A Woman in the GospelJune 02, 2025

A Woman in the Gospel

We all know the story of the woman at the well. We also know what kind of woman she was. Let’s just say she knew erotic love, or was searching for it in the many men she married. Well, love has to start someplace and it is usually in bodily attraction and bodily desire for union. So she was ostracized. She was a loner at that well. She came at noon, a time when no one would be there, in the heat of the day. There she was in the sun light, symbolic of conversion about to happen. (Remember Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and wasn’t converted.)

Jesus was sweaty and thirsty so he initiated the conversation by asking for water from the well. He had to lift the lid because wells were covered. She couldn’t have lifted that lid by herself so she waited by the well. Jesus made himself useful to her, then asked if she would give him water and she did. She responded to him and the encounter was explosive. Her knowledge and experience of sensual love was transformed into mystical love that was all embracing, rich, deep, abundant, and creative. Her experience and encounter with Jesus made her into a new being, an apostle. The whole village came to see and was converted.

Jesus poured living water, the symbol of the Holy Spirit into her heart, and into their hearts. Note that water always flows to the lowest place where God is always found.

So do we have Mary of Magdelyn energy “welling up” in another woman? Possibly in all human beings? Love seems to unite and transform, grow and unite. Maybe the fruit of love is always conversion and abundance, creative and new, exciting and dangerous. It may be just a matter of “tuning” in to the power and richness and depth of solitude. It may be what it is to encounter God who will take the lid off your essence and start a conversation.

Just pondering……

Sister Mary Joan Grisez