As we approach the midpoint of Lent, we travel with the Israelites through the barren desert, and with Jesus and his disciples into the hostile land of Samaria. These readings help us get to know God, his wisdom, mercy, and Fatherly love.
In the reading from Exodus, the people are suffering, they’ve run out of water, and they’re concerned about the wellbeing of their children and their livestock. The people respond to physical suffering with hostility. They don’t turn to God; they instead complain to Moses, blaming him for leading them out into the desert. In retrospect, they should have known the immense power of God having seen His many miracles, especially the dramatic parting of the Red Sea that destroyed the Egyptian army. But their current situation, living in the middle of the desert without water, seemed impossible, and caused them to doubt.