Thirsting for relationship

Thirst for water runs through our readings this Sunday. In the book of Exodus, the people were driven by their thirst to grumble against Moses and ultimately against God. They question whether God is really with them. The Holy One hears their complaints and gives them water which flows from the rock. But the incident and place will forever be marked as Meribah and Massah — the place of quarreling and testing. Psalm 95 recounts this place “where your fathers tempted me and tested me though they had seen my works” and the psalmist instructs us to “hear God’s voice and not to harden our hearts.”

Water and thirst follow us into the Gospel reading. Jesus goes to Jacob’s well in search of a drink. There he has a most unusual ­encounter. He approaches a Samari­tan woman and asks for water. This is very unusual because he is a man talking publicly to an unaccompanied woman and because she is a Samaritan and he is a Jew. There is a long history of acrimony there! The woman is feisty and she reminds Jesus he is not supposed to be talking to her. But Jesus draws her into conversation by offering her living water. The woman has a sarcastic comeback — reminding Jesus that he has no bucket and he certainly is not like the patriarch Jacob! Again, Jesus attempts a deeper encounter promising a “spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman is focused on actual water that won’t have to be drawn and carried. So Jesus shares something very personal with her — her marital status — which is the reason why she is out in the heat of the day to get water. Jesus has touched a nerve; she goes from calling him “sir” to saying that he must be a prophet. This is a big leap. Still she retorts by reminding Jesus about the division in worship: Samaritans worshiped on Mt. Gerizim; “you people” (Jews) worship in Jerusalem. Jesus patiently leads her to see that true worshipers will worship the Father “in Spirit and in truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him.” It seems that Jesus has finally caught her full attention. She refers to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, “who will tell us everything.” Jesus proclaims, “I am he …” This is the first of the I Am statements used in the Gospel of John, a powerful reference to the divine name which was given to Moses.

Now the woman is totally overwhelmed and leaves her water jar to return to town! This is a symbolic gesture that shows she has left her life of separation from her community and she embarks on a new way of life. Her proclamation is humble and simple, “Come see a man who has told me everything I have done, could he possibly be the Christ?” Her preaching is very effective! The town’s people went out to meet Jesus and they began to believe in him, on the strength of her word. Jesus visited with them for two more days and many more came to believe in him — not only on her word but because they had “heard for themselves.”

This Gospel passage has a rich meaning for us. It’s important to reflect on the woman’s journey to faith in Jesus. This is shown by how she addresses him — first “sir” then as a “prophet” and finally as the Christ. She progresses from being very formal and impersonal to being filled with his message and his love. How about our understanding of whom Jesus is for us? Are we deepening our relationship with him through prayer, the sacraments, the scriptures and our encounters with others? Encounter is so important to Jesus. He always offers us living water that can satisfy our thirst for his life and love. He always desires conversation that will open our eyes and hearts to his presence alive in our world.

Our Lenten journey to the well of friendship with Jesus revives and refreshes us as we go out to proclaim that he is “truly the savior of the world!”