“the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”
In this Gospel, we see the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist). The woman at the well is being initiated into the Life of Christ, in this personal encounter with Jesus. The water that Jesus gives, which represents baptism, has a purpose - to bring her and us to eternal life. This water wells up inside of us, nourishing us, and giving us salvation, with the ultimate end of eternity in heaven. As we “work on this salvation” [1] the waters of life, welling up inside us cannot help but spill over, as we give honor and glory to God. The waters of life are therefore not only for our salvation, but are also to be shared with others for their salvation. We can truly pray Psalm 23, “You set a table before me, as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” [2] Baptism is the beginning of the “welling up” which is continued and strengthened in Confirmation as the priest “anoints my head with oil.” Our cup overflows when we live out the words of Saint Paul, “whether we eat or whether we drink, let us do all for the honor and glory of God.” [3]
What are the similarities between the well and the Cross? Jesus on the Cross says, “I thirst.” [4] Jesus says at the well, “Give me a drink.” At the well He shows us His thirst for the soul of one woman, but He thirsts not just her soul, but for each individual. On the Cross, He again shows us His thirst for each soul.
What was on the mind of Christ when He was suffering and dying? It was our soul. He did not call out for relief, comfort or in angry cries, but instead calls to us, calls for our soul. When He was thirsty on Calvary, we can be sure that Jesus remembered his thirst at the well and the generosity of the woman who gave him something better than a drink of water. She gave Him her soul. We can also be sure that, when He was thirsty on Calvary, each offering of faith, hope and love that we make, each sacrifice, each prayer is a pleasing drop of cool water. At the well, the woman beheld a man. This man is at first a stranger to her. She then respects Him, calling Him “sir.” She moves on to call Him, prophet and then even says, “Could he possibly be the Christ?” The well is for her and for us, a process of beholding the man. Before the Passion and Death of the Cross, the first of fourteen stations, Pilate asks all of us to “Behold the Man.” [5] “Upon the Cross, Jesus prays Psalm 22. “Like water, my life drains away; all my bones grow soft. My heart has become like wax, it melts away within me. As dry as a potsherd [clay] is my throat; my tongue sticks to my palate; you lay me in the dust of death.” [6] At the well Jesus says, “the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” On the Cross Jesus says, “Like water, my life drains away.” The water that Jesus gives is the spring of blood and water from his side that well up to eternal life. On the Cross, the fountain of living water, becomes as dry as clay, as He gives His life away. On the Cross, the very God that breathed life into Adam [7], has his breath taken from him through three hours of suffocation.
What does the blood and water symbolize? The water is the Sacrament of Baptism in which we enter into the life of Christ; it is the door of salvation. His side is opened so that we may enter into His Body, as into the Church and lay our head upon His Sacred Heart as did Saint John the apostle at the Last Supper. The Blood is the Eucharist. During the Mass, prior to receiving the Sacred Body, the priest says the inaudible prayer, “May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.” Then he takes the chalice and says quietly: “May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.” [8] In the Extraordinary Form of the Latin Rite the communicant does not say Amen but instead while receiving the Host, the priest prays before each communicant, “May the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ preserve thy soul unto life everlasting. Amen.” [9] At the Mass we are living out the words of Jesus to the woman at the well. “The water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” It is baptism that begins our journey to eternal life and the Eucharist that is food for the journey. Both priest and the faithful alike understand the necessity of the prayer, “keep me safe for eternal life,” and “preserve thy soul unto life everlasting.” The woman at the well would never know that the words spoken to her on that simple day would be lived out every hour of every day, through the faithful daily communicants at the Mass.
Where do we see the power of water and Jesus as the spring of water in the Church? We see this most perfectly in the Rite of Baptism. During the Rite of Baptism, the priest or deacon will bless the water saying, “Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs, which tells us the wonders of your unseen power. In Baptism we use your gift of water, which you have made a rich symbol of the grace you give us in this sacrament. At the very dawn of creation your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. The waters of the great flood you made a sign of the waters of Baptism, that make an end of sin and a new beginning of goodness. Through the waters of the Red Sea you led Israel out of slavery, to be an image of God's holy people, set free from sin by Baptism. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. Your Son willed that water and blood should flow from his side as he hung upon the cross. After his resurrection he told his disciples: ‘Go out and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ Father, look now with love upon your Church, and unseal for her the fountain of Baptism. By the power of the Spirit give to the water of this font the grace of your Son. You created man in your own likeness: cleanse him from sin in a new birth to innocence by water and the Spirit.” [10]
The Sacraments of Initiation prepare us to give the gift of self, our vocation to God and to others. “The woman left her water jar and went into the town.” We go into the world, giving the gift of self in many ways especially through our state in life, in the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders. The woman at the well shows us that the Sacramental Life is the Life of Christ.
God has given us so much. What do we give to God? The morning offering sums up what we give to God. We give God our prayer. Prayer is the lifting up of our hearts and minds to God. We talk to Him and listen to Him. We give God our works. We have plenty of them, from jobs, to chores, to studies, to activities. We give God our joy. We can share our joy with Him, especially by thanking, praising and giving Him glory. We give God our sufferings. We offer them up. We do this most perfectly at the Mass or in connection with the Mass. At the Mass, the priest prays alone, “With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.” The priest then prays, “Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.” The people then rise and reply: “May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.” [11]
What happens when we fail to praise and bless the Lord? If we fail to praise and bless the Lord with our thoughts, words and actions we are not living out the first petition of the Our Father, “Hallowed be Thy Name.” “In this petition we pray that God may be known, loved and served by all mankind and that His name may never be profaned by blasphemy, cursing or irreverent use in speech or writing. We are asking that people should honor God for what He really is: the All-Holy One.” [12] We also go against the first commandment, “I am Yahweh your God. You shall have no gods except me.” It is in our nature to give, to bless someone or something. If we, out of love, do not give and bless God we will give and bless someone or something other than God. When we give to someone, something or our self to the exclusion of God or in preference to God, we have committed idolatry. Saint Paul warns us of this. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.” [13]
[1] Philippians 2:12
[2] Psalm 23: 5
[3] 1 Corinthians 10:31
[4] John 19:28
[5] John 19:5
[6] Psalm 22:15-16
[7] Genesis 2:7
[8] The Order of the Mass I
[9] Roman Catholic Daily Missal [1962]; Ordinary of the Mass; Communion of the Faithful
[10] Roman Catholic Rite of Baptism; Blessing and Invocation of God over Baptismal Water
[11] The Order of the Mass I
[12] Fr. John Hardon, S.J., Basic Catholic Catechism Course; Part XVI: The Lord’s Prayer; page 129
[13] Romans 1:25