Give us water

Life or at least the human body and most organic matter is composed of between 55-60% of water. We cannot live without water and in some regions of the planet water is the single most important commodity that is known. It is not therefore surprising that in a desert environment that water is the first thing that is asked for and required, for life. In trekking through the desert the people who have come out of Egypt request of Moses this most important of commodities (Ex. 17.2). On a hot day trekking through northern Israel Christ stops for water at a well that is quite important in the history of the Faith (Jn. 4.6) resting there while the disciples go to find food at a nearby town.

Our drop of water sends out ripples into the community

There are a large number of things that are going on in the discourse between Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well. Much as been spoken with regards the various themes that run through this passage and their meaning. Many of them are around the taboos that are being broken during the course of the dialogue. Perhaps for us today the underpinning theological and cultural roots of this event are of little importance but rather the more important practical understandings that are raised regarding our own lives in the here and now. Like all of us the Samaritan woman had been culturally conditioned into her thinking, especially when it comes to the use of water. The legacy of the past and our own cultural backgrounds govern how we respond when it comes to the use of water. For many of us living today we expect that water will come out of a tap, it is resource that is forever there and ever will be. In lands like the Samaria and other places in the Middle East this is not as given as we would like to think. In Christ's time even more so and sources were closely guarded resources for the disparate communities. Hospitality was paramount within such communities but fear of the stranger was just as rife. In this irregular social interaction these realities war in the background of the discourse, especially as Christ seems to know more than the local woman. The offer of an eternal life giving source of water has both faith and practical implications to us. The faith implications are with regards our own acceptance of Christ but this has an automatic practical implication for our lives.

Christ's call to us is reflected in relational community in our lives. We are asked to specifically love our neighbours as ourselves as second to love of God. The reality of this for us is a reality based on ensuring that the least amongst us gets the resources that they need. This reflects our love of neighbour and obeying the will of God. It creates for us a willingness to accept the other into our lives irrespective of their view point or their understanding. This acceptance of the other grants to all the means for life and is an eternal well of life as we bring God's presence into the lives of those around us by all that we are in community. How does this apply to our resource that is vital for normal life? The Bishops of the Riverina (Anglican) and Wilcannia-Forbes (Catholic) recently wrote a joint statement that quoted Laudato si', the Pope's encyclical, from which I quote:

"Even as the quality of available water is constantly diminishing, in some places there is a growing tendency, despite its scarcity, to privatise this resource, turning it into a commodity subject to the laws of the market."

If Christ calls us into community how can the view of the individual (private) dominate our thoughts. Like the Samaritan woman we seem to be more concerned about the security of our life's water and (faith and otherwise) its retention for us personally. We need to move from a self centered understanding and box to one that has no definitions other than that which Christ and God imposes, which is outside the box. The growth of the middle man to obtain economic advantage has removed our understanding of God's gift to humanity. If we are to live life as Christ we need to remove our controls and give thanks for what God gives to us whilst sharing it with the other, knowing that God will provide for all. We need to totally re-think how we utilise water and the gifts that God has given us, sharing with all irrespective of their understanding of God, for all are made in the image of God. The Samaritan woman moved beyond her own pre-judgements to bring God's presence into the community. In moving through Lent we also need to move beyond our own understanding into God's presence so that we too may share God's love with those who are our neighbours without imposing our understanding. We also need to re-think how we are to share our resources and not hoard them for ourselves only then will we begin to participate in the life eternal offered by Christ.