In life it has always been said that we need to master the three R’s to get by; Reading, wRiting, and aRithmatic.

Today I would like to talk about the three R’s of salvation; Recognition, Reconciliation, Revelation.

In the Gospel today, we have a woman at the well drawing water in middle of a hot day. The time of day that the woman is drawing water would already have one questioning. I’ve been to Israel and one thing that is known is that Noon time is sunny and hot. In their culture before running water, women drew the water in the morning before sunrise while it is cool. For this woman to be there at mid day would cause one to speculate about her. The situation might imply that she is not accepted in their culture as a woman of grace and must travel to the well on her own. She is not permitted to mingle with the regulars of the town.

Secondly, she is a Samaritan. Every Jew knows you avoid Samaria and Samaritans. They are Gentiles. They are not Jews. So don’t visit with them, talk to them and most of all do not share food or drink with them, for they are unclean. Jesus tosses all of cautions aside and in the face of his apostles, and the townspeople who might be looking on from the privacy of their homes or shaded area; he sits at the well, strikes up conversation and boldly asks the woman for a drink of water

Water in our first reading we are reminded that it is life giving. As an instrument in the gospel it is the vehicle that provokes Jesus to approach her in public, when no one else would dare.

Jesus uses this opportunity to probe her and have dialogue we learn she has not one but five husbands. (There are surely some women here who would question her wisdom.)

So we realize she is a woman who was outcast for her reputation with men

And here is where the three R’s come in.

Recognition- It is the woman who recognizes the awesome power of this individual that he could see into her life.

She recognizes that this person is special because he is sitting with her, he is talking with her, and he is not asking for anything but a drink of water.

In return he offers her an opportunity to be honest with herself ; to recognize who she is and most of all who he is, some one very special, she eventually recognizes that he is the savior the Christ.

Reconciliation- At his statement of her faults, she does not deny, she does not make excuses, she in fact acknowledges that he is right. No denial, but rather in the eyes of this special person she acknowledges her sinfulness and accepts his challenge for her to leave and never sin again.

That’s reconciliation!

Revelation – Just as Jesus revealed himself to her, and allowed her to reconcile herself she leaves ready to reveal her discovery. She leaves shouting to all who will listen that she has met the messiah, the chosen one, the Christ.

My friends, this Gospel is our faith challenge and especially now, it is our Lenten challenge. We are challenged to Recognize God’s saving power in our own lives and the lives of those we love. Recognize God’s presence in our lives and the lives of those we love.

Reconciliation, Lent is a time when we should be most open to reconciling with God. To acknowledge our sinfulness. We know that God already knows our sins, like the women at the well, we need to privately encounter Jesus and his mercy through the sacrament of reconciliation. We need to admit our faults and our sinfulness to God and let God be God by forgiving our sins and letting us feel refreshed in the spirit. Having reconciled we leave to celebrate revelation

Revelation becomes that opportunity for us to spread the message of our faith experience.

It is them to whom we take a drink of the water of the newness of our life in Christ. If we don’t, who will?

Recognize Christ’s saving power. Reconcile with God. Reveal God’s grace to someone in your life. Those are the three R’s of salvation.