4th Sunday of Lent (A)

1 Sam. 16.1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph. 5:8-14; Jn. 9:1-41

Today's First Reading [1 Sam. 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13] gave us the account of the anointing of David as the king of Israel. Now Samuel was commissioned to go to Jesse of Bethlehem to anoint God's newly chosen king. [1 Sam. 16:1] As we heard, all the sons of Jesse who were present in the household passed before Samuel. None of them were chosen by God. While Samuel would have chosen one of them because of his appearance, Samuel was reminded by God that a calling is not based on one's outward appearance. God looks on the heart of the person. [1 Sam. 16:7]

Consequently, Samuel asked Jesse if all of his sons were present. He quickly learned that the youngest one was missing. He was keeping the sheep. Samuel immediately sent for him. [1 Sam. 16:11]

When David came in, the Lord told Samuel to rise and anoint him. For he was the chosen one. [1 Sam. 16:12] In obedience to God, Samuel anointed David in the presence of his brothers. From that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David. [1 Sam. 16:13]

3rd Sunday of Lent (A)

 Ex. 17:3-7; Rom. 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn. 4:5-42

Jesus comes to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near Jacob’s well. This detail matters. The well is linked to the patriarch Jacob, reminding us of God’s long history with Israel. In the Old Testament, wells are places of encounter and revelation. Isaac’s servants found water after struggle (Genesis 26), Moses met Zipporah at a well before his mission began (Exodus 2), and Rebekah was chosen for Isaac beside a well (Genesis 24). Wells are places where life is sustained and destinies change. Jesus, tired and thirsty, sits at such a place. God comes not in thunder but in weariness. This is the first lesson: God meets us in our ordinary, exhausted moments. Many people today feel worn out by work, family pressures, migration, financial stress, loneliness or war and unrest in the regions. Like Jesus at noon, God waits for us precisely there, not when life is perfect, but when we are tired.

The Samaritan woman comes at noon, the hottest part of the day. Traditionally, women drew water in the cool morning or evening. Her timing hints at shame, avoidance, or social isolation. She does not expect conversation with anyone. Yet Jesus

2nd Sunday of Lent (A)

 Gen 12: 1-4; Tim 1: 8-10; Mt 17: 1-9 

There is an ancient story told about a young apprentice who worked in the workshop of a master sculptor. Day after day the boy watched the master strike a rough block of stone, chipping away patiently. One day the apprentice asked, “Master, how do you know what is inside this stone?” The sculptor smiled and replied, “I do not put anything into the stone. I simply remove what does not belong there, until the hidden beauty is revealed.” Years later, when that apprentice became a sculptor himself, he realized that the greatest transformations do not come from adding something new, but from revealing what was already present, hidden beneath layers of dust, fear, and misunderstanding. This simple story opens a doorway into the mystery of the Transfiguration, where Jesus does not become someone else on the mountain, but reveals who he truly is, and in doing so, begins to reveal who we are meant to become.

Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, away from the noise, the crowds, and the constant demands of daily ministry. Mountains in the Bible are not merely geographical features; they are sacred meeting places between heaven and earth.