Mass Reading: Sunday - 22nd March 2026

First reading
Ezekiel 37:12-14
I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live

    The Lord says this: I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and raise you from your graves, my people. And I shall put my spirit in you, and you will live, and I shall resettle you on your own soil; and you will know that I, the Lord, have said and done this – it is the Lord who speaks.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 129(130)

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord,
    Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive
    to the voice of my pleading.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt,
    Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness:
    for this we revere you.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

My soul is waiting for the Lord.
    I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord
    more than watchman for daybreak.
(Let the watchman count on daybreak
    and Israel on the Lord.)

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

Because with the Lord there is mercy
    and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem
    from all its iniquity.

With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

________

Second reading
Romans 8:8-11
The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you

    People who are interested only in unspiritual things can never be pleasing to God. Your interests, however, are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him. Though your body may be dead it is because of sin, but if Christ is in you then your spirit is life itself because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn11:25, 26

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
whoever believes in me will never die.

Glory and praise to you, O Christ!

________

Gospel
John 11:1-45
I am the resurrection and the life

    There was a man named Lazarus who lived in the village of Bethany with the two sisters, Mary and Martha, and he was ill. It was the same Mary, the sister of the sick man Lazarus, who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. The sisters sent this message to Jesus, ‘Lord, the man you love is ill.’ On receiving the message, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will end not in death but in God’s glory, and through it the Son of God will be glorified.’

    Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, yet when he heard that Lazarus was ill he stayed where he was for two more days before saying to the disciples, ‘Let us go to Judaea.’ The disciples said, ‘Rabbi, it is not long since the Jews wanted to stone you; are you going back again?’ Jesus replied:

‘Are there not twelve hours in the day?

A man can walk in the daytime without stumbling

because he has the light of this world to see by;

but if he walks at night he stumbles,

because there is no light to guide him.’

    He said that and then added, ‘Our friend Lazarus is resting, I am going to wake him.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he is able to rest he is sure to get better.’ The phrase Jesus used referred to the death of Lazarus, but they thought that by ‘rest’ he meant ‘sleep’, so Jesus put it plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe. But let us go to him.’ Then Thomas – known as the Twin – said to the other disciples, ‘Let us go too, and die with him.’

    On arriving, Jesus found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days already. Bethany is only about two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.

If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,

and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this?’

    ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’

    When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in a low voice, ‘The Master is here and wants to see you.’ Hearing this, Mary got up quickly and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the village; he was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were in the house sympathising with Mary saw her get up so quickly and go out, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

    Mary went to Jesus, and as soon as she saw him she threw herself at his feet, saying, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ At the sight of her tears, and those of the Jews who followed her, Jesus said in great distress, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, ‘Where have you put him?’ They said, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept; and the Jews said, ‘See how much he loved him!’ But there were some who remarked, ‘He opened the eyes of the blind man, could he not have prevented this man’s death?’ Still sighing, Jesus reached the tomb: it was a cave with a stone to close the opening. Jesus said, ‘Take the stone away.’ Martha said to him, ‘Lord, by now he will smell; this is the fourth day.’ Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said:

‘Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer.

I knew indeed that you always hear me,

but I speak for the sake of all these who stand round me,

so that they may believe it was you who sent me.’

    When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, here! Come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with bands of stuff and a cloth round his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’

    Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and had seen what he did believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 22nd March 2026

 

EZ 37:12-14; PS 130:1-8; ROM 8:8-11; JN 11:1-45 or JN 11:3-7, 20-27, 33b-45

At this point in our Lenten journey, it is tempting to grow weary of the spiritual disciplines we have taken on. Today’s readings inspire us to remain faithful, in grateful response to a God who loves us so much. What’s more, these readings give us wonderful guidance on just how to make this grateful response.

In our first reading, from Ezekiel, the prophet speaks God’s own words to us. “I will put my spirit in you that you may live… I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.” Our God wants only good for us. He wants to be so closely united to us that we are one with Him. And He has promised He will do it.

But only if we allow Him. He will not force His way into our lives. That would not be loving, and God is Love itself. We must invite Him in. We must make room for Him by making Him THE priority of our lives. Putting God first is a grateful response that is very pleasing to Him.

How can we please God by putting Him first? Our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, gives us good instruction. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh… you are in the spirit, if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.” To be “in the flesh” means that we allow our own selves — our whims, our pleasure, our comfort-seeking — to determine our daily decisions. To be "in the flesh" is to spend our time, talent, and material gifts primarily on ourselves. When we are in the flesh, we leave no room for the Spirit of God to fill our thoughts, our hearts, and our souls.

The disciplines of Lent and the disciplines of a stewardship way of life are wonderful gifts that free us from too great an attachment to “the flesh.” The sacrifices we make in a particular way during this holy season, and every day when we truly embrace a stewardship way of life, are not meant to restrict our freedom and joy. Quite the contrary — they are tools to help us find the real freedom and joy that only come when we make room in our lives for God. In fact, the more we allow God to take over every aspect of our lives, the freer and more joyful we become.

And our loving God is always ready to renew His Spirit within us whenever we find ourselves led astray by the temptation to selfishness. Today’s Gospel passage from John recounts Jesus’ raising of His friend, Lazarus, from the dead. In Jesus’ poignant reaction to the death of Lazarus and the grief of his sisters, we see once again how closely our God identifies with us and all of our sufferings and burdens. His tenderness and compassion teach us that we can safely surrender our lives to Him, knowing that He will care for us. His raising of Lazarus from the dead demonstrates His power over all things, even death itself, reminding us that it would be foolish not to surrender to such an awesome God!

As we journey ever closer to the powerful days of Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, let us intensify our Lenten resolutions and our stewardship way of life. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to take over more and more of our lives. By Easter, we will be freer to rejoice in Him and truly pleasing to God.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 15th March 2026

First reading
1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13
David is anointed by Samuel

    The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ When Samuel arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands there before him,’ but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him: God does not see as man sees: man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
    where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
    to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
    he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
    no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
    with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
    in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
    my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
    all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
    for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

________

Second reading
Ephesians 5:8-14
Anything exposed by the light will turn into light

    You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in complete goodness and right living and truth. Try to discover what the Lord wants of you, having nothing to do with the futile works of darkness but exposing them by contrast. The things which are done in secret are things that people are ashamed even to speak of; but anything exposed by the light will be illuminated and anything illuminated turns into light. That is why it is said:

Wake up from your sleep,

rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn8:12

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

________

Gospel
John 9:1-41
The blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored

    As Jesus went along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, for him to have been born blind?’ ‘Neither he nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered ‘he was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

‘As long as the day lasts

I must carry out the work of the one who sent me;

the night will soon be here when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world

I am the light of the world.’

    Having said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the spittle, put this over the eyes of the blind man, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (a name that means ‘sent’). So the blind man went off and washed himself, and came away with his sight restored.

    His neighbours and people who earlier had seen him begging said, ‘Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Some said, ‘Yes, it is the same one.’ Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’ So they said to him, ‘Then how do your eyes come to be open?’ ‘The man called Jesus’ he answered ‘made a paste, daubed my eyes with it and said to me, “Go and wash at Siloam”; so I went, and when I washed I could see.’ They asked, ‘Where is he?’ ‘I don’t know’ he answered.

    They brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. It had been a sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened the man’s eyes, so when the Pharisees asked him how he had come to see, he said, ‘He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.’ Then some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man cannot be from God: he does not keep the sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could a sinner produce signs like this?’ And there was disagreement among them. So they spoke to the blind man again, ‘What have you to say about him yourself, now that he has opened your eyes?’ ‘He is a prophet’ replied the man. However, the Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, without first sending for his parents and asking them, ‘Is this man really your son who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he is now able to see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know he is our son and we know he was born blind, but we do not know how it is that he can see now, or who opened his eyes. He is old enough: let him speak for himself.’ His parents spoke like this out of fear of the Jews, who had already agreed to expel from the synagogue anyone who should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ. This was why his parents said, ‘He is old enough; ask him.’

    So the Jews again sent for the man and said to him, ‘Give glory to God! For our part, we know that this man is a sinner.’ The man answered, ‘I don’t know if he is a sinner; I only know that I was blind and now I can see.’ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ He replied, ‘I have told you once and you wouldn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it all again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’ At this they hurled abuse at him: ‘You can be his disciple,’ they said ‘we are disciples of Moses: we know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ The man replied, ‘Now here is an astonishing thing! He has opened my eyes, and you don’t know where he comes from! We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but God does listen to men who are devout and do his will. Ever since the world began it is unheard of for anyone to open the eyes of a man who was born blind; if this man were not from God, he couldn’t do a thing.’ ‘Are you trying to teach us,’ they replied ‘and you a sinner through and through, since you were born!’ And they drove him away.

    Jesus heard they had driven him away, and when he found him he said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Sir,’ the man replied ‘tell me who he is so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You are looking at him; he is speaking to you.’ The man said, ‘Lord, I believe’, and worshipped him.

    Jesus said:

‘It is for judgement

that I have come into this world,

so that those without sight may see

and those with sight turn blind.’

Hearing this, some Pharisees who were present said to him, ‘We are not blind, surely?’ Jesus replied:

‘Blind? If you were,

you would not be guilty,

but since you say, “We see,”

your guilt remains.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 15th March 2026

 

1 SM 16:1B, 6-7, 10-13A; PS 23:1-6; EPH 5:8-14; JN 9:1-41 or JN 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38


Today’s readings for this Fourth Sunday of Lent present a series of striking contrasts — God’s vision versus human vision, the light of Christ versus the darkness of sin, and spiritual blindness versus spiritual sight. Together, they invite us to examine how we see our lives and remind us that a stewardship way of life helps us see as God sees and reflect Christ’s light to others.

In the First Book of Samuel, the prophet is sent to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse. One by one, the older, stronger brothers are presented, yet none is chosen. Instead, God selects David, the youngest and least likely by human standards. The Lord explains why: “Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.”

This passage challenges us to reconsider how we measure success and worth. The world often values status, influence, and outward achievement. God, however, looks at the heart. He sees how we love, how we serve, and how we use the gifts entrusted to us. A stewardship way of life shifts our focus away from appearances and toward faithful use of the time, talents, and resources God has given us for the good of others.

St. Paul echoes this identity in the Letter to the Ephesians: “You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Because of Baptism, the light of Christ dwells within us. Yet in the routine struggles of daily life, we can forget who we truly are. We may settle into habits that dull that light or drift into patterns that place comfort or convenience ahead of discipleship.

The stewardship way of life offers a practical path forward. By intentionally examining how we use our time, talents, and treasure, we gain clarity about whether our lives truly reflect Christ’s light. Stewardship invites us to choose prayer over distraction, service over self-interest, generosity over hoarding, and trust over fear. In doing so, Christ’s light becomes visible not only in church, but in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

In the Gospel, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world,” and then restores sight to a man born blind. The miracle causes controversy, yet the healed man simply speaks the truth: Jesus “opened my eyes.” His physical healing becomes a sign of the deeper spiritual sight Christ offers to all who believe.

Lent is an ideal time for us to ask the same grace. Where might we still be spiritually blind? Where do we fail to see God at work? Where do we overlook opportunities to serve or share our gifts?

Are we reflecting Christ’s light in the way we use our time — giving priority to prayer, Mass, Confession, and attentive care for our families and neighbors?

Are we reflecting His light in the sharing of our talents — volunteering in parish life, helping those in need, and offering encouragement and compassion to those around us?

Are we reflecting His light in the sharing of our material blessings — giving generously and intentionally in gratitude to the God who has entrusted everything to us?

The journey of stewardship is really a journey of vision — learning to see our lives as gifts and to recognize that everything we have is meant to be shared for God’s glory.

As we continue through Lent, let us ask Christ to open our eyes wherever our vision has grown dim. By renewing our commitment to live as grateful and generous stewards, we prepare to celebrate Easter as people who truly walk as children of the light.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 08th March 2026

 

EX 17:3-7; PS 95:1-2, 6-9; ROM 5:1-2, 5-8; JN 4:5-42 OR JN 4:5-15, 19B-26, 39A, 40-42

The readings for this Third Sunday of Lent center on the theme of thirst, revealing both our deep human longing for God and Christ’s own thirst for souls. They remind us that a stewardship way of life both satisfies our spiritual thirst and invites us to participate in God’s saving work in the lives of others.

In our first reading from Exodus, the Israelites find themselves in the desert without water. Their fear quickly turns to complaint, and they grumble against Moses despite all God has done to free them from slavery. It is easy to judge them, yet their response mirrors our own at times. When we face uncertainty, discomfort, or unanswered prayers, we too can forget how faithfully God has provided for us in the past.

Still, when Moses cries out to the Lord, God responds with generosity, instructing him to strike the rock so water flows for the people. God’s care did not end in the desert. He continues to provide for His people today, meeting both our material and spiritual needs. Every breath we take, every blessing we enjoy, every opportunity placed before us is evidence of His ongoing generosity. A stewardship way of life begins when we recognize this truth and respond not with complaint or fear, but with gratitude and trust.

St. Paul deepens this understanding in his Letter to the Romans, reminding us that God’s generosity is not limited to material provision. Rather, He pours His very love into our hearts: “The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” This gift is not given because we have earned it. In fact, Paul tells us, “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

This is the heart of stewardship. Everything we have — our time, abilities, and resources — is first a gift. We are loved and blessed even in our weakness. When we truly grasp this, gratitude naturally leads us to generosity. We begin to see our lives not as possessions to guard, but as gifts to share. Such generosity becomes a powerful witness that can lead others to Christ and help satisfy His thirst for souls.

This movement from receiving to sharing is beautifully illustrated in today’s Gospel encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus begins with a humble request: “Give me a drink.” She is surprised that He would even speak to her, yet this simple exchange opens the door to a life-changing conversation.

Jesus tells her that He can offer living water — water that truly satisfies: “Whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” At first, she thinks only in practical terms, but gradually she comes to recognize that Christ is speaking about a deeper thirst — the longing of the human heart for God.

These words are spoken to us as well. Christ asks something of us — our trust, our time, our generosity — yet He first desires to fill us with His grace. Stewardship is not simply about giving things away; it is about allowing Christ to fill our lives so completely that His grace overflows into the lives of others.

The Gospel also reminds us that God calls ordinary, imperfect people to share His message. The Samaritan woman had a complicated past and was an unlikely evangelist. Yet after encountering Christ, she leaves her water jar behind and runs to tell others about Him. Her testimony leads many in her village to believe.

The same pattern holds true today. Christ does not wait for perfect people; He calls each of us as we are. Through simple acts of generosity, service, hospitality, and witness, we help others encounter Him. Often, we do not even realize the impact our small acts of stewardship can have in drawing someone closer to Christ.

Lent offers us a privileged time to examine where we still thirst and where we hesitate to trust God’s provision. It is also an opportunity to renew our commitment to live as stewards — people who gratefully receive God’s gifts and generously share them for the good of others.

Christ continues to say to each of us, “Give me a drink.” He invites us to share what we have so that others may encounter Him. As we allow His living water to fill our hearts, we become instruments through which His grace flows to a thirsty world.

This Lent, may we respond to His invitation with renewed faith and commitment. By living as grateful and generous stewards, we help quench Christ’s thirst for the salvation of souls and lead many more to the living water that alone satisfies.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 08th March 2026

 

First reading
Exodus 17:3-7
Strike the rock, and water will flow from it

    Tormented by thirst, the people complained against Moses. ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt?’ they said. ‘Was it so that I should die of thirst, my children too, and my cattle?’

    Moses appealed to the Lord. ‘How am I to deal with this people?” he said. ‘A little more and they will stone me!’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take with you some of the elders of Israel and move on to the forefront of the people; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the river, and go. I shall be standing before you there on the rock, at Horeb. You must strike the rock, and water will flow from it for the people to drink.’ This is what Moses did, in the sight of the elders of Israel. The place was named Massah and Meribah because of the grumbling of the sons of Israel and because they put the Lord to the test by saying, ‘Is the Lord with us, or not?’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
    hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
    with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; let us bow and bend low;
    let us kneel before the God who made us:
for he is our God and we
    the people who belong to his pasture,
    the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

O that today you would listen to his voice!
    ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
    as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
    when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

________

Second reading
Romans 5:1-2,5-8
The love of God has been poured into our hearts

    

    Through our Lord Jesus Christ, by faith we are judged righteous and at peace with God, since it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. And this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us. We were still helpless when at his appointed moment Christ died for sinful men. It is not easy to die even for a good man – though of course for someone really worthy, a man might be prepared to die – but what proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Jn4:42,15

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

Lord, you are really the saviour of the world:
give me the living water, so that I may never get thirsty.

Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!

________

Gospel
John 4:5-42
A spring of water welling up to eternal life

    Jesus came to the Samaritan town called Sychar, near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well is there and Jesus, tired by the journey, sat straight down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘What? You are a Jew and you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?’ – Jews, in fact, do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus replied:

‘If you only knew what God is offering

and who it is that is saying to you:

Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask,

and he would have given you living water.’

    ‘You have no bucket, sir,’ she answered ‘and the well is deep: how could you get this living water? Are you a greater man than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his sons and his cattle?’ Jesus replied:

‘Whoever drinks this water

will get thirsty again;

but anyone who drinks the water that I shall give

will never be thirsty again:

the water that I shall give

will turn into a spring inside him,

welling up to eternal life.’

    ‘Sir,’ said the woman ‘give me some of that water, so that I may never get thirsty and never have to come here again to draw water.’ ‘Go and call your husband’ said Jesus to her ‘and come back here.’ The woman answered, ‘I have no husband.’ He said to her, ‘You are right to say, “I have no husband”; for although you have had five, the one you have now is not your husband. You spoke the truth there.’ ‘I see you are a prophet, sir’ said the woman. ‘Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, while you say that Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.’ Jesus said:

‘Believe me, woman,

the hour is coming

when you will worship the Father

neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

You worship what you do not know;

we worship what we do know:

for salvation comes from the Jews.

But the hour will come

– in fact it is here already –

when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth:

that is the kind of worshipper the Father wants.

God is spirit,

and those who worship

must worship in spirit and truth.’

    The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah – that is, Christ – is coming; and when he comes he will tell us everything.’ ‘I who am speaking to you,’ said Jesus ‘I am he.’

    At this point his disciples returned, and were surprised to find him speaking to a woman, though none of them asked, ‘What do you want from her?’ or, ‘Why are you talking to her?’ The woman put down her water jar and hurried back to the town to tell the people. ‘Come and see a man who has told me everything I ever did; I wonder if he is the Christ?’ This brought people out of the town and they started walking towards him.

    Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, do have something to eat; but he said, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples asked one another, ‘Has someone been bringing him food?’ But Jesus said:

‘My food is to do the will of the one who sent me,

and to complete his work.

Have you not got a saying:

Four months and then the harvest?

Well, I tell you:

Look around you, look at the fields;

already they are white, ready for harvest!

Already the reaper is being paid his wages,

already he is bringing in the grain for eternal life,

and thus sower and reaper rejoice together.

For here the proverb holds good:

one sows, another reaps;

I sent you to reap a harvest you had not worked for.

Others worked for it;

and you have come into the rewards of their trouble.’

    Many Samaritans of that town had believed in him on the strength of the woman’s testimony when she said, ‘He told me all I have ever done’, so, when the Samaritans came up to him, they begged him to stay with them. He stayed for two days, and when he spoke to them many more came to believe; and they said to the woman, ‘Now we no longer believe because of what you told us; we have heard him ourselves and we know that he really is the saviour of the world.’

The Gospel of the Lord.