where is my hairbrush? I left it here.
You always take it! No, I didn’t, you always blame me!
I’m telling mum you’re into the biscuits before breakfast…and so on.”
I’m not a morning person but why I woke up in such a rage is beyond me,
isn’t this the usual sound of my house in the morning?
The kids were shocked by my reaction after I teared down the stairs yelling at them.
My organised day became a disorganized mess.
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
By 2pm I was behind the 8th ball.
Beds were still unmade, dinner hadn’t been prepared,
the laundry looked worse than the day before.
2:45pm came upon me like a blink of an eye.
School pickup time already and what had I achieved…Nothing!
I brought the kids home and one of them stepped, by accident on another one’s foot, and the screaming, crying and apologies began flying between the two kids.
I thought to myself, where can I run to?
Where is there relief?
There is no relief.
My eldest, aged 11, came up to me and asked me gently,
“Mum, why are you so angry?
You have been so mad since you woke up this morning, what’s wrong?”
With fire in my eyes, I said to her,
“Please just take the kids and go to your room before I do something I will regret…just go and fast!”
I felt immediately an overwhelming rage, sweat began to come out of each pore of my forehead and I felt tears welling in my eyes…
I screamed internally so loud, “Jesus, where are You?!!!!
My mobile rang, I said to myself that I wasn’t going to answer it,
I have a message bank on it, I don’t care, but the phone kept ringing…and ringing and ringing.
The message bank didn’t collect it so I decided would answer it.
The sweetest, most angelic voice on the other line said,
“Hello, is this, Mary?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“Mary, this is Eileen from our parish,
you put your name down to join the Eucharistic Adoration.”
“I did? I am sorry I have no idea what that is…
What is it that I have signed up for exactly?”
Her reply stunned me,
“Eucharist Adoration is when you come and spend one hour with The Lord.
One hour of your time that you can give when appropriate and convenient for you to come, pray and just spend time with Jesus.”
Immediately I said, “Tomorrow at 10am, that is the only day of the week I can do it on a regular basis and that time.”
“Perfect, Mary, in fact that is the day and time we actually need to fill spaces for, thank you.”
When I closed the phone, I was amazed. Jesus just called me and invited me to come to Him.
I quickly ran to my kids, I cried, apologized and hugged them.
I couldn’t wait for the next day.
I was so excited, I couldn’t sleep.”
The next day I was anxious, excited and nervous all at once.
I couldn’t wait for 10am to come.
By 9:50 I arrived in church.
In the back of my mind, I was thinking what exactly do I have to do here?
I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I had a strong feeling I have been called here.
It can’t be just coincidence that Eileen called me when she did.
I sat down in front of the Monstrance.
There was no one there but me and I looked up at it.
All of a sudden, I felt a warm flow through my whole body,
I took a deep breath and quietly said,
“Jesus, I am here,” …
Then I heard a strong male voice in such a soothing tone reply,
“I’M SO GLAD YOU CAME.”
I looked around, there was no one in the church but me.
Where did this voice come from?
I wasn’t scared but an overwhelming relief passed through me like a hurricane.
I’m not alone, Jesus has been with me the whole time.
I cried so hard like I had never cried before,
like a child finding their parent after being lost.
This moment has changed my life. I am truly blessed.
Once a week, for one hour, I spend it, face to face with The Lord.
The Lord, Who is watching my every move and wants me to rely heavily on Him and trust Him completely.
“Come by yourselves to an out of the way place and rest a while,” (Mk 6:31).
We have a sanctuary in our parish.
The doors are open for us always, 24 hours a day, every day.
Inside those doors is Jesus, the Bridegroom, who always gives all of Himself to us.
I encourage everyone who thirsts to come to Him to have their thirst quenched.
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