Jesus' encounter with a Samarian Woman (the Woman at the Well) is the focus for this Sunday.

The lectionary readings for this Sunday are: Exodus 17:1–7; Psalm 95 (UMH 814); Romans 5:1–11; John 4:5–42

Mary Thomas
Laity, Temple, Beckley

The level of discomfort due to the scorching heat experienced during the October, 2019 pilgrimage to the Holy Land is seared into my memory.  For the first time, I understood the degree of physical discomfort of the children of God wandering in the wilderness that led to their forgetfulness of God’s presence and care and motivating their outcry against Moses and the Lord.  It would be difficult to say how many bottles of water were consumed during the seven days of travel by the 42 other “pilgrims” and I, as well as our guide, while we visited various sites and sought greater understanding of our Lord’s experience on earth, as well as the “cloud of witnesses” preceding us.

Approaching the well of Jacob (Bronze Age years of 1836-1689 B.C.) from which his family drew water for themselves and their livestock and where Jesus, several centuries later, initiated conversation with a Samaritan woman in the scorching heat of that day at noon was a high point of the trip for me.  That well still provides clear cool refreshing water ... and I indulged in a drink!

The physical presence of this nearly 4,000 year-old well protected by the Greek Orthodox Church built around it is an awesome witness to the spiritual concept of “living water” Jesus offered the Samaritan woman (and offers all people today) explaining that all who accepted Him as the Christ would experience “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” and “will never thirst” again.

The question for us is whether we share the good news of “living water” with people we encounter,  as the Samaritan woman did.  As we continue our Lenten journey, may we find our hearts quickened by the Holy Spirit to renew our witness of the Lord, so that others may never thirst again.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the gift of living water provided by Your grace, even while we were/are sinners.  Lead us to witness that gift of grace to people we encounter, as did the Samaritan woman.  In the Name of Jesus, amen.