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Third Sunday in Lent • Year A
March 8, 2026
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Historical Collect
Almighty God, consider the worthy desires of your humble servants. Reach out to defend us from evil by the word and work of your majestic right hand. Grant this, we pray, through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)
Thematic Collect
Holy One, you are the fountain of living water. Stir within us a renewed sense of the gift of your mercy, given through your grace in the waters of baptism. Give us this living water always; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Common Thread
What do we use our mouths for—to grumble or to praise? We suffer a little and grumble about God or his servants. We thirst; we hunger; yet do we rejoice in our sufferings? Those who rejoice instead of complain, endure and ultimately, are refreshed and renewed through their hope in God. They have faith that he is able and willing to provide a veritable sea to gush from a rock, in order to satisfy their needs. He provided living water from the Rock of our salvation so that we need “never be thirsty again. Drink deeply—and rejoice.
First Reading • Exodus 17:1–7
“Why did you bring us out to the desert — to kill us with thirst?” God through Moses did not bring the people out of Egypt and into the wilderness to slay them with thirst, but to slake their thirst. He brought them to the point of thirst so that they would drink. The Rock who refreshes is able to quench the deepest thirst. Stop grumbling, and drink.
Psalm • Psalm 95:1–9
The complaint of the hardhearted is ever before God. They will always find a new way to thirst. Their thirst will remain as long as they use their mouths to grumble instead of drink. The sheep of God’s hand, however, simply follow the voice of the Shepherd to peaceful, refreshing waters (Ps. 23:2). God refreshes our souls even when we journey through the darkest places. He is with us and is quiet waters in those dark times. He is the Living Water to whom the thirsty may come and drink (John 7:37-39).
Second Reading • Romans 5:1–8
Jesus came to bring peace on earth (Luke 2:13-14). One may look to the news to see if peace has occurred. To do so, though, would be to look for the wrong sort of peace. The announcement of peace specifically stated that Christ’s peace would be upon those on whom his favor rested. Though the news daily reports conflict in the world, there is peace for those who have been justified by faith. Our peace is not the absence of military action in the world, but the presence of Jesus’ Spirit in the heart. God’s love has been poured into our lives like an ever-refreshing drink of water. And so, we have peace — everlasting peace.
Gospel • John 4:5–26, 27–30, 39–42
See the lengths that our Lord goes to for us? He sat down by a well and waited to ask a woman for drink, just so he could offer her a more valuable drink. He wanted for nothing in heaven, but he came to earth to suffer thirst, just so he might quench the thirst of another. Later, he who offers to quench our thirst for good is thirsty again. While hanging on the cross, he said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). Then he died. All of this he did for the woman at the well — and for the world. He thirsted for us so that we might never thirst again; he died for us so that we would live forever.
Resources
Links to Worship Resources for this Service
