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This week’s Gospel passage has two significant moments for our reflection. As we read the Scripture passage, like many others, the situation may seem relatively straight forward. Jesus chats with a woman at a well. As we have seen time and time again in the Scriptures, the real meaning in this passage is significantly deeper.

First, we find Jesus, tired from his journey, approach a woman at Jacob’s well asking her to draw him some water.

But there are two characteristics of this woman that do not play to her favor in society during Jesus’ time.

First, she is a woman but the more significant is that she is a Samaritan and there is no love loss between Jews and Samaritans. However, this does not matter to Jesus, his faith has required him to move beyond the societal norms and interact with a Samaritan woman who would have been greatly marginalized at this time.

Similarly, that is what Jesus calls us to do.

We are called to go beyond our comfort zones into the margins in society and care for those who society deems unworthy of care.

Second, Jesus informs this woman that she will be thirsty after drinking from the well, but she will not thirst again if she drinks the water Jesus would give her.

The same can be said for us. We will thirst until we drink of Jesus’ water. Our hearts will be restless until they rest in Jesus.

We will be a restless people until we have a relationship with Jesus. We need to seek out this water and we need to seek out Jesus in order for our lives to be at peace.

We too, as the people of God and as Lasallians, are called to find Jesus in those on the margins of society.