Gospel: John 4:5-42
A story of a meeting, perhaps chance, a story of a conversation, a story of vulnerability, maybe fear, ultimately, a story of conversion, a Journey of Faith: who and what is God, who am I? The gospel of the “Woman at the Well” may become so familiar, that we fail to see its significance in our own lives, we fail to see and understand all of the rich images. Thirst is pretty powerful. In fact, when we are really thirsty, we usually are unable to focus on anything else. But, what is it that this Samaritan Woman ‘thirsts’ for? When Jesus asks for a drink, what does he ‘thirst’ for? What does he want from this woman? What does Jesus want from you?
Our gospel begins with Jesus taking a mid day break from a journey. He sits down, and a woman comes to draw water. Now something’s not right from the beginning: no one gets water at the heat of the day, unless of course you want to avoid others. Tired of the vicious comments, gossip and innuendos of the other women of the village, she goes to the well, when it is least likely to meet anyone else. And the last one she wanted to encounter was a Jewish man, and probably even one of those holy preachers. But the inevitable conversation begins.
At first she tries to avoid Jesus, reminding him of the proper social customs of appropriate conversation. That doesn’t seem to work, so she reminds him of practical concerns: you want a drink? Bring a bucket! But she somehow listens to Him and eventually wants to know about the Water that he is talking about. Now the conversation moves in…she senses that this strange man knows far more about her…He gets too close, and again, she tries to push him away with religious flattery: you must be a prophet! That doesn’t work, and she tries to engage him in a complicated theological discussion about worship and liturgy. But little by little, Jesus takes the time to listen to her. He talked, she listened…and gradually she overcame her own fears, her shame and she comes to recognise the presence of God.
Lent is a time of reflection, examining our own lives, and either continuing or starting anew a conversation with the Lord. You see, each of us is that woman. We, are invited and to each of us Jesus says, “come closer, stay awhile, let’s talk.”
And note that Jesus says not one word of condemnation to this woman. Oh yes, he clearly states the facts, but he never says to her, “why don’t you come back when you straighten your life out!” And you see, it’s this religious outsider, this woman of questionable morals, who is the first in John’s gospel that Jesus reveals himself and says, “I am the Messiah.”
Perhaps like this woman, you too, this Lent, are thirsty. She tried to fill the emptiness in her life with 5 husbands. Didn’t work. Rarely works to fill the emptiness inside with “things,” even though most of us try. She was living in shame and fear, and she tries desperately to get away from this preacher. But Jesus does not let her walk away so easily. Somehow he manages to convince her that, whatever her past history was, God still loves her and forgives her. Perhaps, she hadn’t believed that for years. And because he was able to convince her, she began to let down her defenses and tell him the story of her life. And that was the beginning of her conversion.
The gospel today is filled with these images of water: water from wells and Living Waters; the waters of baptism that give us new life, and new way of living. But really, what do you thirst for? How do you try to quench that thirst?
Ultimately, the key to the Gospel today is in Jesus first words, “Give me a drink.” Because you see Jesus too is thirsty, but he is thirsty, for you. And so no matter how you have tried to fill your own thirsts in the past, Jesus says to each of you, “I forgive you, I love you, come closer, stay awhile.”
You see brothers and sisters, we too must go to the well. The woman at the well in the gospel eventually said “yes” to Jesus‘ call What will you say?
A story of a meeting, perhaps chance, a story of a conversation, a story of vulnerability, maybe fear, ultimately, a story of conversion, a Journey of Faith: who and what is God, who am I? The gospel of the “Woman at the Well” may become so familiar, that we fail to see its significance in our own lives, we fail to see and understand all of the rich images. Thirst is pretty powerful. In fact, when we are really thirsty, we usually are unable to focus on anything else. But, what is it that this Samaritan Woman ‘thirsts’ for? When Jesus asks for a drink, what does he ‘thirst’ for? What does he want from this woman? What does Jesus want from you?
Our gospel begins with Jesus taking a mid day break from a journey. He sits down, and a woman comes to draw water. Now something’s not right from the beginning: no one gets water at the heat of the day, unless of course you want to avoid others. Tired of the vicious comments, gossip and innuendos of the other women of the village, she goes to the well, when it is least likely to meet anyone else. And the last one she wanted to encounter was a Jewish man, and probably even one of those holy preachers. But the inevitable conversation begins.
At first she tries to avoid Jesus, reminding him of the proper social customs of appropriate conversation. That doesn’t seem to work, so she reminds him of practical concerns: you want a drink? Bring a bucket! But she somehow listens to Him and eventually wants to know about the Water that he is talking about. Now the conversation moves in…she senses that this strange man knows far more about her…He gets too close, and again, she tries to push him away with religious flattery: you must be a prophet! That doesn’t work, and she tries to engage him in a complicated theological discussion about worship and liturgy. But little by little, Jesus takes the time to listen to her. He talked, she listened…and gradually she overcame her own fears, her shame and she comes to recognise the presence of God.
Lent is a time of reflection, examining our own lives, and either continuing or starting anew a conversation with the Lord. You see, each of us is that woman. We, are invited and to each of us Jesus says, “come closer, stay awhile, let’s talk.”
And note that Jesus says not one word of condemnation to this woman. Oh yes, he clearly states the facts, but he never says to her, “why don’t you come back when you straighten your life out!” And you see, it’s this religious outsider, this woman of questionable morals, who is the first in John’s gospel that Jesus reveals himself and says, “I am the Messiah.”
Perhaps like this woman, you too, this Lent, are thirsty. She tried to fill the emptiness in her life with 5 husbands. Didn’t work. Rarely works to fill the emptiness inside with “things,” even though most of us try. She was living in shame and fear, and she tries desperately to get away from this preacher. But Jesus does not let her walk away so easily. Somehow he manages to convince her that, whatever her past history was, God still loves her and forgives her. Perhaps, she hadn’t believed that for years. And because he was able to convince her, she began to let down her defenses and tell him the story of her life. And that was the beginning of her conversion.
The gospel today is filled with these images of water: water from wells and Living Waters; the waters of baptism that give us new life, and new way of living. But really, what do you thirst for? How do you try to quench that thirst?
Ultimately, the key to the Gospel today is in Jesus first words, “Give me a drink.” Because you see Jesus too is thirsty, but he is thirsty, for you. And so no matter how you have tried to fill your own thirsts in the past, Jesus says to each of you, “I forgive you, I love you, come closer, stay awhile.”
You see brothers and sisters, we too must go to the well. The woman at the well in the gospel eventually said “yes” to Jesus‘ call What will you say?
