Drawing from the Well of our Ancestors

Anna George Traynham
9 hours ago
5 min read

A Reflection for the Second Sunday of Lent by Rev. Anna Traynham

Lectionary reading for 03/8/2026: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42

Selected passage for reflection: John 4:5-30

Read

5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

17 “I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know that the Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

27 Just then, his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Reflect

It’s interesting to imagine Jesus sitting by the well that day, thirsty and without a bucket to draw water. He may have been waiting for a kind stranger to come along, confronting the very real feeling of thirst. When you’re parched, it’s hard to think straight; your mouth feels dry, making it difficult to speak. This aspect of the story is significant: Jesus was thirsty.

While we often contemplate Jesus’s divinity—being God incarnate—it's important to remember that he had a physical body. Jesus was a real person, and people get thirsty. After traveling for days, he sat alone by a well and asked a Samaritan woman for compassion, leading to a mutual exchange of kindness in a context many wouldn’t expect.

This encounter was surprising for several reasons. First, Jesus was a Jewish man speaking with a Samaritan woman. The division between Jews and Samaritans runs deep, originating in ancient disputes over worship, but over generations, it solidified into prejudice. "They are not like us," they said—words that have always led to division.

Jesus, at Jacob’s well, conversed with a Samaritan woman, despite their stark differences. There’s no evidence to suggest that this woman was sinful or shameful, as some sermons imply. Instead, her history of five husbands likely reflects a tragic story of widowhood or divorce, possibly due to societal pressures. She might have been ostracized by her community, which is why she was alone at the well in the midday heat. Yet, despite their differences, both Jesus and the Samaritan woman shared a profound truth: they were human, and that connection was enough.

The world today feels heavy. Violence—including that perpetrated by our own government—against immigrants and citizens is alarming. Yet, amid the chaos, there are peaceful protests and a resilient spirit that endures. As a pastor, I hear the fears of immigrants and citizens alike—many seek lawful immigration reform yet wish to avoid the turmoil surrounding it. People are scared, hurting, and angry.

They are thirsty; perhaps even we are. When Jesus found himself thirsty, he approached the ancestral well and met a Samaritan woman. Their shared humanity was sufficient for a meaningful connection.

Now is the time for us to draw from that well. Let us embrace the wisdom of prophets like Amos and Micah, who spoke against injustice, as well as the apostles who proclaimed their faith despite danger. We can draw courage from figures like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller, who opposed racism with conviction, and find peace in the legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Desmond Tutu, whose nonviolent resistance brought about change.

Just as the brave Samaritan woman first proclaimed Jesus as Messiah, our witness can effect change. Jesus met her at the well—two individuals connected by their shared humanity. This connection matters to God. The world needs the church’s hope and our voices more than ever. If we’re feeling thirsty, let’s return to the ancestors’ well, where we can find kindred spirits and renewed purpose. May we lift His living water to our lips and share it with the world.

Respond

Are you thirsty? What well of wisdom can you draw from today? Consider one of the theologians and peacemakers listed above (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Niemoller, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, or another brave change-maker). Consider reading a book or watching a documentary on their life to inspire you.

Rest

God, today we recognize our shared humanity. We are hurting, fearful, and vulnerable. Help us connect with one another and with our ancestors. May we find hope and inspiration in scripture and in the justice workers and truth-tellers from history. And may we embody that Good News and share it with our community. Amen.