A foreigner in her own landA foreigner in her own land

The story of this woman written by St. John, the The story of this woman written by St. John, the Evangelist, presents the encounter and the Evangelist, presents the encounter and the conversation of Jesus with the Samaritan woman in conversation of Jesus with the Samaritan woman in the city of Samaria. A Jew with an unclean woman. the city of Samaria. A Jew with an unclean woman. From the point of view of geography, Jesus could From the point of view of geography, Jesus could have taken another road to go to Galilee, the usual have taken another road to go to Galilee, the usual road used by the Jews who did not want to road used by the Jews who did not want to contaminate themselves by going through the contaminate themselves by going through the territory of Samaria. territory of Samaria.

From the theological From the theological point of view, it was point of view, it was essential essential for Jesusfor Jesus to to pass through Samaria pass through Samaria because he had to bring because he had to bring salvation to the salvation to the strangers, the excluded, strangers, the excluded, the unloved, the the unloved, the despised; it is for them despised; it is for them that He came into the that He came into the world. The Samaritans world. The Samaritans could not even enter the could not even enter the temple of Jerusalem. temple of Jerusalem. They were considered They were considered unclean and ignominious unclean and ignominious for the fact that for for the fact that for centuries their race had centuries their race had been mixed with alien been mixed with alien populations.populations.

Jesus presents Himself to Jesus presents Himself to us as a passerby, a us as a passerby, a pilgrim along the roads of pilgrim along the roads of men and women. men and women.

This is a long and tiring This is a long and tiring journey and it is here journey and it is here that we find Him tired that we find Him tired and seated by the well of and seated by the well of Sychar. Sychar.

He is thirsty and He is thirsty and hungry; he does not hungry; he does not have any means to have any means to draw water and his draw water and his disciples had to go to disciples had to go to the city to buy food. the city to buy food. Thus, He asked for Thus, He asked for help from the woman: help from the woman: ““Give me something Give me something to drink”.to drink”.

The Samaritan woman The Samaritan woman arrives at the hottest hour arrives at the hottest hour of the day, along the lonely of the day, along the lonely road, without a company, road, without a company, without someone to talk to. without someone to talk to. As in other days, she As in other days, she comes to well with an comes to well with an empty jar. The first words empty jar. The first words uttered by her to the uttered by her to the stranger were words of awe stranger were words of awe and amazement. and amazement.

The Samaritan woman The Samaritan woman arrives at the hottest hour arrives at the hottest hour of the day, along the lonely of the day, along the lonely road, without a company, road, without a company, without someone to talk to. without someone to talk to. As in other days, she As in other days, she comes to well with an comes to well with an empty jar. The first words empty jar. The first words uttered by her to the uttered by her to the stranger were words of awe stranger were words of awe and amazement. and amazement.

The sense of soldarity is The sense of soldarity is inherent in the depth of inherent in the depth of every human person. More every human person. More so, in every believer so, in every believer because it springs from because it springs from the very logic of the the very logic of the Covenant, from the Covenant, from the example of a God who, in example of a God who, in solidarity, compromises solidarity, compromises actively for the fulness of actively for the fulness of life of His creatures. life of His creatures.

“The well is deep”. These words of the woman bring to light all her anguish, her suffering and the fatigue of life. In front of her, there is an insurmountable obstacle, a huge void, a separation. She is a lonely woman thrown into an abyss.

“The well is deep”. These words of the woman bring to light all her anguish, her suffering and the fatigue of life. In front of her, there is an insurmountable obstacle, a huge void, a separation. She is a lonely woman thrown into an abyss.

““that I may never come that I may never come here again”. here again”. Even these words of the Even these words of the Samaritan woman reveal all Samaritan woman reveal all her tiredness, her her tiredness, her discouragement: she cannot discouragement: she cannot make it anymore. She has make it anymore. She has no energy to draw from no energy to draw from within herself any more. within herself any more.

We can then understand We can then understand the great tiredness of the great tiredness of this woman obliged, this woman obliged, daily, to make this daily, to make this tedious, hard and long tedious, hard and long journey and having to journey and having to face the adverse forces face the adverse forces that tend to pull and that tend to pull and push her. push her.

What do we think of in What do we think of in this moment, we who this moment, we who are committed to the are committed to the ministry that deals with ministry that deals with the story of many the story of many migrant and trafficked migrant and trafficked women? women?

Solidarity is a homage Solidarity is a homage rendered mutually to each rendered mutually to each other which implicitly and other which implicitly and always recognise the work always recognise the work of God. of God.

She can run and return She can run and return to the city, amidst the to the city, amidst the very same people of very same people of always, perhaps even always, perhaps even in front of her six in front of her six husbands and say to husbands and say to them without fear that them without fear that her life is precious for her life is precious for someone. There’s a someone. There’s a man who told her man who told her everything she did. “A everything she did. “A man who restored my man who restored my life”life”

She is no more alone, nor She is no more alone, nor is she empty or thirsty; at is she empty or thirsty; at the well of her the well of her forefathers, she found forefathers, she found life. life.

The reality of the Samaritan The reality of the Samaritan woman reveals the situation woman reveals the situation of many other women of all of many other women of all times, victims of times, victims of discrimination and of discrimination and of prejudice simply because prejudice simply because they are women and they are women and additionally because they are additionally because they are women from countries that women from countries that are discriminated for various are discriminated for various reasons. reasons.

During this prayer, let us remember, in a special way, the multitude of migrant women who are victims of fraud in a society that uses persons making of them a social problem. Women who hopefully seek a more dignified life, who look for water, who search for life, who desire a Homeland. We know what happens to many of them.

Let us thank God for the Let us thank God for the people, the children and people, the children and particularly women who particularly women who succeeded in finding joy and succeeded in finding joy and dignified life through the help dignified life through the help they received.they received.

There’s a living water that There’s a living water that gushes within us also, from gushes within us also, from the depth of the well, to the the depth of the well, to the spring: it is the voice of the spring: it is the voice of the Spirit that speaks to us, Spirit that speaks to us, announces the true love of announces the true love of God to us and reveals to us God to us and reveals to us everything that we did. everything that we did.

Let us also sit at the well of Let us also sit at the well of the Scriptures, next to the Scriptures, next to Jesus; he speaks to us and Jesus; he speaks to us and asks even today: “Give me asks even today: “Give me something to drink”… How something to drink”… How many persons, how many many persons, how many women ask us for help and women ask us for help and are in need of our love, of are in need of our love, of a human love which, at the a human love which, at the same time, is divine same time, is divine enabling them to rebuild enabling them to rebuild their lives. their lives.

Many await someone to approach them because they do not have courage to do so, many believe they cannot be loved.

Let us draw the example from Jesus: He is the first to take the initiative and speak, He makes Himself close, gets in touch and becomes a friend, open to dialogue and encounter. He cares with love.

Help us, O Lord, in the Help us, O Lord, in the mission you have called us mission you have called us to live and to act. Amen.to live and to act. Amen.

Sr. Alba Vernazza fmaSr. Alba Vernazza fma

Sr. Zenaide ZilottoSr. Zenaide Zilotto