Pope Leo XIV on Sunday reflected on the Gospel of the Samaritan woman at the well, highlighting how Jesus responds to human spiritual thirst and calls believers to authentic discipleship.
Speaking during the Angelus in St Peter’s Square on the third Sunday of Lent, he said: “The encounter with Jesus stirs in the depths of each person a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.”
Encountering Jesus as the source of life
The Pope explained that Lent offers a privileged time to “free our hearts” from obstacles that block the experience of God’s grace, and he recalled the words of the Dutch Jewish author, Etty Hillesum, who wrote that when God seems buried beneath stones and grit, “He must be dug out again.”
Pope Leo highlighted the disciples’ astonishment at Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman, pointing to their initial reluctance to embrace his mission.
The call to awareness and service
Pope Leo XIV also reflected on the disciples’ reaction to Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman, noting their astonishment and reluctance.
“Look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting,” he said, highlighting the need to recognise God’s grace even where it is not immediately visible, and he pointed to Jesus’ attentiveness, respect, and absence of judgment as a model for Christians.
Women as evangelizers
The Pope also reflected on the role of the Samaritan woman as the first of many female evangelizers.
Her testimony brought her community to faith, demonstrating, he said, that “how beautiful it is when we lose track of time to give attention to the person we encounter.”
Call to peace and unity
Concluding his message, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to seek the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, in serving those “thirsting for truth and justice.”
He said that this service should transcend divisions, warning against thinking in terms of “us” versus “them.”
"Those who worship God seek to be men and women of peace, who worship him in Spirit and in truth."