Third Sunday of Lent: The Woman at the Well

John 4:5-42

This morning we read the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults readings which were the Scrutinies for those whom we will welcome into the Church in Easter.

Which brings us to the woman at the well. And her story of salvation.

We all know the story. A Samaritan woman is drawing water at noon because she was too socially abused to draw water at dawn with the rest of the women. Jesus comes up and asks for water and she scoffs at him because he's a Jewish man and should not be talking to her. When he starts talking about living water, she gets confused, kind of laughs at him, and asks him where he's going to get water without a bucket. But eventually, she understands and realizes that she's met the Messiah and runs back to the town to tell everyone. And she became a Jesus-lover.

Father Paul pointed out a few things about this story today. First, Jesus in this scene, on his way through Samaria with his disciples, is described as follows: "tired by the trip." So he sat down. Jesus, Son of God, human, exhausted, sits down by the well at noon and asks this woman for some water.
Do you ever feel like that? Tired by your journey, just wanting to sit and grab a drink and relax for a second? And this woman starts blathering about how you're not supposed to be talking to her. How would you have responded?

Jesus responded with kindness in his eyes. He told her about the living water. He opened his heart and welcomed her into the Kingdom.

Jesus never got water from this woman. Later, he never received food from the Disciples. This encounter satisfied him. It was food enough. He had suffered in the desert and now across Samaria. He would suffer so much more in a short time. And his response to this outcast?

Love. And kind eyes.

Try pulling your kind eyes out of your back pocket today and put your angry eyes away. Forever.

Have a kind day