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Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
March 8, 2026
On this page you will find:
The readings for Mass, the Mass leaflet with the choice of hymns
A sample universal prayer available for download, in PDF and editable Word formats.
A meditation on the Sunday Gospel, a spiritual text and commentary by Marie-Noëlle Thabut
3rd Sunday of Lent
International Women's Day
The hour is coming—and is now here—when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: these are the worshipers the Father is looking for.
John 4:23
Readings from the Mass
Mass leaflet
Universal Prayer
Consult the Lectio Divina page, which invites you to read the Gospel in a prayerful atmosphere so that you may be touched in your heart. It is important not to rush to read commentaries or homilies before having this personal experience of encountering Christ in Scripture.
Next, if you wish, you can read the meditations below which will enrich your personal reading and meditation.
Méditation
Meditation by Pope Francis
The Gospel reading for this third Sunday of Lent presents Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman (cf. Jn 4:5-42). He is traveling with his disciples and they stop near a well in Samaria. The Samaritans were considered heretics by the Jews and were held in high esteem, like second-class citizens. Jesus is tired and thirsty. A woman comes to him, seeking water, and he asks her, "Give me a drink" (v. 7). Thus, breaking down all barriers, he begins a dialogue in which he reveals to this woman the mystery of living water, that is, the Holy Spirit, a gift from God. Indeed, to the woman's reaction of surprise, Jesus replies, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water" (v. 10).
At the heart of this dialogue lies water. On the one hand, water as an essential element for life, satisfying the body's thirst and sustaining existence. On the other, water as a symbol of divine grace, granting eternal life. In the biblical tradition, God is the source of living water—as the Psalms and the Prophets proclaim—: turning away from God, the source of living water, and from His Law entails the worst kind of drought. This is the experience of the people of Israel in the desert. On the long journey to freedom, parched with thirst, they protest against Moses and against God because there is no water. Then, by God's will, Moses brings forth water from a rock, as a sign of God's providence, which accompanies His people and gives them life (cf. Ex 17:17-17).
Homily
Draw from the source
The texts of Exodus and the Gospel speak to us of the importance of water: we realize this especially when it becomes scarce. The first reading takes us back to the story of the Hebrew people. They had just left a life of slavery in Egypt to go to the land of Canaan. But between the two lies the desert. It is there that we see how essential water is to life. In the heat of summer, the situation can become critical. It is a matter of life or death.
Despite all the blessings they have received, the people struggle to surrender themselves completely. This is often what happens to us: as soon as our lives seem threatened, we doubt, we cry out in despair. We forget that the Lord has never stopped loving us. He has never stopped feeding and giving drink to his rebellious people. The thirst in the desert reveals another thirst that Jesus will quench in the Samaritan woman. He will present himself to her and to all of us as the Source of living water.
The second reading reminds us of the gift God gives us of his life and his Spirit. It is not a response to any supposed merits on our part; it is offered to all, freely. It becomes active as soon as it is received with faith. This is precisely what the Gospel of the Samaritan woman testifies to. Hope does not disappoint. God's great priority is that all sinners be saved. He has never ceased to love them. It is for all of us that Christ died on the cross. It is true that it is difficult to believe when we are suffering from a lack of water. But it is pointless to rush towards waters that will leave us thirsty. God is the one and inexhaustible source. He alone can satisfy our thirst.
Understanding the readings
with Marie-Noëlle THABUT
Une parole pour la route
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