Today’s first reading tells us the story of the Israelites grumbling to Moses (and to God) that they are out in the desert with no water. Moses seems at his wit’s end with them, but God provided the water that they needed to continue their journey. Our Gospel reading today also revolves around water. Initially, it is just the water from the well. The Samaritan woman approaches the well to draw water. She is alone, not allowed to come to the well with the other women of the village because of her lifestyle. Here she meets Jesus, and she’s astonished that He speaks to her…after all, she’s a woman and a Samaritan. But Jesus reaches out and begins the conversation; He makes the first move. He offers her “living water”, and it appears that initially she doesn’t understand His meaning. Through the course of their conversation, she eventually comes to realize that Jesus is the Messiah. She leaves quickly and returns to her village where she shares her news. The “water” that Jesus has given her is faith, and through her, He has reached many other people in the village. Through our Baptism we also received the “water of faith”, the initiation into our Christian way of life. But just as all things need water to live, we continually need to be refreshed in these “waters of faith”. In Fr. Ben’s homily on Ash Wednesday, he pointed out that lent is a good time to renew our faith. It isn’t just about repentance, but about renewing our commitment to and relationship with Jesus. To what well will you go this lent to find that refreshing water? Reflection by parishioner, John Ceglarek