TREASURE HUNT FOR THE MESSIAH

Reflections for the fourth Sunday of Lent (2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23, Ephesians 2:4-10, John 3:14-21)

Jesus meets Nicodemus in John 3:1-21 and a Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42. These two parallel passages narrate two interesting encounters, exciting conversations, and inspiring faith journeys. Nicodemus is an important man, a pharisee who lives in Jerusalem, the heart of the Jewish religion, politics, and commerce. The Samaritan is an unnamed woman (her identity is reduced to her ethnicity!) from Sychar, a region denounced by the Jews. Nicodemus sets out on an active and informed search for Jesus. He declares, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God”. The Samaritan woman is not even aware of who Jesus is and it is Jesus who initiates the conversation. Both Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman wish to remain unseen and undetected. The pharisee chooses the cover of darkness to avoid being recognized by his fellow Jews, while the woman arrives at the well around noon since it is rare for people to venture out under the scorching heat of the midday sun.

From the cover of night and noon, Jesus leads both of them to the ‘light’ of revelation both about God and about themselves. The messiah takes them both on a treasure hunt, giving them subtle clues so they can discover his true identity. He tells Nicodemus that he is the son of Man (v.13), who must be lifted up so that those who believe in him may have eternal life (v.15). He is the Son of God (v.18) sent by the Father to save the world (not condemn it). He is the light that reveals the truth about God and our deeds (v.21). The person and mission of Jesus is the light offered to all creation. As Paul affirms in the second reading, even when we are dead in our transgressions, God brings us to life with Christ. The Samaritan woman is also led on a similar treasure hunt. Jesus reveals himself to be the source of the living water, the spring of eternal life that quenches our thirst forever (v.14). While she acknowledges him to be a prophet (v.19), Jesus tells her, “I am he”(v.26).

Both of them struggle in this treasure hunt. Nicodemus asks “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?”, and again, “How can these things be?”. Jesus seems so disappointed in him that he asks him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?”. The Samaritan woman faces similar problems. She asks, “Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well?” and again, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us”. However, Jesus is more gentle with her than he was with Nicodemus. He guides her at her own pace saying, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you” and finally reveals in plain words, “I am he, the one speaking to you”. While Jesus is surprised that Nicodemus doesn't know what he should do, he challenges the Samaritan woman, saying: Ah, if you only knew!

To each his path! While both receive the light of the revelation, each receives the good news at their own pace and manner. The Samaritan woman proves to be a genuine dialogue partner gradually experiencing Jesus’ self-revelation even as she reveals herself to him. While the Samaritan’s journey from the well to becoming the apostle of Sychar is realised by the end of the passage, Nicodemus has to wait. He has a process to undergo, a pilgrimage to undertake, a path to walk that will take him to the gates of the tomb of the Good Friday to recover the body of Jesus (John 19:39) and embalm it. This interesting paradox is also evident in the first reading which affirms that while the people of Israel struggle in their path of faith, Cyrus (a Persian king) becomes a channel of God’s liberation. But in both cases (Nicodemus/Samaritan or Israel/Cyrus), it is God’s grace at work in each of their unique treasure hunts. As Paul affirms in the second reading, ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith’.

Lent is a privileged time of this exciting treasure hunt that leads us on our unique paths, to the amazing discovery of the divine light. The treasure that awaits us is the source of eternal life, the living water that quenches our thirst, enables us to be reborn in the spirit and walk the passage from condemnation to salvation. It's treasure-hunting time!