The woman at the well is an example of how God draws us more deeply into a conversation that has life-changing consequences. The meeting between Jesus and the woman reminds me of my Camino experience 20 years ago when I walked into a Spanish village and sat around the common well. Only the pilgrims were foolish enough to be out and about in the middle of the day. The rest of the village had shut their windows and doors to escape the heat and rest. Yet it is during this time of resting that we discovered the importance of remaining hydrated and we welcomed both the temporary shade and the refreshing water.
Yet like many discussions on the Camino people started to talk about everything and nothing. The beginning of the dialogue was noting what can separate us but also what can unite us. This starts with the everyday question of what will quench our thirst. It is a willingness to respond to our physical needs but it also touches on a thirst for meaning which will transform our discussions. We seek to encounter life-giving water that will fill us with hope.
As the encounter continues this touches on the various traditions between Jewish and Samaritan cultures and how we rely on our history and ritual to understand how we reach out to God. Yet in the midst of these insights, Jesus reveals how God reaches out to us so that we can worship spirit and truth. This allows us to see how our faith is built on this personal encounter with Jesus that allows us to bear witness to others in our lives. This revelation allows us to see how our prayer transforms our relationships with other not just for the good of ourselves. Our prayer draws us closer because God meets us in our openness to sit down and be present and listen.
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