The Woman at the Well

Today’s Gospel is one of my favorite as it is the beautiful story of Jesus and the Woman at the Well (John 4: 4 – 42).  It is a story of a woman who goes to the common well early in the morning as she is shunned by society.  She goes to the well when she knows that no one will be around.  One morning she is surprised to meet Jesus there.

Jesus does not judge her as so many other people have.  He reaches out to her in compassion and mercy.  I am sure that she had an experience that changed her life forever.  The woman had a difficult life and I am quite certain that she would have preferred to be alone.  Jesus did not force, accuse or judge her he spoke to her and gently challenged her to change her ways.  We, too, are called not to be judgmental to reach out to others with compassion.  Jesus gives us the model of how we should act in every situation we need to simply follow the model.

Pat Schifini, OSU