WORDS FROM FATHER YOHANES: God Meets Us at the Well

By Father Yohanes Akoit

One of the deepest longings we have as believers in Christ is to encounter Jesus, our Savior. We believe that such an encounter helps us grow as true disciples. This is why, every time we pray, we ask the Lord to help us and protect our lives. It is true that prayer often consists of presenting our petitions, yet behind these petitions and intentions lies a deeper longing to encounter God (CCC. 27). Protection is only the effect of that encounter. The reality behind this desire is that we need the presence of Jesus, for his very presence provides what we truly need.

The Church teaches that the real presence of Jesus can be experienced through the Eucharistic celebration and Eucharistic adoration (CCC. 1374). At the same time, the Church recognizes that the essence of God is omnipresence. Therefore, God is present to his Church in many ways: in his Word, where two or three are gathered in his name, in the poor, the sick, the burdened, and more (CCC. 1373). The availability of Jesus does not imply passivity, as if God simply stands in one place waiting for us to come. On the contrary, in his goodness and wisdom, God reveals himself and makes known the mystery of his will (CCC. 51). There is a mutual movement: we desire to meet God, and at the same time, God moves toward us, revealing himself.

This mutual movement is clearly revealed in the Gospel reading of the Third Sunday of Lent (John 4:5 - 42). In this account, St. John tells us that Jesus met and spoke with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. At first glance, the encounter seems accidental, Jesus was simply passing by. But when viewed through the lens of divine initiative, we realize that Jesus was the first to move: he chose to sit by Jacob’s well. Then the Samaritan woman came to draw water. Their meeting took place at a well, a symbol of water that quenches human thirst. In the same way, we need God for our fulfillment, and God desires to encounter us in order to save us.

This encounter happened without conditions or requirements. There were no obstacles preventing the woman from meeting Jesus, even though she was a sinner with a hidden past. Still, Jesus took the initiative to meet her. Through that encounter, the hidden aspects of her life were brought to light. She came to recognize her past and became aware of the deeper parts of her life.

We, too, share these same realities. We have a deep desire to encounter God. We also have our past, our limitations, and the unconscious areas of our lives. To overcome these limitations, we make our own movement toward God, through prayer, through our commitment to remain faithful to our calling, and through our efforts to avoid sin. These are the movements we make from our side.

Through the Gospel account, we also learn that God makes his movement toward us. Therefore, with sincere and longing hearts, we pray that we may encounter God at our own “well,” where he meets our human needs and helps us face our limitations. With this trust, we sincerely ask God to listen to our prayers, to strengthen our efforts to maintain our well‑being, and to grant us good health, peace, and joy. We desire to imitate the Samaritan woman. After allowing God to touch her life, she shared that joy with the people of her village. She called them and brought them to Jesus. We carry the same desire, that God may touch our lives, and that, in turn, we may share that grace with others.

Father Yohanes Akoit is pastor of St. Julian and St. Anthony Catholic churches in Kentucky.