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

The Third Sunday of Lent brings to us a remarkable Gospel account about Jesus and a Samaritan woman at the well of the Patriarch Jacob. The conversation that Jesus had with the woman brought her to profess her faith in the Messiah and to guide her neighbours to Jesus as well. In today’s Gospel passage we are told of Jesus’ desire for us to thirst for that living water which only Jesus can provide. This thirst appears first of all in a real desire to acknowledge the Lord, to come nearer to Him and to receive Him in His Word and Sacraments, especially in the Sacraments of Penance and of the Eucharist.

This Thursday, March 19th, we observe the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Principal Patron of Canada and Patron of the Universal Church. Canadians can be proud that the largest shrine dedicated to St. Joseph, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mont Royal in Montreal, is here in Canada. The Oratory is also famous due to its association with Saint Brother André Bessette who had a great devotion to St. Joseph. A reliquary containing St. Brother André’s heart can be found at the Oratory. Yearly more than 2 million pilgrims and tourists visit the shrine. In our church we too have a side chapel dedicated to St. Joseph with his statue.

There is a beautiful prayer to St. Joseph called a Memorare:

Remember, O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who implored your help and sought your intercession were left unassisted.
Full of confidence in your power I fly unto you and beg your protection.
Despise not O Guardian of the Redeemer my humble supplication, but in your bounty, hear and answer me. Amen.

St. Joseph – pray for us!

God bless,
Fr. Peter