Samaritans descended from the northern kingdom of Israel while the Jews descended from the southern kingdom of Judah.  Samaritans still held the first 5 books of the Bible (Pentateuch). They kept up the ancient traditions of Israel including the well that Jacob had first dug. But the Jews believed that Jerusalem was the only true place of worship while the Samaritans located the true place of worship at Mt. Gerizim.  In 128 BC, the Jews destroyed the Samaritan temple at Mt. Gerizim.

This forever nameless woman became a powerful evangelist for Christ. She clearly did not return hatred for hatred, but instead she was so eager to share the Good News that Messiah had come, with those who had shamefully treated her. Lent is a time for reconciliation. We should stop avoiding our enemies. It’s time to find an occasion to meet them and express our sincere sorrow for what happened in the past. Perhaps we can make a surprised phone call or send a greeting card to someone whom we had misunderstanding before. “He who will be the first to open his hand for peace is the first one to receive Jesus’ mercy and love.”

Jesus ministered to the outcasts of Jewish society. Jesus wants us to show love to everyone regardless of gender, color and race. Jesus never discriminate and he was a noted for being women's rights advocate! As a Rabbi, Jesus should have avoided her. Any "decent" Jewish Rabbi would avoid talking to a woman. He treated women far better than what was expected of a Rabbi. The woman was a Samaritan, a half-breed race despised by Jews and she was known to be living in sin [several husbands and a live-in one now]. Any respectable Jewish male would NEVER talk to a woman such as her especially under these circumstances. But Jesus opted to talk to her and actually listened to what she wanted to say. He taught others by His own example that women were to be valued as equals.

This woman got already 5 husbands before and the one she was living with was not her husband. Perhaps she was thirsty for real love. She keeps on look for someone who can give her genuine love until she found “unconditional love” in Christ. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reached out for her and shared the “living water” as a symbol of his love. And God’s love is best expressed in the Sacraments. In the NT the “living water” is always associated with Baptism. When we were baptized God poured out to us the Sanctifying grace and promised us eternal life. After baptism we are disposed to receive the other sacraments. The blessings coming from these sacraments are like the “life giving waters,” in which we will never be thirsty nor hunger for God again.