In the spirit of Feria Sexta infra Hebdomadam III in Quadragesima (Friday of the Third Week of Lent), Holy Mother Church places before us two powerful readings—Numbers 20:1, 3, 6-13 and John 4:5-42—both centered on thirst, water, and the providence of God. Through these passages, we meditate on the mercy of Christ, the true Rock and Living Water, and examine our own hardness of heart in light of Israel’s rebellion and the Samaritan woman’s conversion.
The Sin at the Waters of Meribah: Our Own Rebellion
In Numbers 20, we find the Israelites once again grumbling against Moses and Aaron:
“Would that we had perished when our brethren perished before the Lord!” (Num. 20:3).
They lack faith in God’s providence and demand water in a spirit of rebellion. The Lord, in His mercy, commands Moses to bring forth water from the rock. However, Moses, in frustration, strikes the rock twice rather than speaking to it as God commanded. Because of this act of disobedience, both he and Aaron are denied entry into the Promised Land.
The Church Fathers see in this episode a profound mystery. St. Augustine, in his Exposition on the Psalms, teaches that the rock is a type of Christ:
“That rock was Christ; see what was prefigured: the water from the rock was the gift of God, the Holy Spirit. Christ was struck twice because of the two peoples, Jews and Gentiles.” (Exposition on Psalm 77, 15)
This foreshadows Christ’s Passion, by which He was “struck” for our salvation—first in His scourging and then in His death on the Cross, when blood and water flowed from His side (John 19:34). St. Paul confirms this typology, writing, “And the Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:4).
However, Moses’ sin at Meribah warns us against failing in trust. St. Gregory of Nyssa comments:
“Moses, who had been so long-suffering, was overcome with anger and failed to manifest the full glory of God’s mercy. This teaches us that even the greatest among us must remain vigilant in obedience.” (Life of Moses, II.266)
How often do we, like the Israelites, demand signs and wonders from God, doubting His love in times of trial? Do we, like Moses, fail to glorify Him when given the opportunity?
The Living Water and True Worship
The Gospel (John 4:5-42) presents us with another scene of thirst, but this time with a different outcome. Our Lord, wearied from His journey, asks the Samaritan woman for a drink. This simple request opens the way for a profound theological revelation:
“If thou didst know the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, ‘Give me to drink,’ thou perhaps wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water” (John 4:10).
Unlike the Israelites, the Samaritan woman moves from skepticism to faith. She begins with doubt, saying, “Art thou greater than our father Jacob?” (John 4:12), but by the end, she leaves her water jar behind (symbolizing her old life) and proclaims Christ to her people.
St. John Chrysostom beautifully explains this transformation:
“See how by little and little the woman is led up to higher conceptions. First earthly things, then she is told of ‘living water.’ Then she thinks not of the water itself, but of the Giver. At last, she acknowledges Christ not merely as a Prophet, but as the Messiah.” (Homilies on John, 31)
Whereas the Israelites at Meribah hardened their hearts and rejected God’s mercy, the Samaritan woman is softened by grace and drinks deeply of Christ’s teaching.
Lenten Application: Will We Harden or Be Transformed?
The juxtaposition of these two readings invites us to examine our own response to Christ’s call. Do we resemble the Israelites, grumbling and resisting God’s providence? Or are we like the Samaritan woman, willing to be led step by step into deeper faith?
St. Ambrose reminds us:
“The rock is Christ, but the water is the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let him who thirsts, drink Christ, that he may never thirst again.” (Exposition on Luke, V.15)
This Lent, let us not strike the rock in frustration, demanding that God act according to our expectations. Instead, let us open our hearts to the living water Christ offers in the sacraments, in prayer, and in His holy word.
May we, like the Samaritan woman, leave behind our old water jars—the burdens of sin and worldliness—and proclaim with joy:
“We have found the Savior of the world!” (John 4:42).
Deus sitiens nos satiat. The God who thirsts for us is the same God who satisfies us.