This weekend’s liturgy, and the liturgies for the next two weekends, present long readings from the gospel of John. Each reading is a reflection on some aspect of the paschal mystery, that is, the death and resurrection of the Lord. Today’s gospel, the story of the woman at the well (John 4:5-42), tells us something about the meaning of baptism, confirmation, and Holy Communion – the three sacraments of initiation. Jesus meets the woman at the well, asks for a drink, and then they have this friendly banter. You can almost see them having some fun with it, going back and forth talking about water, then living water, and then getting a drink. It is like a game of riddles – until Jesus throws in the zinger about the woman’s sinful history with six different men. Then the conversation turns more serious. Jesus begins telling her about salvation. She gets all excited, forgets about the well water, runs off, tells the people of the town to come and listen to the prophet at the well. The disciples show up, while she runs off, and Jesus tells more riddles to his disciples about food to eat that they don’t know about. In the end, the people from the town arrive, listen to Jesus, and come to faith in him. As always, there is a lot more going on here than meets the eye. Lots of symbols. Lots of meaning.
The first symbol is the “living water.” It refers both to the sacrament of Baptism and to the Holy Spirit conferred in baptism and confirmation and all the gifts we receive from those sacraments. When Jesus begins to explain living water to the woman, he does so by talking about worshipping God in Spirit and in truth. Worship is the fundamental purpose for our creation. Worship is about being in relationship with God. We are in relationship with God by receiving His gifts to us and then offering them back with thanksgiving. Let me say that again. We are in relationship with God by receiving his gifts to us and then offering them back with thanksgiving. This is the essence of worship in spirit and in truth. We do this at Mass. In fact, the word, “eucharist” means “to give thanks and praise”. The Mass teaches us about a basic attitude we can apply to everything we do. To worship in Spirit is to truthfully acknowledge God’s gifts to us and give thanks. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us worship at Mass with grateful hearts, and to go forth as grateful people.
The second symbol is the “Food about which you do not know.” Remember how Jesus confused his disciples when they asked him if he was hungry and he said in reply “I have food about which you do not know.” This “food” that Jesus mentions refers to the Eucharist and its effect in our lives. The story of the Last Supper, in the gospel of John, does not include the institution narrative. It does, however, uniquely include the story of the washing of feet. That is to say, Eucharist turned into action. After all, we Catholics believe the biblical truth that we are saved by faith with the evidence of works. Jesus talks about the food that means doing the will of God and finishing his work. Then he gives the example of the harvest, obviously referring not to crops but to people. Helping other people come to faith in Jesus. Bringing people to faith in Jesus is part of the good works that Jesus wants us to accomplish. Jesus wants us to help people receive the living water of baptism and the Holy Spirit. To receive the true food of the Eucharist that strengthens us to do God’s will. Have we ever helped somebody to convert to faith in Jesus and to be baptized, confirmed, and receive first Eucharist? The truth of the matter is that God always wants to work, through us, to bring others to faith. We just need to have willing hearts. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit for opportunities to help others come to faith in Jesus.
The third symbol in the story is the woman herself. She represents you and me, sinful humanity in need of salvation. Notice that she was there getting water in the heat of the day, not in the morning when the respectable women of the town would gather together. She was obviously something of an outcast in her town. Jesus talks to her, in and of itself something remarkable, because Jews didn’t talk with Samaritans and men didn’t converse with women at the well. That simply wasn’t done. But Jesus does speak with her, in a friendly, even playful way. Then, Jesus tells her of her sins, but not in a way that judges or condemns her – even more remarkable. He just says that he knows her and repeats his offer of living water. The water of worship that wipes away past sins. That washes away guilt and regret. The water of the Holy Spirit that brings us into communion with God and with the saints. The flow of the Holy Spirit that sends us to tell others about how Jesus saves us from our sins. The woman at the well was transformed by her encounter, from shame to joy. And then she became a joyful witness and brought the whole town to faith in Jesus.
God wants us to have that same joy. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit for the gift of that same joyful witness of the good news of Jesus Christ.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!