When we last left the Gospel reading from Sunday, Jesus had just asked a Samaritan woman for a drink.

The Samaritan woman said to him,
“How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?”
—For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.—
Jesus answered and said to her,
“If you knew the gift of God
and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink, ‘
you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water.”

The Samaritan woman's response is not one of indignation - "Get your own drink." Her response is one of surprise and utter disbelief. No one talks to this woman, no one at all. She is an outcast, coming to draw her water at noon to avoid even the other Samaritan women. And here is a man, a man she does not know, so, as Fr. Baker pointed out, already someone who would never talk to her, a woman, speaking to her. What's more, He is a Jew. He is breaking multiple social taboos at once to have this private conversation with the Samaritan woman, and she knows it. She has consistently been referred to as the Samaritan woman throughout this passage, neither identifier dropping for ease of description. She is a Samaritan woman, beneath Jesus in social standing in every respect, and even an outcast among other Samaritan women, and yet He speaks to her. He is asking her for a drink, and to allow her to even serve Him would be an outrage to most Jewish men of the time. It goes on to say, "For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans." Not only is He speaking to a Samaritan. He is asking to share a Samaritan well, a Samaritan cup.

Jesus responds with mysterious words as usual. He asks for a drink. She points out the social absurdity and improbability of the situation. Jesus responds by saying she should have asked Him for a drink.

I don't know about you, but if a strange guy came up to me and said, "Give me a drink," and then I basically said, "Why are you talking to me?" and he replied, "If you knew who I was, you'd ask me for a drink," I'd be super confused. But that's exactly what Jesus does. He asks for a drink. The Samaritan woman stands there stupefied, asking, "Wait, are you actually talking to me?" and He says she should ask Him for a drink. Now it's looking like He never actually wanted any water at all. He just wanted to give Her water. Which still sounds strange. She probably thinks he's crazy. A random stranger has just asked for a drink and then said that he actually has living water He can give her if she asks. I'd be backing away slowly while smiling and nodding if I were her.

But we know Jesus isn't crazy, and it seems she suspected it. So what does He mean? Why is He asking for a drink and then offering one?

Because the drink He wanted was her faith, and the drink He's offering is His mercy. And the two are connected. You need faith to accept mercy, because you have to accept mercy. So, the drink He wanted her to give Him was to ask for His living water, because in asking for and accepting His mercy, she would be giving Him her faith, for which we've already established He thirsts. Jesus getting a drink and Jesus giving a drink are two sides of the same process in this metaphor. He wants to receive her request for His mercy and give her His mercy in return. Everybody gets a drink.

The last line in this portion of the passage says, "living water," because Christ Himself is the water. Christ is the mercy and love of God, poured out for sinners, quite literally poured out, as a fountain from which to drink. This passage foreshadows Baptism, renewal through water, as well as the Eucharist, water mingling with the Blood of Christ, a living fount which quenches our thirst for Him.

Lastly, this living water is free, if only we accept it. Jesus says, "If you knew the gift of God..." Jesus has come here, to this well, to this Samaritan woman, at this exact hour, as a gift to her, a chance at redemption, an opportunity to drink of the living water. Yes, this passage shows us Christ' thirst for the entire Church and His gift of mercy which He offers to all, but it is also important because He is offering Himself to her, an individual. This is a personal moment of love, an offer to His beloved creation. He knows her and He comes to the well not just to make a statement or to talk to any Samaritan woman. He comes to the well to speak to her and to offer her a drink from the living water.

I'm praying for you!

:)