I am sure we all have seen some poor soul standing on the corner with a sign “I’ll work for food”. While food and drink for many of us is a social luxury, for others, especially those who are marginalised in society, securing a daily meal is a constant challenge.
In the time of Jesus, food and safe drinking water were extremely scarce commodities, even more so in the summer desert heat. In today’s Gospel, we see a Samaritan woman who at midday, a time when the rest of the community was in the cooler shade of their homes, searching to fulfill the most basic human need: refreshing, life sustaining water. It is obvious that she was a marginalized outcast of her community. Why else would she be out alone during the hottest part of the day? On her way to Jacobs well, a very old, very deep artisan well that was fed by “living water” (flowing, bubbling underground springs), little did she realize she was heading for a divine encounter!
Jesus, traveling through the Samarian countryside, needed to rest and refresh himself. But Jesus came to the well for a more important purpose: to fulfill a need of the Samaritan woman far greater than water. All people, no matter who, or where or when, need to feel they are part of a community; to feel they are accepted;to feel loved and forgiven and to know that they are good; that they are a unique child of God. That sense and deep understanding unfortunately can be even scarcer to come by than water!
Jesus could see this “deeper thirst” in her, like so many in our own day who try to satisfy it with the false hope and false joy of engaging in drugs, sexuality, greed, or fame. When Jesus asks the woman “Let me have a drink”, he was saying that he was thirsting not for water as much as He was for her trust and her faith! And if she would reveal her innermost needs and concerns, no matter how long she has been burdened, no matter how “deep the well” they are buried, He will give her the “living water” that is His Holy Spirit! Only in Jesus would she find everlasting refreshment, acceptance, forgiveness and peace.
Do you feel marginalised, alone, needing a friend, or a little love? Are you in need of renewal, a clean start,refreshment? Jesus wants a divine encounter at “well of our hearts”; wanting to drink of our faith so He can fill us with the “living water” of the Spirit. Only by making it More of Him and Less of Me can we be fully satiated and satisfied.
I invite you to check our special section for the Season of Lent and some of the opportunities we are offering at our parish to connect. I also encourage you to check our special section for our Lenten Message Series - More of Him, Less of Me. We also have weekly videos for you to watch too.
I invite you to check our special section for the Season of Lent and some of the opportunities we are offering at our parish to connect. I also encourage you to check our special section for our Lenten Message Series - More of Him, Less of Me. We also have weekly videos for you to watch too.