Just a word before we go...Third Sunday of Lent...March 8, 2026
It’s all about water today. In the Exodus reading Moses, by the grace of God, strikes the rock in Horeb, producing life-saving water for the Hebrew people wandering in the desert.
In the Gospel, Jesus asks for a drink of water from a Samaritan woman. In turn, Jesus promises her water that will well up to eternal life...living water. Amazingly, upon hearing about such miraculous water, the woman didn’t walk away in disbelief, but continued to converse with Jesus, in violation (for both of them) of the cultural and religious norms of the day. For some reason, she was intrigued by this man who knew her history. The woman let the Lord in, to point out those places in her that needed to be filled with Living Water. She allowed her entire life to be a venue through which the Lord would teach, about forgiveness, mercy, compassion and gentleness. Her humility ennobled her to become a messenger of salvation to her people.
This Gospel brought to mind our two most recent popes. The late Pope Francis implemented many of the reforms promulgated by the Second Vatican Council; viewing the Church as the people of God, and calling for greater involvement of lay women and men in the life and governance of the Church. Under his leadership, the Church became more outward focused toward mission, with greater attention to those on the margins. His vision was for a listening church, one of encounter and accompaniment, not judgment, the kind of church the Holy Spirit is calling us to be. The current synodality process is a prime example of the pope’s vision.
Our current Pope, Leo, is following in Pope Francis’ footsteps in many ways, especially in his emphasis on the importance of the teachings of Vatican II, positing that God’s plan is to “unite all creatures thanks to the reconciliatory action of Jesus Christ...especially first of all in the assembly gathered for the liturgical celebration; there, all differences are relativized and what counts is being together because we are drawn by the love of Christ that broke down the wall of separation between people and social groups.” Pope Leo is remarkable also for his advocacy for peace, his embrace of synodality, and his advocating for immigrants and the defense of the dignity of each human person.
Pope Leo, like Pope Francis before him, is at heart a pastor. Like the woman at the well, both popes have allowed their lives and their pontificates to be venues through which the Lord would teach about forgiveness, mercy, compassion and gentleness. They are both channels through which the living water promised by Jesus flows. Their humility has ennobled them to become messengers of salvation to all people. Their leadership has blessed us all with hope for a future that more clearly represents God’s dream for humanity.