Springs Of Living Water – An Encounter With Jesus The Messiah At The Well
As we continue through Lent, we are invited to deepen our relationship with Jesus through prayer, repentance, and acts of mercy. One of the most powerful encounters with Christ in the Gospels takes place in John chapter 4, verses 5-42, where Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at a well and reveals to her the living water of eternal life. This encounter holds many lessons for us as we journey through Lent, seeking to encounter Christ in our own lives.
Firstly, we can learn from the Samaritan woman’s openness to encounter Jesus. She was a woman of Samaria, a people despised by the Jews, and she had come to the well at noon when most people would avoid the heat of the day. Yet Jesus approaches her and asks for a drink of water, initiating a conversation that will change her life forever. Like the Samaritan woman, we too are invited to be open to encountering Jesus, even in unexpected places and at unexpected times. We may be surprised at where he shows up in our lives, but if we are open and receptive, we can receive the living water of his grace.
Secondly, we can learn from the Samaritan woman’s honesty about her own brokenness. When Jesus asks her to go and call her husband, she admits that she has no husband and that she has had five husbands in the past. Jesus does not condemn her for her past, but instead reveals to her his own identity as the Messiah, the one who can offer her living water that will quench her thirst forever. Like the Samaritan woman, we too are invited to be honest about our own brokenness and sinfulness during this Lenten season, and throughout our lives. We can come to Jesus with our failures and weaknesses, knowing that he will not condemn us, but instead, offer us the mercy and forgiveness we need to be healed.
Thirdly, we can learn from the Samaritan woman’s response to encountering Jesus. She leaves her jar at the well and goes into the town, telling everyone she meets about the man she has just encountered and inviting them to come and see for themselves. She becomes a witness to the transformative power of Jesus in her life. Like the Samaritan woman, we too are invited to be witnesses to the power of Christ in our lives, both through our words and our actions. We can share our stories of encountering Jesus with others, inviting them to come and see for themselves the living water of his grace.
Finally, we can learn from the Samaritan woman’s example of worship. When the people of the town come to see Jesus, they too are transformed by his presence, and they declare, “We know that this is truly the Savior of the world” (John 4:42). Like the Samaritan woman and the people of the town, we too are invited to enter into worship during this Lenten season, recognizing Jesus as the Savior of the world, and offering him our praise and adoration. We can participate in the liturgies and devotions of the Church, and also make time for personal prayer and reflection, deepening our relationship with Christ and growing in our love for him.
As we journey through the third week of Lent, may we be open to encountering Jesus in unexpected places and at unexpected times. May we be honest about our brokenness and sinfulness, and receive his mercy and forgiveness. May we be witnesses to the transformative power of Christ in our lives, and offer him our worship and praise. And may we drink deeply of the living water of his grace, that we may be refreshed and renewed for the journey ahead.
Let Us Pray:
Heavenly Father, as we journey through this Lenten season, we ask for the grace to encounter your Son, Jesus, in our lives. May we be open and receptive to his presence, even in unexpected places and at unexpected times. May we be honest about our own brokenness and sinfulness, and receive his mercy and forgiveness. May we be witnesses to the transformative power of Christ in our lives, and offer him our worship and praise. And may we drink deeply of the living water of his grace, that we may be refreshed and renewed for the journey ahead. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
