4th Sunday of Lent, Year A – March 15, 2026

 

4^th Sunday of Lent, Year A – March 15, 2026

1 Sam 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Eph 5:8-14; Jn 9:1-41

 

Theme: Anointing, Light, and Water

 

A.                A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Jn 9:1-41

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Our Gospel story takes place during the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacle, as reported in Jn 7-9. Two themes characterize this festival: Light (cf. Zech 14:7) and Water (cf. Zech 14:8). The Jews light up the Temple with enormous menorahs throughout the night for a week. On the final day of the festival, they draw water from the Pool of Siloam and pour it out on the Temple's altar as a prayer for rain, fulfilling various Old Testament prophecies about a river flowing from the Temple in the end times (see Ez 47; Joel 3:18; Zech 14:8).[1] In the context of Light and Water, the two themes of this celebration, the evangelist recounts the healing of the man born blind to illustrate Jesus’ declaration to the Jews that he is the “light of the world” (see 8:12; 9:5). In the passage directly before our Gospel reading (8:31-59), Jesus engages in a serious debate with the Jews about his divine identity. This debate ends with the Jews picking up stones to throw at him because he declared that before Abraham was born, “I AM,” meaning he is God. Jesus concealed himself and left the temple area. He encountered the blind man from our Gospel story while fleeing from the Jews (Jn 8:58-59). The story of the Good Shepherd (10:1-21) immediately follows our Gospel reading.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel story is full of vivid images. It is organized into eight sections: (1) Jesus and his disciples (vv. 1-5), (2) Jesus and the man born blind (vv. 6-7), (3) the blind man and his neighbors (vv. 8-12), (4) the Pharisees confront the blind man (vv. 13-17), (5) the Pharisees question the blind man’s parents (vv. 18-23), (6) the Pharisees challenge the blind man again (vv. 24-34), (7) Jesus's second interaction with the blind man (vv. 35-38), and (8) Jesus faces the Pharisees once more (vv. 39-41).

3. Detailed Analysis and Synthesis

Vv. 1-5. Jesus and his disciples. The disciples’ question about who sinned—this blind man or his parents—reflects a Pharisaic belief that birth defects were caused either by parental sin or the child's own sin in the womb.[2] Jesus’ response in v. 3 does not imply that God intentionally caused this man’s blindness so he could later perform a miracle. Instead, Jesus first makes clear that his blindness is not due to sin, and then he frames this miracle within the scope of his ministry.[3] The pronoun “we” in v. 4 shows that Jesus includes his disciples in his ministry, which here involves revealing God's works. Therefore, the time to do Jesus’ ministry of revealing God’s works is not at night (referring to when he will be arrested and crucified) but during the day (referring to the period before his possible arrest and crucifixion). Jesus ends their conversation with a statement he already told the Jews (see 8:12): “I am the light of the world” (v. 5). With this declaration, Jesus claims that he replaces the Temple’s light used at the Feast of the Tabernacle and extends it to the whole world. 

Vv. 6-7. Jesus and the man born blind. Jesus heals the blind man by combining traditional healing practices of his time—such as the clay he smeared on the man’s eyes—with divine action, shown in his command to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. Spitting on the ground may recall the story of creation, where God formed Adam from dust (clay) (see Gen 2:7). Therefore, applying the mud to this man’s eyes suggests that Jesus is recreating him by transforming him from darkness into light.[4] The narrator explains that the Pool of Siloam means “Sent.” This suggests that Jesus is the Sent One (see 9:4). Therefore, it is not the water from the Pool of Siloam that healed the man, but his contact with Jesus, the Sent One. The man responds confidently through the narrator's four actions: he went, he washed, he came back, and he was able to see (v. 7). Obedience to Jesus’ word results in a miracle. 

Vv. 8-12. The man and his neighbors. Jesus’ miracle on this man caused a division among the neighbors. Some recognize him, while others do not (vv. 8-9a). To confirm his identity, the healed man uses the phrase “I am” (v. 9b). In the Gospel of John, Jesus is the only one who uses this divine phrase “I am,” which is God’s name given to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). When Jesus uses this phrase, he means that he is God. Therefore, this passage is the only instance where someone other than Jesus uses this phrase. By applying the expression “I am” to describe this healed man, the evangelist shows that Jesus’ miracle allowed this man to share in Jesus’ divine identity. As the story continues, this healed man will be questioned about who healed him, how, why, and where his healer is. The first questions come from his neighbors, who want to know how he was healed and where the healer is. The healed man can only recall some facts (v. 11) but does not know where the healer is (v. 12). His answer remains the same to all repeated questions.

Vv. 13-17. The healed blind man and the Pharisees. The narrator includes the Pharisees in the scene and mentions the Sabbath as the day Jesus made the clay and anointed the blind man. This is considered a violation of the Sabbath by the Pharisees. When asked how he was healed, the cured man repeats part of his answer from v. 11. Jesus’ miracle causes a split among the Pharisees, similar to what happened with the neighbors in vv. 8-9. The disagreement among the neighbors was over whether the cured man was the same beggar, while the division among the Pharisees stems from questions about Jesus’ origin. Some Pharisees argue that because Jesus violates the Sabbath, he cannot be from God. Others respond by pointing to Jesus’ sign (miracle) as evidence that he cannot be a sinner.[5] They then ask the healed man for his opinion about Jesus. Earlier in v. 11, he called Jesus "the man,” but here he admits, “He is a prophet” (v. 17).[6]

Vv. 18-23. The Pharisees and the parents of the healed man. The Pharisees want the parents of this healed man to openly deny that their son was born blind and to claim that this is not a real miracle, thereby suggesting that Jesus is not from God. V. 22 indicates that the parents are afraid of being expelled from the synagogue if they acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. They then have their son defend himself: “Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” (v. 21).

Vv. 24-34. The Pharisees confront the healed man once again. He stands before them as if in a courtroom. They want him to solemnly endorse their conclusion that Jesus is a sinner, but he does not (v. 25). The phrase “Give God the praise” (v. 24) is a formula used in the Old Testament to affirm the truth of a testimony. The Pharisees repeat the same questions they asked him in vv. 15 and 17, pressing him to testify against Jesus. While his parents failed to testify about Jesus’ divine origin, here he turns the tables on the Pharisees, now questioning and accusing them of failing to recognize that Jesus comes from God. He develops a logical argument to demonstrate Jesus’ divine origin. The first point is that everyone knows that God listens only to those who do his will, not to sinners (v. 31). The second point is that everyone knows no one has ever opened the eyes of a person born blind before (v. 32). Therefore, if Jesus were not from God, he could not perform these miracles (v. 33). The conversation ends with the Pharisees throwing the healed man out, meaning they excommunicate him (v. 34).

Vv. 35-38. Jesus encounters this man again shortly after the Pharisees excommunicate him. Their conversation focuses on “Faith in Jesus.” Addressing Jesus as “Lord,” the healed man earnestly declares his faith. The narrator notes that he worships him (v. 38). 

Vv. 39-41. Jesus and the Pharisees. I came into this world for judgment. Jesus does not say he came into the world “to judge” (cf. Jn 3:17, 5:24; 8:15). What he means is that his presence in the world causes people to decide whether they believe in him, like this man born blind (“those who do not see might see”) or not believe in him, like the Pharisees (“those who do see might become blind”).[7]

 

4.      Synthesis

Jesus emphasizes that birth defects are not caused by anyone's sins. He urges his disciples to begin their ministry while it is still “day,” meaning before he is arrested. As the light of the world, Jesus brings light to a man born blind by opening his eyes. This miracle causes division among the neighbors and the Pharisees. The Pharisees threaten the parents of the man with exclusion from the community unless they falsely testify against Jesus. While these parents fear the Pharisees and fail to tell the truth, the healed man confidently tells the Pharisees that Jesus is a prophet. As a result, they exclude him from the community. Jesus comes to meet him. During their conversation, the healed man expresses his faith in Jesus and worships him. Jesus’ final words are directed to the Pharisees. Because they refuse to admit their sins and do not believe in him, their sins remain.

  

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1.      Liturgical Context

We are on the fourth Sunday of our Lenten journey. Today’s liturgy invites us to reflect on the themes of Anointing, Light, and Water. The first reading recounts how Samuel anointed David as king of Israel. In the Gospel, after Jesus “anointed” the unnamed man born blind with clay made from his saliva and soil, he uses “water” to bring “light” to this man. Unlike the Pharisees, who did not believe in Jesus’ divine origin, the cured man believes in Jesus and worships him. In our second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that we were in darkness before baptism, but now we are in the light of the Lord after baptism.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

Our Gospel story begins with Jesus and his disciples discussing the origin of our suffering (vv. 1-5). The Pharisees believed that birth defects were the result of either parental sin or the child's own sin in the womb. Today, many people share this belief. Jesus disagrees with this idea and teaches us that our suffering is not necessarily caused by someone’s sins, but rather a part of Jesus’ ministry to reveal God’s works to the world. He then invites us to join him in doing this work right now, when it is “day,” meaning while we are alive. Let us reveal God’s works by visiting and helping the poor, marginalized, and needy.

Jesus healed this man with the anointing of clay and the command: “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam.” This Easter, Jesus will do the same with the catechumens. He will anoint them with Chrism oil and wash them with baptismal water. Then, they will be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus in Holy Communion. These sacraments of initiation will “re-create” them. The rest of us, the baptized, will experience this same “re-creation” through the renewal of our baptismal promises. Like the blind man in our Gospel, let us obey Jesus on our Lenten journey.

The healing of this blind man caused divisions among the neighbors (vv. 8-12) and the Pharisees (vv. 13-17). The neighbors’ division concerns the cured man, while the Pharisees’ division focuses on Jesus’ divine origin. Some neighbors recognize the cured man as the same person who used to sit and beg, while others believe he is someone different. These two appearances (“him and not him”) happen when Samuel anoints David in our first reading. God told Samuel not to judge David’s appearance because he (God) looks into the heart (1 Sm 16:7). The same two appearances will also occur after the catechumens receive the sacraments of initiation, and the rest of us—the baptized—renew our baptismal promises on this Easter Vigil. We will have the same physical appearance but be spiritually reborn. Therefore, the divine phrase “I am,” which the cured man used to describe himself, also applies to us because we will be transformed into the image of Christ, share in Jesus’ divinity, and become the “other Christ.”

The Church calls us to stand firm in our Christian faith. Like the parents of the healed man, many people continue to deny their Christian faith out of fear or other reasons. Our Holy Mother Church encourages us to imitate this healed man and always uphold our Christian faith in all circumstances. Nothing and no one can compel us to deny our faith in Jesus. Baptism makes us the “other Christ.” We know that Jesus did not deny his faith in God the Father until his death on the cross. Because of our Christian faith, the world may reject us as the Pharisees did with this healed man. We know that Jesus, who came to encounter this healed man, always encounters us in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist and Confession. During this Lenten season, let us take this opportunity to recognize our sins, regret them, and confess them. In our second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that before meeting Jesus, we were in darkness, but now, with Jesus, we are light. Therefore, we should live as children of light, producing every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. He urges us to avoid participating in the fruitless works of darkness and to expose them.

May this Eucharistic celebration help us always be children of light by living out our Christian faith and regularly confessing our sins. Amen.  

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

 

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[1] John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year A (Steubenville, Ohio: Emmaus Road Publishing, 2022), 105.

[2] John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year A, 105.

[3] Urban C. von Wahlde, “John” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1415.

[4] John Bergsma, The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year A, 106.

[5] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 293.

[6] Francis J. Moloney, The Gospel of John, 293.

[7] Francis Moloney, The Gospel of John, 301.

 

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – March 8, 2026

 

3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A– March 8, 2026

Exodus 17:3-7; Romans 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42

 

Theme: The Living Water and The Divine Identity of Jesus

 

A.    Exegetical Analysis of Jn 4:5-42

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

The story of John the Baptist’s final witness about Jesus (3:22-36) precedes and sets the background for our text. Jesus spent time with his disciples, who were baptizing many people in the region of Judea. John the Baptist was also baptizing people in Aenon near Salim. John’s disciples raised a dispute about why many people were going to Jesus’ baptism, administered by Jesus’ disciples, and not by Jesus himself (see 4:1-2). In his answer, John the Baptist testified that Jesus was the Messiah, not him. Due to this dispute, and especially because the Pharisees became aware of how Jesus was making more disciples, Jesus decided to leave Judea and return to Galilee, where he had to pass through Samaria (4:1-4). Our Gospel story picks up from here. It is in the context of Jesus’ self-revelation to the Samaritans. The story of the second sign at Cana (4:43-54) follows our account.

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel passage is a narrative story filled with metaphors. Vv. 5-6 serve as an introduction, while v. 43, which the lectionary has omitted, can be seen as a conclusion. The body of the text (vv. 7-42) contains three movements. The first movement (vv. 7-15) involves a conversation about Living Water. The second movement (vv. 16-26) addresses Jesus’ divine identity. In the third movement (vv. 27-42), the woman and her townspeople recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 5-6. There was significant conflict between the Jews and Samaritans during both the time before and during Jesus. They share the same patriarch, Jacob, the ancestor of Israel's twelve tribes. After Solomon's death, Israel divided into two kingdoms. Ten tribes of Jacob (Asher, Dan, Ephraim, Gad, Issachar, Manasseh, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, and Zebulun) established the independent kingdom of Israel in the north, with Samaria as its capital. The other two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) formed their own kingdom in the south, known as the Kingdom of Judah, with Jerusalem as its capital. The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom in 722 BC, deporting the Israelites to Assyria and bringing in five foreign nations that intermarried with the Israelites who remained. The descendants of these remaining Israelites and the five foreign nations are identified as Samaritans, who worshipped the gods of those nations. The deported Israelites never returned, and the biblical tradition identifies them as the “lost sheep of Israel.”

The descendants of the Southern kingdom of Judah are known as the Jews. The Babylonians overthrew them in 587/586 B.C. They returned from the Babylonian exile to Jerusalem in the late 500s B.C. Since their return, their relationship with the Samaritans has been poor, as they accused them of losing the right to be “God’s chosen people” due to intermarrying with foreign nations and worshiping pagan gods. Bit by bit, the Samaritans abandoned the worship of foreign gods and returned to worshiping the God of Israel. However, the Jews still prohibited them from worshiping in Jerusalem, which is considered the only legitimate place for worship according to the covenant with David (see the comments of the Samaritan woman in our Gospel passage in v. 20b). In response, the Samaritans, in the fourth century, built their own Temple on Mount Gerizim (that our Gospel refers to in v. 20a) to rival Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

In its spiritual sense, the woman represents all the Samaritans. The five husbands married to the Samaritan woman mentioned in v. 18 of our Gospel passage allude to the five foreign nations that intermarried with the Israelites and the five foreign gods that the people of Israel worshiped.

 Vv. 7-15. Jesus opens the conversation with a simple command: “Give me a drink.” The woman attempts to halt the conversation with a question that carries a hint of mockery (v. 9). She points out to Jesus that the discussion he seeks to start is illogical due to the conflicts between the Jews and Samaritans. Jesus refrains from commenting on their conflict but persists with the topic of water, introducing two shifts. First, he shifts the subject from regular water to “living water.” Second, he alters the roles that he and the woman play in this conversation: Jesus, who initially asked, becomes the giver, while the woman, who was previously the giver, becomes the one who asks. For these two shifts to take effect, the woman must first recognize two facts or truths: (1) The gift of God identified as the living water and (2) the divine identity of Jesus who speaks to her (v. 10). These two facts form the essential foundation for the entire conversation.

The story continues with the theme of living water as God’s gift. The woman questions what Jesus will do to obtain the “supposed living water” from the well since he does not have a bucket and the pool is deep (v. 11). Previously, in v. 9, she referred to Jesus as a “Jew,” but here she calls him “Sir,” which shows a slight improvement in how she relates to Jesus. She compares Jesus to their patriarch, Jacob. This indicates that at this point, she cannot see beyond their tradition, which regards Jacob as the greatest because he provided them with the pool that continues to sustain their lives (v. 12). In his reply, Jesus contrasts the water from Jacob’s well with the living water that he offers, suggesting that he is greater than Jacob. People who drink the water from that well will be thirsty again, but those who drink the living water Jesus provides will never thirst, for it will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life (vv. 13-14). Then, this woman asks Jesus to give her the water he speaks of (v. 15). However, she remains focused on physical water and thirst because, thus far, her faith in Jesus is based on material rather than spiritual needs.

Vv. 16-26. The narrator shifts the topic from the “living water” to “Jesus’ divine identity.” Jesus reveals to this woman her secret about the five “husbands” she had in her life (vv. 16-18). Here, the woman represents all the Samaritans, and the “five husbands” allude to the five foreign gods worshiped by the Samaritans. This indicates that Jesus exposes the unfaithfulness of the Samaritans without judging them because his goal is to call them to repentance and extend God’s salvation to them. Following this revelation, the woman confesses that Jesus is a “prophet.” “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.” (V. 19). Her faith journey is improving. She moves from referring to Jesus as a “Jew” in v. 9, then as “Sir” in vv. 11 and 15, to calling him a “prophet” here in v. 19.

The Samaritan woman feels guilty because Jesus knows her secret sins. She questions Jesus about the correct place to confess her sins and worship God: The temple on Mount Zion in Jerusalem (for the Jews) or the temple on Mount Gerizim in Samaria (for the Samaritans) (V. 20). Jesus’ answer is a prophecy about extending his Church to all nations when the believers will no longer need to come to these two Mountains to worship God (v. 21). His declaration in v. 22 means that the salvation story continues with the Jews, who are the descendants of the southern kingdom of Judah since the Samaritans mixed their faith in God with other pagan gods and the Israelites from the northern kingdom were deported by the Assyrians and never returned. So, in his answer, Jesus asserts that the salvation that was primarily for the Jews is now extended to all true worshipers, who will worship the Father in Spirit and truth. God seeks such worshipers, and he came to seek the Samaritans to become part of these worshipers (vv. 23-24). The expression in Spirit and truth is “not a reference to an interior worship within one’s own spirit. The Spirit is the spirit given by God that reveals truth and enables one to worship God appropriately (Jn 14:16-17. Cf. ‘born of water and Spirit’ (Jn 3:5).”^[1]

The woman’s reply in v. 25 connects Jesus’ explanation about the correct place to worship God to what the Samaritans believe about the forthcoming Messiah: They believe that it is the Messiah who, when he comes, will answer this question to end the dispute between them and the Jews (v. 25). Here, it is Jesus who answers this question and resolves their quarrel with the Jews. Jesus confirms to her that “I am he,” meaning, I am the Messiah you are waiting for (v. 26). The expression “I am he,” which can also be translated as “I AM,” is the expression that the Old Testament used to refer to Yahweh (see Is 43:3). So, here, Jesus is asserting that he is both the Messiah and God.

Vv. 27-42. The journey of faith for this woman comes to its fullness: Jesus is no longer “a Jew” (see v.9), or “a Sir” (see vv. 11, 15), or “a Prophet” (see v. 19), but now the Messiah. This faith transforms her into a missionary. She leaves her water jar and goes to share her experience with the townspeople. Leaving her water jar symbolizes abandoning everything in favor of prioritizing the proclamation of the Gospel. The townspeople believe in Jesus thanks to the mission work of this woman (vv. 29-30, 39). However, they deepen their faith when they have their own experience with Jesus (see vv. 40-42). Vv. 31-38 captures Jesus’ conversation with his disciples. He tells them that the mission to do his Father’s will is his primary “food.” In their absence, he fulfilled this mission; he extended salvation to the Samaritans through this woman.

 

4.      Synthesis

The Jews did not consider the Samaritans to be the chosen people, yet Jesus extended salvation to them through a woman he met at Jacob’s well (vv. 5-6). The conversation unfolded in three stages and developed two essential topics: The Living Water as the Gift of God and (2) the revelation of Jesus’ divine identity. The first stage (vv. 7-15) focused on the Living Water as the Gift of God. Here, Jesus led this woman to believe that he is the Living Water, which, upon drinking it, becomes a spring of water welling up to eternal life. In the second stage (vv. 16-26), Jesus systematically helped this woman discover his divine identity. In the third stage (vv. 27-42), the woman became a missionary who spread news of Jesus to her townspeople. The Samaritans first believed in Jesus because of her missionary work, and later, they deepened their faith, no longer based on her words but on their own experience with Jesus.

 

B.     Pastoral Implications

 

1.      The Liturgical Context

The Gospel readings chosen for the remainder of Lent serve as sacramental catechesis since both catechumens and us, the Baptized, begin intensive preparation for initiation into the sacraments, for the catechumens, and for the renewal of baptismal promises for the rest of us. The liturgy of this Third Sunday of Lent invites us to reflect on the themes of “Living Water” and the “Divine Identity of Jesus.” In the Gospel, Jesus affirms his divine identity to a Samaritan woman. Just as God provided drinking water to the thirsty Israelites in our first reading, Jesus is the source of Living Water for all who believe in him (Gospel). In the second reading, Saint Paul reminds us that Jesus, the Messiah, died for us and justified us. He then calls us to embrace the justification Jesus offers through our faith in him, hope in eternal salvation, and love for God and our brothers and sisters.

 

2.      What the Church Teaches Us Today

Today, Jesus meets each of us as he met the Samaritan woman in our Gospel. The well symbolizes the baptistery and font where the catechumens will be baptized, and the rest of us, the baptized, will renew our baptismal promises at this upcoming Easter vigil. Our encounter with Jesus in the baptismal font of our Church will mark the moment of full light in our faith in Christ.

In vv. 7-15, Jesus begins the conversation by asking for water because he is thirsty. Spiritually, Jesus thirsts not for water but for extending salvation (the gift of God) and revealing his divine identity to the Samaritans. Jesus continues to feel “thirsty” even today. Jesus’ thirst is the Church’s thirst and our thirst. As Jesus’ followers, our mission is to share God’s salvation with others, including those we see as enemies, and help them believe in Jesus as the Messiah, who came to lead us into the full light of our faith in God through baptism. In our Gospel, the woman tries to stop this conversation, reminding Jesus of the conflict between the Samaritans (represented by the woman) and the Jews (represented by Jesus). People may also prevent us from evangelizing. Like Jesus, let us not give up because their salvation matters.

Then, the Samaritan woman compares Jesus to their patriarch, Jacob. At this point, she cannot go beyond their tradition, which considers Jacob the greatest because he gave them this pool, which continues to save their lives (v. 12). Like this woman, we sometimes let our human traditions and beliefs stop us from truly believing in Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus should be based not on material things but on spiritual needs. For example, we attend Mass, serve our Church in various ministries, and help people in our community not because we want Jesus to repay us, but out of gratitude for his love.

In vv. 16-26, the narrator shifts the focus from the “living water” to “Jesus’ divine identity.” Through the woman in our Gospel, Jesus reveals how the Samaritans are unfaithful to God without condemning them, because his goal is to call them to repentance and extend God’s salvation to them. Jesus continues to unveil the secrets of our hearts to each of us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He highlights our infidelity without judging us because his mission is to encourage us to repent and embrace the salvation he offers. In our second reading, Saint Paul tells us that Jesus died for us and justified us. Then, Saint Paul invites us to claim this justification through our faith in Jesus, hope in eternal salvation, and love for God and our neighbors. We can achieve this only by regularly attending Mass and worshiping our God in “spirit and truth” in our local Churches, as Jesus prophesies to the woman in our Gospel (see v. 21). 

In vv. 27-42, the narrator shows how this woman's faith journey reaches its peak. She believes Jesus is the Messiah and becomes his missionary, giving up everything to focus on sharing the Gospel with her townspeople. When our faith is fully realized at the end of this Lenten journey, the catechumens will receive the sacraments of initiation, and all of us, the baptized, will renew our baptismal promises during the Easter Vigil. Then, like the woman in our Gospel, we will become missionaries who prioritize proclaiming the Word of God to others, inviting them to come to Jesus and experience him for themselves. The Samaritans in our Gospel first believed in Jesus through the woman’s missionary efforts, and later deepened their faith through their own experience with him. This shows that we build our faith on what others—such as priests, parents, schoolteachers, and catechists—tell us about Jesus and what we learn during this Lenten season. But we should not stop there. After the sacraments of initiation (for the catechumens) and the renewal of baptismal promises (for the baptized) during the Easter Vigil, we are called to deepen our faith by developing our own personal relationship with Jesus.

May this Eucharistic celebration help us experience Jesus, strengthen our faith in him, and inspire us to become his missionaries wherever we live. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

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[1] NABRE, note to Jn 4:23.

2nd Sunday of Lent. March 1, 2026

 

2^nd Sunday of Lent. March 1, 2026

Genesis 12:1-4a; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10; Matthew 17:1-9

 

Theme: The Lenten Season is a Journey of Faith 

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 17:1-9

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Before our Gospel story, Jesus predicted his Passion, Death, and Resurrection to his disciples for the first time. Peter objected to this announcement on behalf of all the disciples, refusing to let Jesus undergo his Passion and Death (16:21-23). In response to their objection, Jesus taught them the conditions of discipleship, which include denying oneself, taking up one’s cross, and following Jesus (16:24-28). These two teachings of Jesus disturbed the disciples, and they were on the verge of quitting their discipleship. Then, in our Gospel, Jesus uses the scene of his Transfiguration to strengthen his disciples’ hope and trust in him as they are about to begin the journey toward Jerusalem, where his prediction of his Passion, Death, and Resurrection will be fulfilled. Our Gospel passage is immediately followed by an explanation of the coming of Elijah (17:10-13) and the healing of a boy with a demon (17:14-21).     

 

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel text is a narrative with metaphors. V. 1 serves as an introduction, and v. 9 as a conclusion. The body of the text (vv. 2-8) unfolds in two movements. The first movement (vv. 2-3) describes Jesus’ transfiguration and includes Moses and Elijah in the scene. The second movement (vv. 4-8) recounts the disciples' experiences of the events surrounding Jesus's transfiguration. 

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

V. 1. The Bible does not explain why Jesus chose Peter, John, and James as his inner circle. He made them witnesses to special events, including the “raising” of Jairus’ daughter (Lk 8:49-56), the Transfiguration, and his prayer in Gethsemane (Mt 26:36-38). The mountain: Although the Synoptics do not name this mountain, Tradition identifies it with either Tabor or Hermon. By not specifying a particular mountain, the Synoptics likely focus on its theological meaning rather than its geography. If so, this mountain in the Transfiguration story recalls Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:12-18) and Elijah on Horeb (1 Kgs 19:8-18). Horeb is another name for Sinai. In the biblical context, a mountain typically signifies a place of prayer and an encounter with God.

  V. 2-3. Moses and Elijah joined Jesus in this glorious moment and conversed with him. Matthew does not reveal the topic of their conversation. Readers learn the topic from Luke’s account. For Luke, Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were conversing about Jesus’ exodus that he would accomplish in Jerusalem (Lk 9:31). 

Vv. 4-8. Peter’s request to make three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, reflects their eagerness to remain in that glorious state forever. God intervenes in this scene through the “bright cloud” that casts a shadow over them. In the Old Testament, the cloud signified God’s presence among his people (see Ex 40:34-35; 1 Kgs 8:10). In this Gospel, the “bright cloud” represents God’s presence. The shadow signifies that God’s presence enveloped these disciples, enabling them to experience the mystery of Jesus’ glorification.

All three Synoptics mention the three disciples’ fear, with little difference. For Mark, they were terrified before the cloud cast a shadow over them, linking their fear to Jesus’ Transfiguration and the appearance of Moses and Elijah. According to Luke, they became frightened once the cloud cast a shadow over them. Matthew, however, connects their fear to the voice from the cloud and its message.

From the cloud, God’s voice says: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” “Listen to him” is an order addressed to all disciples, through Peter, John, and James, to dispel the doubts, shocks, and discouragements that had arisen in them because of Jesus’ earlier announcement of his Passion. God orders them to listen to Jesus when he reveals that he is not the “army-conquering Messiah,” as they expect him to be, but the suffering Messiah. The three disciples fell prostrate when they heard God’s message.

V. 9. Jesus forbids these three disciples from telling anyone about the Transfiguration until his Passion, death, and Resurrection are accomplished, because people will understand it only in the light of his Resurrection. 

 

4.      Synthesis

All the disciples were disappointed, shocked, and ready to abandon their discipleship when they heard Jesus predict his Passion for the first time and explain that self-denial and accepting one’s cross are the conditions for being his disciples. Jesus drew on the experience of his Transfiguration to strengthen their hope and trust in him and to encourage them not to give up their discipleship, since the glory of the Transfiguration they had experienced awaits those who follow him to the end. These three disciples heard God’s voice confirming that Jesus was his beloved Son, with whom God is well pleased. God’s voice also commanded them to listen to Jesus.

 B.  Pastoral Implications 

1. Liturgical Context

The Scripture readings for this Second Sunday of our forty-day penitential journey remind us that the Lenten season is our “Journey of Faith” toward Easter, and that our earthly lives are also a Journey of Faith toward God’s kingdom in heaven. The Transfiguration of Jesus, which we heard in our Gospel, marks the beginning of Jesus’ Journey of Faith toward Jerusalem, where the Paschal Mystery (Jesus’ Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension) will unfold. Our first reading recounts the beginning of Abraham’s Journey of Faith toward the promised land. The second reading speaks of the crosses we encounter in our Journey of Faith, which we should not avoid but carry with courage, standing firm in the Lord and putting our faith in him.

 

2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

Matthew begins his Gospel by teaching us that Jesus selects you and me for his inner circle. He leads us to our “mountain,” our local Churches and families, where we encounter God in prayer. Peter’s request to make three tents, one for Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, shows how eager they are to remain in that glorious state forever. I found two interpretations of why Peter made this request: (1) Through his request, Peter wants to enjoy Jesus’ glorification without passing through his Passion and Death. Many of us sometimes act like Peter here. We enjoy celebrating Easter but do not like Lent because we do not want to engage in the works of repentance: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, which prepare and lead us to Easter. There is no Easter without Good Friday. There is no glory in God’s kingdom without accepting to die with Christ through our resolution to repent every time we sin.

(2) By asking to build three tents, Peter expressed his desire to remain in this heavenly glory forever rather than return to their ordinary lives. We experience the glory of the Transfiguration at every Mass we attend. However, we cannot “build three tents in our Churches” and stay here forever, enjoying the heavenly glory alone while many people are still in the darkness of this world. Instead, Jesus expects us to go out at the end of each Mass to share our experience of the Transfiguration with our brothers and sisters so that they, too, may follow Jesus and come to have the same experience.

Matthew reports that the presence of God, through the cloud, casts a shadow over these three disciples and us. Then God’s voice tells us that Jesus is his beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased. He finally commands us to listen to him. God continues to cast a shadow over us, especially in the Eucharistic celebration, and tells us that Jesus is his Son, inviting us to listen to him. We are called to listen to Jesus, especially when he tells us that he is not a suffering Messiah, so we should follow in his footsteps. Listening to Jesus involves observing the Lenten works of penance (Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving) and faithfully following God’s commandments and the Church’s teachings, even when they challenge us.

At the end of the scene, the disciples find Jesus alone, without Moses and Elijah. The Transfiguration is over. Jesus is alone now. It is time to come down from the mountain and accompany him on his “journey of faith” toward Jerusalem. Our first reading tells us the story of Abraham’s “journey of faith.” God called him to leave his land and go to an unknown land that God himself would show him. God promised to make Abraham’s descendants a great nation (Gn 12:1-3). We, too, are on our “Lenten Journey of Faith” toward Easter, which prefigures our “Journey of Faith” toward our heavenly home. As we continue our “journey of faith,” Saint Paul, in our second reading, advises us to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God (2 Tim 1:8b).  

  Jesus forbids these three disciples from telling anyone about the Transfiguration until his Passion, death, and Resurrection are accomplished, because the Transfiguration will be understood only in the light of his Resurrection. Let us strengthen our relationship with Jesus during this Lenten “Journey of Faith” so that we might share our own experience of Jesus’ Resurrection with our brothers and sisters at Easter.

May the liturgy of this Mass enable us to become men and women of prayer, listening to the Beloved Son of God. Thus, at the end of our Lenten “Journey of Faith,” we can celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord well, and at the end of our daily “Journey of Faith,” we will inherit the promised land in God’s kingdom. Amen.

 

Fr. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

1st Sunday of Lent – Feb. 22, 2026

 

1^st Sunday of Lent – Feb. 22, 2026

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

 

Theme: We Are Called to Overcome the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of Glory, and the Lust of the Eyes Each Day

A. A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Matthew 4:1-11

 

1.      Historical and Literary Contexts

Matthew places our Gospel text immediately after the story of Jesus' baptism (3:13-17) and before the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee (4:12-25). With the story of Jesus’ baptism, Matthew prepares his readers to understand that Jesus, who is about to begin the ministry of building the kingdom of heaven, is equipped by the Holy Spirit and is the Son of God. Moreover, his baptism was not for repentance (since he is sinless) but to empathize with humanity. Now, the evangelist uses our Gospel passage to inform his audience that Jesus’s victory over Satan signifies that the kingdom of heaven he is about to establish involves restoring the relationship between God and his people, which Adam and Eve lost through their disobedience to God when they were tempted by the same Satan.

  

2.      Form, Structure, and Movement

Our Gospel text is a narrative in dialogue form. Vv. 1-2 serve as an introduction, and v. 11 as a conclusion. The body of the text (vv. 3-10) is divided into three movements based on the three temptations: the turning of the stone into bread (vv. 3-4), the throwing down from the parapet of the temple (vv. 5-7), and the temptation to worship the devil in exchange for the earthly kingdoms (vv. 8-10).

 

3.      Detailed Analysis

Vv. 1-2. “The Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil” (Mt 4:1). Temptation is not merely a circumstance but the purpose of Jesus’ sojourn in the desert. This Spirit is the same who descended upon Jesus during his baptism (see Mt 3:16). In his baptism, Jesus was declared “Son of God.” The hallmark of true sonship is obedience to the Father. Now, his obedience to God the Father is put to the test. Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. The number “forty” primarily recalls the forty years of the people of Israel’s long journey from Egypt to the promised land, during which God tested them (see Dt 8:2). Here, Matthew depicts Jesus as a new Israel and shows that, unlike the old Israel, which disobeyed God on several occasions and failed to prove its sonship, Jesus, the new Israel, overcame all tests and remained obedient to God the Father. This number “forty” also refers to the forty days and forty nights Moses spent on Sinai in a meeting with God to receive God’s commandments, symbolizing their covenant with God (see Exodus 24:18). Here, Matthew presents Jesus as a new Moses. He spends forty days and forty nights in prayer with God before he begins his public ministry of inviting people to a new covenant through him. [Jesus] was hungry: In its literal sense, this shows Jesus’ human nature; in its spiritual sense, it means Jesus was hungry for the beginning of the kingdom of heaven on earth, which will end the devil’s reign.

The devil employs a series of three temptations. In Matthew, the sequence is: first, the desert; then, Jerusalem; and finally, the world's kingdoms. Luke places Jerusalem at the end to show that it is where Jesus’ ministry will culminate and where he will face his greatest temptation and triumph (see Lk 22:39-46; 23:44-49; 24).^[1] The devil knows very well that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus’s mission to build the kingdom of heaven will challenge the devil’s reign and cause him to lose members under his control. The devil also knows that the key to stopping Jesus from fulfilling this mission is to push him to disobey God. This is the goal he pursues through all three of his temptations. He already employed this strategy with Adam and Eve, successfully pushing them to disobey God (see Gen 3:1-7). 

 The three temptations of the devil correspond to the three lusts of human beings. The first, turning the stones into bread, represents the lust of the flesh. The second, performing a spectacle by throwing himself from the parapet of the temple, is the lust for glory. The third, the world’s kingdoms, stands for the lust of the eyes, the desire for power and possessions.

  Vv. 3-4: The devil begins his series of temptations with the lust of the flesh. He urges Jesus to use his divinity to turn a stone into bread to satisfy his human hunger. There are two traps here. First, the tempter aims to push Jesus to focus on his physical hunger and forget his “spiritual hunger," which is establishing God’s kingdom. Second, he seeks to remove Jesus from the most basic human experience, thereby weakening him in fulfilling his mission. The devil used this temptation before with Adam and Eve and succeeded (see Gn 3:1-7), but here, with Jesus, he failed. Quoting Scripture (Dt 8:3), Jesus answered, “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (V. 4). While the devil wants Jesus to concentrate on his physical hunger, which only bread can satisfy, Jesus focuses instead on the spiritual hunger, which only the Word of God can fulfill. He also refuses to use his divinity to avoid human suffering. 

Vv. 5-7. After failing in the first temptation, the devil employs a second strategy: the lust of glory or worldly recognition. He urges Jesus to throw himself down from the Temple’s parapet as a spectacle to prove that he is the Son of God. Citing Ps 91:11-12, he reassures him that God will command his angels to protect him. The trap is to push Jesus to focus on earthly glory and forget his mission to build the kingdom of heaven. With this strategy, the devil had already succeeded in separating Eve and Adam from their God. He deceived them into believing that if they ate the fruit of the tree, their eyes would be opened and they would be “like God” (Gn 3:5, NRSVCE). Adam and Eve ate the fruit because they wanted the divine glory: to be equal to God. In our Gospel, Jesus’ response to the devil, “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (v. 7), is a quote from Dt 6:16. Jesus affirms that he is God. The expression “your God” (v. 7) means he is the God of the entire universe, including the devil.

Vv. 8-10.  The third temptation concerns the lust of the eyes, or avarice, the desire for possessions. He took Jesus up to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence (or riches). He promised to give them all to Jesus on one condition: that Jesus prostrate himself and worship him. He used this tactic with Adam and Eve and succeeded in deceiving them. Unlike Eve, who saw that the tree pleased her eyes (Gn 3:6), Jesus does not let the lust of the eyes prevent him from fulfilling his mission. Quoting Dt 6:13, he tells the devil that God is the only one people should worship and serve (v. 10). 

V. 11. The devil used all three temptations he prepared to push Jesus to disobey God, attempting to make Jesus abandon his mission of building the kingdom of heaven on earth, but ultimately, he failed. The narrator notes that he left Jesus, and the angels came to minister to him.

 

4.      Synthesis

Jesus is the new Israel. Unlike the Old Israel, which repeatedly disobeyed God, Jesus, the New Israel, overcame all temptations and remained obedient to God. Jesus is also the new Moses. The Old Moses spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain with God, where he received God’s commandments, symbolizing the covenant between God and the Israelites. Similarly, Jesus spent forty days and forty nights in the desert with God before beginning his public mission to call the people to a new and final covenant with God through him. Jesus is also the new Adam. The first Adam succumbed to the devil's temptations and disobeyed God. As a result, sin entered the world and brought condemnation. Jesus, the new Adam, resisted all the devil's temptations and continued to obey God. Consequently, he restored the relationship between humanity and God and brought salvation.    

 

B. Pastoral Implications

 1. Liturgical Context

The Scripture readings today told us, on the one hand, that our first ancestors (Adam and Eve) failed to resist the devil's temptation. Consequently, sin entered the world and brought condemnation (the first and second readings). On the other hand, we heard how Jesus overcame the devil’s temptations. As a result, he restored our original alliance with God and brought us salvation (the Gospel and the second reading).

 

2.      2. What the Church Teaches Us Today

The Church wants us to know that, as Baptized, we continue Jesus’s mission to build God’s kingdom wherever we live. This mission entails ministering to the people of God and, thus, delivering them from the power of the devil. Recognizing that our mission threatens to lose the souls under his control, the devil continues to tempt us, as he did with Jesus, using the same strategies: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the lust for glory. This threefold lust is known as threefold concupiscence. All sins we commit fall into these three categories. The devil’s goal is to push us to disobey God and abandon our crucial mission. To overcome these temptations, the Church calls us to observe the three Lenten disciplines: Fasting for the lust of the flesh, Prayer for the lust for glory, and Almsgiving for the lust of the eyes.

First, the devil employs the lust of the flesh, or bodily appetite. By urging Jesus to use his divine power to turn a stone into bread to satisfy his hunger, the devil set two traps. (1) He wanted Jesus to prioritize his physical hunger over his spiritual hunger. (2) He sought to remove Jesus from the most basic human experience, thereby weakening him in fulfilling his mission. He employed these two traps with Adam and Eve before and succeeded (see Gn 3:1-7), but with Jesus he failed. How about us today? Satan pushes us to prioritize our physical hunger over our spiritual hunger. Although our physical bodies need food to survive, let us remember that our souls also need spiritual food. To resist this temptation, the Church encourages us to observe the first Lenten discipline: Fasting. When we fast, we respond to the devil by quoting Jesus, “One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). Fasting also helps us recognize that the way our physical bodies grow weak and need food immediately is the same way our souls experience and need spiritual food. Let us observe fasting during this Lent and make it a habit in our Christian lives.

Second, the devil employs the lust for glory or worldly recognition. By inciting Jesus to throw himself down from the Temple’s parapet as a spectacle to prove he is the Son of God, the devil’s trap is to shift Jesus’ focus to earthly glory, thereby causing him to forget his mission. He succeeded with Adam and Eve, using this trap. He deceived them into believing that if they ate the fruit of the tree, their eyes would be opened and they would be “like God” (Gn 3:5, NRSVCE). Adam and Eve ate the fruit because they wanted the divine glory: to be equal to God. How about us today? Whenever we seek public recognition while neglecting our primary mission of ministering to the people of God, we fail like Adam and Eve. Here, the Church exhorts us to observe the Lenten discipline of Prayer to resist this temptation. Prayer is an act of humility, recognizing that we are nothing without God. When we pray to God, we confess that he is the Creator and that we are his creatures; therefore, we do not seek to equal him.

Third, the devil uses the lust of the eyes, which is avarice or the desire for possession. He displayed all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence before Jesus and promised to give them all to him on one condition: Jesus must worship him. Note that he had already succeeded in trapping Adam and Eve with this temptation. Unlike Eve, who saw that the tree pleased her eyes (Gn 3:6), Jesus does not let the lust of the eyes turn him away from his mission. Quoting Dt 6:13, he tells the devil that God is the only one people should worship and serve (v. 10). How about us today? Satan continues to display the magnificence of our world, with all its technologies, before our eyes. His trap is to make us focus on possessing them and to forget our dependence on God. To resist this temptation, our Holy Mother Church urges us to observe the Lenten discipline of almsgiving regularly. When we share what we have with others, we respond to the devil by showing that we do not depend on material possessions but on God alone.

In the liturgy of this Mass, we ask for God’s grace so that we continue to detach ourselves from the lust of the flesh, the lust of glory, and the lust of the eyes. We want to focus on our baptismal mission to save people from the devil’s grasp. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

Pastor of Holy Family Church in Jackson, MS &

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

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[1] Michael F. Patella, The Gospel According to Luke, (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2005), 28.