Todays’ Gospel is an example of what our Church has been saying and our Patriarch has written to us in the program, “The Vibrant Parish”. It is an example of conversion. It is a lesson of how we can fulfill the needs of our soul. It is a road for us to follow on our way towards the living Christ.

The church is about the risen Christ. He is what we need. We, like the Samaritan woman, do not know this fully but in good faith we too come to believe and can be satisfied.

The story of the Samaritan woman helps us examine how we search for God.

Jesus is at the well, looking for water. The woman also needs water but in Jesus finds a friend and gets into a deep spiritual relationship with him.

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It is important to note how Jesus approaches this woman of considerable sin. He does not carry a bible in his hand. He does not tell her to repent or else she will go to hell. He just asks her for a cup of water- something he wants.

What starts as small talk ends up coming up with a deep discussion about questions of morals and faith. It is a very personal conversation and relationship.

She is just like us- not better or worse than the average person today. We all have our sins. We all need a personal relationship with God. We get that in prayer, scripture reading, and the Holy Eucharist. The more personal our relationship with Jesus is, the stronger is our faith becomes.

Jesus asks us to face the truth about ourselves. We cannot worship God with lies.

It is interesting to note how the woman changes the names she calls Jesus- First “Jew”, then “Sir”, then “Greater than Jacob”, then a “Prophet” and finally “Can this be the Christ?”

The reason for the change comes from her own history and her community history of conflict with the Jews.

Jesus points out that our need for food, water, money, and all the other things in life are not really the answers to our problems. We need something that Jesus has which will never make us thirsty again.

Jesus is the “well”, the “Spring” which is the source of life.

The more personal our relationship with Jesus is, the stronger is our faith becomes.

The woman is very poor in her relationships with men and people. She must straighten this out. That can only be done by a relationship with God.

Jesus asks us to face the truth about ourselves. We cannot worship God with lies. The woman leaves her jar at the well. The Apostles left their nets on the boats. Following Jesus means leaving our past behind.

He says, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and accomplish His work”.

People are influenced by what they see in their leaders, not just by what they say. They can put up with weaknesses and faults, if people are sincere. As with the woman, Jesus does not expect perfection, but rather an open heart.