Third Sunday of Lent – Year A  

This week we have the wonderful story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. It is another of the complex stories in John where he tries to make several deep theological points for his readers. Jesus has to come into the alien Samaritan territory because he must save all those who are vulnerable– as is the outcast woman at the well. He walks through the dust and the heat for miles so he can meet her where she is: at the well in the middle of the day.

Because she is there during the day, rather than when the women would gather together to draw water at the cooler dawn and dusk, indicates that she is a loner, gossiped about and rejected by the other women of the village. She has had five husbands and is not, perhaps a ‘good’ woman. But Jesus goes out of his way to meet her where she is– as she is. Society may judge us, family and ’friends’ may judge us but we need to keep looking to Jesus to see what the real truth about ourselves is: does he love us? After all, at the end, He is the only judge.

But the woman at the well, seems to have taken on the value judgments of other humans. She seeks water and refreshment, and Jesus points out that normal water will not really help her. Judged and alone, her heart is dry and empty. She has taken on several false perceptions abut herself and about religion. The temptations which separate us from God are not necessarily things (chocolate) but false ideas and lies. One false idea is that she is of less value and worth than other. Women. The other is that, to this rabbi, she is unworthy because she is not of the ‘right’ religion. But Jesus talks to her about one day everyone worshipping in spirit, not in one human built temple or another, one human designated mountain or another.

Again, the message of Jesus is that we are individually loved, and that God’s truth and love is more important than human cultural judgments. The encounter with Jesus is life changing for the woman. We do not know exactly what happens, but suddenly she realises that Jesus does know everything about her—and that that is OK. Suddenly all the shame and guilt have gone, she is at peace and so brimming over with joy at this new found freedom that she rushes off to share the good news with those who had rejected her.

One of the fabulous things about this story is how it displays the hunger, the thirst of God to be united with every lost person in the world.

It is Jesus who walks so far out of his way, the Greek says he ‘must’ go to her. And when he gets to the woman, he asks her “Give me to drink”. Of course, his human body wants water, but more importantly he wants her herself.

John’s Gospel conveys in vivid stories the deep spiritual theology of the Cross. The God who chose to come into human flesh to redeem that flesh, searches out the woman. And when he asks, ‘Give me to drink’, he is asking for more than water, he is asking for her response to him. The image of God in John is for a lover who desires each one of us, who will only be satisfied when each of us come into union with him and know his gentle love for us.

But we often don’t act as though God really wants us. We can be so bound up in our dislike of ourselves because of what people say about us, or so busy doing our own things, that we don’t look to see the God hungry for our company and presence.

So, this week, can you stop for a little while as turn to God. Picture yourself beside the well and the hot and dusty Jesus sitting beside you. He turns to you with eyes of compassion and love, he knows all about you and your struggles, your hurts, the things that have made you vulnerable. He knows how hard you have tried and how many times you have been let down. He sees all this and wants even more to love you, and for you to let him love you.

This week: What would it be like to spend some time in your imagination, sitting by that well, sensing the dust and the heat, and perhaps the fear and the vulnerability of the woman. What does she feel when she sees Jesus, what does she see in his face?  Take the Gospel passage and read it slowly in a quiet moment, and imagine yourself into it. Sense the love and longing of Jesus, ponder what you will reply when he asks you to give him something to drink. You don’t have to do anything, earn anything, be anything but be open to his hunger for your presence.

The wellspring of eternal life enters the dryness of the heart. Grace is the well spring, and grace brings the joy and new life.