Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well

by Fr. John Granato  |  03/08/2026  |  Words from Fr. John

My Dear Friends,

Since the reform of the Liturgy in 1970, the Catholic Church went from a one year cycle of Sunday readings to a three year cycle of Sunday readings. Basically, before 1970 and for over 1500 years, the one year cycle meant that you would hear the same readings every year on that particular Sunday. Now, it takes three years for you to hear the same reading on any particular Sunday. This year we are reading from cycle A, so on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent we read from the Gospel of John. (If during the years of cycle B and C, if we have catechumens coming into the church, we read from cycle A).

These readings are the Samaritan woman at the well, the blind man Bartimeaus, and the raising of Lazarus. The Church puts these readings together, especially when there are catechumens, because they all deal with baptism and new life. Since the catechumen is leaving behind death and seeking new life through baptism, it is appropriate for us to read these readings. There are many interpretations of the woman at the well. One particular interpretation is that Jesus is meeting and speaking with a woman at the well during the noon hour.

Jacob and Moses also met and spoke with women at the well in their time. And both Jacob and Moses married these women whom they met. So some interpreters will say that Jesus is seeking a bride as well, which he is. Jesus is the bridegroom and he seeks to marry his bride, those who make up the Church. Throughout the Old Testament, God is always portrayed as a bridegroom seeking his Chosen People and making them his bride. Here is Jesus seeking not only a bride, but he is seeking a bride that has separated herself from the Chosen People.

She is a Samaritan, and Samaritans were guilty of intermarrying the Israel religion with pagan religions, which is why the Israelites (the Jewish people) looked down upon the Samaritans. Jesus is reconciling the Samaritans with the faith of the Jewish people, and by doing so, he is also reconciling all the gentile world with the Jewish faith. This is why St. Paul can say that there is no longer Jew and Gentile, since all have been reconciled, who seek reconciliation, with the God who has created all peoples.

God bless!