Readings:
Exodus 17:1-7
Psalm 95
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42

Collect:
Almighty God,
whose most dear Son
went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we,
walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

Reflection

We’re now approaching half-way through Lent, a season which can feel onerous. It has the reputation, after all, to be the season of repentance and discipline. The psalm today, however, is dramatically uplifting and joyous. The very first line invites worshippers to come and sing, to get excited and make a noise in worship – in song and with shouts.

If this is not your view of Lent, be prepared to think again. Lent does, after all, mean the season of spring, and while we are engulfed with cold and snow at the moment, the snowdrops are wonderful, daffs are in flower all over the show and our forsythia is a beacon of yellow next to our front door.

The psalm places us in God’s presence, invites (or is it instructs?) us to sing and shout in praise to God, creator of all and great ruler of all the gods, whoever they are. I imagine an enormous crowd, singing and worshipping God together.

Then suddenly, Meribah and Massah. To our ears, after the excitement of singing and worship earlier, we might imagine this is a great holiday destination. There’s a kind of lilting flow to the words, like Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada. That is to say, till we know what the words mean, and why it was called this. And now all the joy and excitement of the occasion is decidedly dampened.

Meribah means quarrel or contention. Massah means trial or test, and the story in Exodus tells us why it is so named. It was here, while in the wilderness after fleeing captivity in Egypt, that the people of God were at their wit’s end. They were fearing death because there was no water. Well, I’m not surprised they quarrelled with Moses and with God, and thought themselves unreasonably tested. How can this be, that they escaped slavery to die in the desert? Not great.

Moses strikes the rock. Water appears. The people live.

Water appears almost everywhere in Bible stories. Not surprising as it is a rare and essential resource in the communities from which our scriptures have come. John’s gospel today continues one long meditation on the meaning of water, a meditation begun at a wedding when Jesus turns water into wine, continuing now next to a well and speaking to a stranger in broad daylight and in the heat of the day (midday). John’s meditation will reach its climax at Jesus’ death when water and blood flow from his pierced side. Water is still there when Jesus prepares a meal on the beach.

This Spring we remember and celebrate new life emerging all about us after winter. This Lent we remember and celebrate, joyfully sing out loud and shout, that the new life of justice and peace is given to all creation. Our work, however, continues as we are called to challenge deceit and oppose all that destroys. We do so, enlivened by Living Water, freely given to all.

Barry Lotz