Tags
Christianity, Jesus, love, sin
I am the woman at the well.
I see someone I fear to approach; what would one like him have to do with one like me? But he speaks to me. I do not want to speak back. I am a sinner, I am an outsider; who am I that he should speak to me? When I do, I do not know what to say that will not condemn me. I am working. The man needs the water from the well, and my job, among many, is to get it for him; he will be waiting; he may be angry with me if I am late. Yet this man insists on engaging me in conversation. He wants water from me too; another man who wants something from me?
But as I talk to him it is not what I think. I cannot take in all his words. What is this water he has? How can he offer it to me when he wants something from me? What is it he really wants? He seems to be offering me something; he wants something from me, but it is something good for me. I don’t understand. Then he asks me what I had feared.
When he asks for my husband I have to tell him I have none; but he knows, he knows the truth. I have sought to parry the truth, to hide it. The man I am with is not my husband, though I have had many; this one is not one of them. I am a sinner. Now he knows that he will not give me that water. He is telling me that neither on the mountain nor in Jerusalem is the worship of God to be confined. We will worship him in the Spirit. I am moved, strangely moved, and I tell him I know the Messiah will come and will teach. He tells me it is him. I believe. I do not know why, but it all makes sense somehow; something within me wells up; is it that water of which he spoke?
Then the other Jews turn up. I can see in their eyes their distaste. They know what I am; they despise me. They wonder why the Rabbi is even talking to the likes of me. But I don’t care. I go back to the town telling them who I have met. I don’t notice I have left the water jar behind me; I don’t need that water, I have the living water inside me.
He comes into the town. I am amazed. He stays with us. To be near him is enough; I hunger and thirst now only for him. As he speaks and acts, I see that others too come to see what I see in him. They too see he is the Messiah. I wonder whether the Jews with him see this. I see that some of them do. That headstrong fisherman who seems to be their leader sees it, I can see it in his eyes and his actions; that young man who is so close to Him, he too, sees it; but I do not think that the man who holds the common purse sees it at all; I don’t like or trust him.
It was all long ago now, and I tell my grandchildren of him. We worshipped him before he was crucified; we worshipped him after the Resurrection. He is God. His Spirit is with me. That moment at the well changed my life; it changed the world. Though I was a sinner He loved me; that opened my heart to something which bubbles up in it even this day.
All Along the Watchtower 
Hi, good post makes you think, I truly enjoyed it.
I love this scripture I’ve read it over and over and every time I find something new.
I love how this scripture shows up that race or location of where we worship doesn’t matter but that we worship in “truth & Spirit”
How it clearly shows that salvation which was of the Jews came to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus with no prejustice to anyone and is aviliable to the true of heart.
22″Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”
23″But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him”
That God is a Spirit He is not found confined to a building or in a any idol of wood clay or metal
24:”God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”
The fact that Jesus is available for ALL Jew or Gentile bond or free , male or female we are all one in Christ Gal 3:28
And that the foot of the cross is equal for everyone.
I thank God for that grace, thanks again for the post God bless 😊
LikeLike
Thank you so much – I agree, and am glad you liked it 🙂 x
LikeLike
I recall our late pp saying that the ‘Woman’ went to the well to get water at a time when the other women would not be there, as she would be seen by them as a ‘pariah’.
(I often identify with the leper who was healed and who returned to give thanks to Jesus.)
LikeLike
That’s a very good point Francis – and yes, I am with you with the leper; I find it amazing that he loves me, and the least I can do is to love him and praise him. 🙂 x
LikeLike
Jess, I liked this a very great deal. You don’t often do these, but, I think you have a gift for it; you convey something of how it must have been very well – so thank you for sharing this. C
LikeLike
Thank you SO much – I always worry when doing these, so it is good to have the reassurance 🙂 xx
LikeLike
My pleasure – I see that others have also appreciated it – so take heart 🙂 x
LikeLike
Yes – and it is very kind of you all 🙂 xx
LikeLike
Jess, this is lovely. You have a gift for this kind of writing.
LikeLike
Oh thank you SO much. As I said to C, I worry a bit when I do these, so it is really sweet of you to reassure me 🙂 xx
LikeLike
And I will have to agree with C. and Rachel, when you do this, and you do it very effectively, it makes the story very, very effective. It brings so much more feeling to the story than the dry outline in the Scripture. You do this the best I’ve ever seen.
LikeLike
😳 – thank you so much, dearest friend. As you know, I get a bit concerned at seeming to take liberties, so am very happy that this one has gone down so well 🙂 xx
LikeLike
There’s that fetching girl, blushing again 🙂
I know you do but, what you really do with these is make them relatable for those who are not good at feeling from formal English. I liked it a lot, it moved me as well, dearest friend. 🙂 xx
LikeLike
That’s lovely to know. It is how I relate to them when I read such passages – comes, I guess, from the way I do the Rosary 🙂 xx
LikeLike
Could well be, it’s a presentation I’ve never seen elsewhere, and I would think, very effective. 🙂 xx
LikeLike
Thank you 🙂 xx
LikeLike
You’re welcome 🙂 xx
LikeLike
🙂 xx
LikeLike
🙂 xx
LikeLike
A wonderful piece Jessica. The woman at the Well is us and we are all sinners and our self -esteem is broken. We are too short, too tall, to limited in many ways.
When we met the Lord at the Well of Life, He is enough for us. He is the enough!
LikeLike
He is soo, David – and I am so pleased you like it 🙂 xx
LikeLike
“I don’t need that water, I have the living water inside me.”
So it seems this living water is symbolic of the presence of Christ. So why do Catholics insist that the bread and wine change into physical stuff and not meaningfully symbolic in unchanged physical state as this passage indicates?
LikeLike
I think they are talking about two different things, perhaps? The bread and wine are Christ’s body and blood, not His Spirit? But I am no theologian and may be miles off 🙂 x
LikeLike
Without going into the theology of the Last Supper, if you could wouldn’t want to be able receive the Lord’s Body and Blood to help you sustain your life in Him? For me, and many others like me, everyday starts with Him, He is the true Break Fast.
LikeLike
Carl, for your reading & educational pleasure.
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-real-presence
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-real-presence
http://www.americancatholic.org/Newsletters/CU/ac0996.asp
LikeLike
I understand the body vs spirit in Last Supper sacrament controversy as an old controversy that Protestant/Catholic debate seems will ever differ on the understanding. I also start the day with Him but in prayer only not in daily communion as Presbyterians do sacrament 4 times a year only. I have on occasion taken Communion at Catholic church with friends and I suppose it really doesn’t matter spiritual presence or physical presence. What matters is renewal, reconnection, and refreshment.
Steve, I VERY much appreciate the sites you have referenced for my review and that you took the time to reply. Regards.
LikeLike
jesus approaches woman at the well without her even asking…i ask and jesus never shows himself to me. so i attempt to surrender myself to jesus. AND HE STILL DOESN’T SHOW!!! JESUS HATES!!! STOP CALLING HIM “LOVE”!!! IT MAKES YOU AN IDIOT WHEN YOU SAY GOD LOVES PEOPLE WHEN HE ONLY LOVES CERTAIN PEOPLE!!! STOP LYING TO ME!!! AND STOP FEEDING OTHER JUDGMENTAL PEOPLE HERE YOUR LIES AS WELL!!!
stupid christians. they just can’t see the wounds, the voids, the holes, the emptiness. they will never understand, they will never see, they will never care.
LikeLike
It is because we see the wounds, the voids and the holes that we care; no one can look on Christ on the Cross, or hear his cry about being forsaken without also caring. If you have a view of how God should show himself to you, it will be wrong. God shows himself where we least expect to see him, not in our regard for ourselves, but in service to others. If we see our faith as a form of therapy, we see it wrongly. It is not personal therapy, it is salvation, and if we expect not to suffer, we are in the wrong place. Love will always suffer in this world.
LikeLike
god shows himself to you…why not me? did i ever say it was “therapy”?
LikeLike
No, you didn’t, but sometimes it seems as though you think it might be; and as for him showing himself to me, glimpses and a sense of inner certainty are what I have – and I wish you had too 🙂 xx
LikeLike
it’s because i see how much meaning your life has with him even though you suffer and i just want that same experience. i want certainty but it feels as if god wants me to reach for it…
LikeLike
You can only do what you have the Grace to do, my friend xx
LikeLike
i haven’t been endowed with any such grace
LikeLike
I can only pray you will be 🙂 x
LikeLike
but that means i can’t do anything at all…
LikeLike
We can, none of us, work our own salvation – we can only believe and pray.
LikeLike
but a) believing is hard and b) the sacraments contain god’s grace and since i’ve never had a sacrament, i don’t have that grace and never will have it…jesus might love you but he doesn’t love me.
LikeLike
Faith is hard – but He does love you 🙂 x
LikeLike
so basically, i have to fight in order to believe…and no spiritual aids like you have. i give up.
LikeLike
Surrendering oneself to God is no bad thing, bless you 🙂 xx
LikeLike
but that takes faith and we’re back to square one.
LikeLike
Sometimes faith comes with the quietness – I pray it is with you 🙂 x
LikeLike
thank you auntie jess.
LikeLike
You know you are in my prayers, always 🙂 x
LikeLike
you are sweet to me even when i’m a demon to you.
LikeLike
That is Christian love in action, my friend – I just want The Lord to comfort you 🙂 x
LikeLike
thank you auntie
LikeLike
An honour and a privilege to know you 🙂 x
LikeLike
but we’ve never met.
LikeLike
I don’t need to to know that you are a fine person who has a struggle because Satan wants to keep you from God 🙂 x
LikeLike
but you said you knew me…
LikeLike
I know what is important about you xx
LikeLike
you took me off moderation?
LikeLike
Yes, I trust you not to be bad 🙂 x
LikeLike
aw…i’m going to miss the paternalism (or in this case maternalism). it was nice to have everything i say be approved of by the boss herself. made me feel like the boss’s right hand agent. how do i get back on moderation?
LikeLike
I hope you don’t 🙂 x
LikeLike
can i request to be put back on moderation?
LikeLike
OK – will do 🙂 Jess
LikeLike
thanks!
LikeLike
Done – though it will slow things up for you 🙂 x
LikeLike
i need slow.
LikeLike
I enjoyed this Jess. And yes, I think to Carl’s point, one needs to remove often the barriers we erect (or the covering of the well) so that it does not become contaminated with the desires of our fallen nature and corrupted by the sand of the world. Christ has given us the Living Water but we are free to ignore it, contaminate it, and drink from the well of our desires. It is Christ’s great gift that we are not only reminded but that the Glorified Christ is there for us in the Eucharist to break through the walls that separate us, that we might rely on this Living Water and want for nothing. To rely on Him and understand that we cannot rely on ourselves or any other for anything is to keep us in mind that He is our All in All and that He is always with us and wants us to receive and perceive Himself as such at all times. The Living Water awaits our freewill dependence and the realization that we can do nothing without Him. Communion is a renewal of Christ’s active Life within our soul and the more we remind ourselves of it and the more we do, the more He gives Himself to us. He only fills the cisterns fully that are empty. If we are half full with our own pride and self-reliance then perhaps we need reminders that there is much more He would like to fill up within our souls. Each time we receive worthily and with reverence, we hopefully empty our vessels a bit more and let Him fill it a bit more. “If you do not eat My Body or Drink My Blood, you have not life in you.” It seems that He knows our capacity of letting the Good Gifts given to us either fade away or become buried by our pride and our sins. So we are given the Manna from Heaven to give us strength to clean out a space within our souls that Christ might enthrone Himself unimpeded. The Living Waters are thus made to flow unimpeded in our lives and our thirst is quenched for it becomes a spring that not only satisfies us but might also be shared in our lives with others who thirst for righteousness.
LikeLike
Very true, dear friend, and how often we dilute that pure water with the dregs of our own passions; how I pray for that spirit of obedience so that it is always His will and not mine that I do.
LikeLike
Indeed so. If it were that Living Water or Baptism or the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit were not impeded, then there would be no need for our Sacraments. But we do not lose our concupiscence and our pride when we receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism and we eradicate original sin. They persist as does our pride. But they are still efficacious and for must of us we need continual help throughout our lives not just a one-off application that makes us a new man. It dwells there in our soul alright: but we have to do something and we need God to prompt us to do something and to continue the work He starts in our souls.
LikeLike
It is so, and one reason I find confession such a comfort, because it clears out some of those toxins on a regular basis; it is why I need communion too, as without the bread and wine I am not fed with his body and his blood; and without that food I shall surely die.
LikeLike
That is true. He sustains us, He bears with us in our trials, He feeds us with Himself and He gives to us an eternal spring of water than does not satisfy the body which dies: He gives us a far better water that quenches the thirst of the soul that was made to live with Him forever. Thankfully, when we fall, we can keep returning to the Source of Life by repentance, amending our lives and feeding ourselves on the Glorified Christ Who is Him that holds us into being and will do so for eternity if we only let Him.
LikeLike
It is so, dear friend – and how ungrateful we are so often.
LikeLike
Not to mention slothful to our duties.
LikeLike
Better not mention that 🙂 x
LikeLike
Probably right, friend. 🙂 x
LikeLike
There’s just so much in today’s Gospel, isn’t there? Very encouraging – just when needed 🙂 x
LikeLike
There is indeed. Now if we can only get good sermons to bring out the gold that is present in the readings. 🙂 x
LikeLike
Yes, indeed. I liked C’s readings today. There is so much in the Fathers. David will let us have Fr Joe’s homily tomorrow too 🙂 xx
LikeLike
I like the Father’s so much more than most of the contemporary preaching: though there are a few who are quite good and make a significant contribution. 🙂 xx
LikeLike
I agree 🙂 xx
LikeLike
You missed last week’s as C published The Frst Week Lent TWICE. So you’ll get Fr. Bill’s last week again and this week Fr. Joe was the Celebrant and our Deacon, whose name escapes me, gave the homily. It was good but not his best.
LikeLike
BTW: concerning your conversation with NES: if it is ‘certainty’ he looks for, he negates ‘faith.’ Every saint, has had the feeling of complete abandonment of God as did Christ Himself. If you want certainty, you won’t find it unless you are either in Heaven, Purgatory or Hell. In the interim we have been given the Grace to develop the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. That is all there is: and those who delude themselves to thinking that God must ‘show Himself’ or ‘prove Himself’ to them personally are far from understanding what is required: when we have empirical evidence and proof we are not exercising faith, hope, love and freewill which is something that proves absolutely nothing to God about ones willingness to give up all and search the depths of their soul for the Truth which is God and the nature of self which is opposed to Truth. The two are far apart and it requires humility, first and foremost to develop the theological virtues so necessary for our salvation and eternal happiness.
LikeLike
Very beautiful, Jessica.
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Jeff 🙂 xx
LikeLike
WHY WON’T YOU TELL ME WHAT BELIEF IS?!?
LikeLike
Belief is that steady refusal to give in to doubt, and trusting that God is who the Bible says He is – even when you cannot see or feel it. xx
LikeLike
then i cannot believe…
LikeLike
And I am sorry for it.
LikeLike
i want to believe, i just feel like you’re sending me mixed signals. you tell me not to listen to the protestants i’m surrounded by yet you then define belief exactly as they do. my individual effort fighting doubt to get to god. you have always had access to god’s grace since an infant. but now that i’m an adult, god is forcing me to fight to get to him no matter where i turn to…
LikeLike
The difference is that they seem to be telling you that you must keep on knocking; I am suggesting you carry on listening. There is no magic in baptism – God knows your desire, and that will do my friend. xx
LikeLike
i don’t know what that looks like though. they use the term “listen” as well. there are two languages being spoken using the same exact words and i process both as “gibberish”. i’m having trouble…
LikeLike
I can understand that. My view would be that if you want to believe in God and what the Bible says, no one can stop you, just as they can’t if you don’t. This isn’t saying you have to button-hole God, it is to say he is there for you, even if you can’t feel him xx
LikeLike
then what’s the use of the sacraments? i don’t know what to believe about anything. again, NO MATTER WHERE I GO…MY BELIEF IS MY OWN INDIVIDUAL PUSH TO REACH GOD! i don’t want to try reaching god any more, I WANT HIM TO ACTUALLY REACH ME!
LikeLike
The sacraments will help us, of course they will, but do not take their absence from your life as a sign you are cut off from God – Jesus shed His blood for you and for many for the forgiveness of our sins xx
LikeLike
it feels like i’m cut off from the fullness of experiencing him…watching my team play right now (beating number one team right now) though and started reading fr. copleston’s history of philosophy: vol. 1: greece and rome last night and that helps distract the spiritual pain.
LikeLike
I often feel that, and in this vale of tears I accept it as part of the Cross.
Glad your team is doing well – mine is at the top of the Football League here and if this carries on I shall have a glass of cider 🙂 xx
LikeLike
we fell behind but took it into overtime but lost…we’re 6 points up now though in the playoff race and tied for second in our division now (and by default in second due to tie-breaking procedures).
it feels that god is making me fight in order to get to the sacraments which you say helps so i don’t think god really loves me. and i haven’t been experiencing god in the liturgies so i stopped going again…only the baptised can actually experience god in the liturgies and since belief is required for baptism to be effective, i’ve given up all hope. i’d much rather be in hell now.
LikeLike