The Samaritan Woman

Take a moment to reread John, Chapter 4. It is a wonderful story -- how Rabbi Jesus breaks all artificial barriers, takes the short-cut from Judea to Galilee by walking through Samaria, stops at Jacob's well in the town of Sychar and meets there this experienced Samaritan woman. He asks her for water and she responds, "How is it that thou, although thou art a Jew, does ask drink of me, who am a Samaritan woman?.

Jesus chats openly with her -- There is no arrogance, artificial distance, discrimination, mysogeny here. We witness here not only freedom -- but also intellectual honesty and the over-arching principle of equality.

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father also seeks such to worship him. God is spirit, and they who worship him must worship in spirit and truth".

God is the "Logos", as Popr Benedikt XVI says. God is a Father to all of his children. Not a God of Wrath, God of Punishment or God of War. God is a heavenly father who invites Samaritans and all his children to worship him. He does not restrict his love only to the "chosen people". All can partake of his living water.

You may enjoy consulting the site below,

http://www.ipj-ppj.org/courageous_nonviolence_of_jesus.htm

By the way, there is a lovely painting of Jesus and the Samaritan Woman by Rembrandt. It is, however, a bit far for a weekend visit -- it hangs at the Eremitage in St. Petersburg (no, not in Florida!).

Of course, you may want to visit Sychar itself-- which today is the Palestinian town of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.