Woman at the Well

The Samaritan Woman at the Well story is decidedly rich with images and theology.  Sort of like an icon, one could sit before it for days and days and be moved by its meaning and depth.  Almost immediately we are told that the Jews and Samaritans are not close.  Besides this we have Jesus, a man, speaking to a woman.  So the stage is set for a theological tension; and there will be teaching.

The woman here is a broken person.  She is gathering water in the middle of the day's heat, alone, with no one to help her.  As Jesus speaks with her, we come to know of her history which involves five husbands, and presently a living situation with a man which  does not sound appropriate.  Apparently her neighbors and kin want nothing to do with her.  We can only assume that her searching for meaning, purpose, and love, in her life has left her scarred and hurting.

Jesus does not see the social or religious differences, nor does he see her as a sinner, but as a child of God who has lost her way, dignity, and sense of value.  As he begins to speak with her his words begin to break down all of the barriers and fear as she starts the new journey into transformation.  We will see that as she recognizes Jesus for who he is, and most importantly what he means for her life, she will become a proclaimer of Good News to those in her village.

It was Fr. Henri Nouwen who suggested that response to the world is so full simple solutions and easy answers to the deep needs of life, that we end up pushing away prayer, reflection, and meditation.  We do not take time to ponder God.  So then we end up roaming from one bright light to a loud sound, never discovering who Jesus really is.

Oh sure we have our grade school level understanding of Jesus that we carry around from one place to another.  But this relationship is usually no deeper than a finger bowl and cannot respond to the needs of our adult relationships, sickness, disease, death, and all of the other chaos or crisis we face.  So we attach ourselves to unhealthy sexual relationships, because we think its love, alcohol makes us not feel, and money and power make us feel powerful. 

Jesus offers us the Father in heaven and eternal healing.  When we gather around the altar we take care to note that we are not worthy of the sacred gift we are to receive.  But Jesus makes us worthy.  The love and mercy of the Father are more powerful than we can understand.  Jesus stands there before us asking for a drink, all the while wanting us to enter the living water.