3rd Sunday of Lent

Lent invites us to pause and reflect on the deeper thirst of the human heart. In the midst of our daily responsibilities and concerns, this sacred season reminds us that life is not only about our immediate needs but about our journey towards God. Like the Samaritan woman who came to the well searching for water and discovered the living water of Christ, we too are invited to deepen our relationship with the Lord during this season of prayer, reflection and renewal. NL Mar 8 St Ann

Way of the Cross During Lent

At St Ann’s Parish, the Way of the Cross takes place every Friday during Lent after the 7.00 pm Mass. Parishioners and families are warmly invited to participate in this prayerful devotion as we walk with Christ on His journey to Calvary. Lenten and Way of the Cross booklets are available at the back of the church for personal reflection and prayer. NL Mar 8 St Ann

Readers’ Rota for the Coming Year

We are also updating the Readers’ Rota for the coming year. Many parishioners have already kindly offered their names, and we thank them for their willingness to proclaim the Word of God during the Mass. The sign-up will remain open this week and next week for anyone who would still like to take part. The new rota will run for one year, and your participation in this important ministry is greatly appreciated.

May this season of Lent be a time of grace, renewal, and steady growth in faith for our entire parish family.

Fr James Raj
St Ann’s Catholic Church
Kingston Hill KT2 7LX

Homily – Third Sunday of Lent

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

Today the Word of God presents to us a beautiful journey – a journey of the human soul.

In the first reading, we see the Israelites in the desert. God had already done something extraordinary for them. He liberated them from slavery. He opened the Red Sea. He was leading them to the Promised Land. Yet, what do they do?

They complain. They say, “Did you bring us out of Egypt to make us die of thirst?” (Exodus 17:3)

Later again they complain about food. They say they miss the meat of Egypt. Imagine that! They forget the chains, the suffering, the slavery. They remember only the food.

You see, my dear brothers and sisters, when the human mind remains at the basic instinct level, it cannot see the greatness of freedom, dignity, or purpose. It only sees hunger, thirst, comfort, and pleasure.

God has created the human person with layers of depth.

First, we are physical beings – we have hunger and thirst.

Then we are emotional beings – we feel love, anger, fear, and joy.

Then we are intellectual beings – we search for truth, knowledge, science.

But deeper than all of this, we are spiritual beings – beings created for God.

As St Augustine once said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

Look at the Gospel today – the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4).

Notice her journey.

At the beginning she sees Jesus only from the outside. She says,
“How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me?” (John 4:9)

For her, Jesus is just a stranger – a Jew.

Then slowly something changes. She says, “Sir, give me this water.” (John 4:15)

Now she recognises something deeper.

Then the conversation continues. Her heart begins to open. Her past is revealed. Her thirst becomes spiritual.

And finally she runs to the village saying, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?” (John 4:29)

Do you see the journey?

From Jew → Sir → Prophet → Messiah.

It is the journey from surface to depth.

From instinct to faith.

From physical thirst to living water.

Jesus says, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give will never thirst.” (John 4:14)

This living water is the life of the Spirit, the life of grace, the life of God within us.

The Samaritan woman came to the well for ordinary water.
But she returned with living water.

She came with a bucket.
She returned with a mission.

She came alone.
She went back to bring the whole village.

Because when a person truly encounters Christ, life cannot remain the same.

Because when Christ enters our life, our thirst changes.

We no longer thirst only for success, pleasure, or recognition. We begin to thirst for truth, love, peace, and God.

And when that thirst awakens, our life becomes a journey toward the divine.

May this Eucharist today become for us the living well, the well of grace, where Christ again gives us the water of life. Amen.