Here in Canada most of us turn a tap and we have water without even thinking about it. One of the downfalls of this winter has been frozen pipes so that hundreds of home have been without water. On reserves, running water is not a given, and of course, in many countries women and children walk miles to collect water from a pump or the river and then return to their homes. Here in this photo, a man wheels jerry cans filled with water down a street.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks a Samaritan woman for a drink at a well. She is startled by a number of things. First of all as a male he addresses her directly and as a Jew, he should not be talking to her either. The encounter becomes even more confusing as he says that he can give her water that will cause her to thirst never again, and then goes on to tell her things about herself that he should not know.

Our encounters with the Christ can leave us momentarily dumbfounded but as in this case, they should never leave us that way. They should point us to the Living Water that is pure joy and make us thrill at the thought of drinking it. We should feel compelled to go and tell everyone that Someone has known us deeply and has changed us profoundly.

What encounter with Christ has changed you? What do you say about it when you tell others about it?

Peace,

Suzanne