God Desires to Offer His Love and Mercy to Those at the "crossroads" of Life: Pope Francis

“Instead, he wants to pass through there, and stops at that very well, right at that time!” he added. 

According to the pope, the woman’s “complicated and painful” history and questions on what “divided Jews and Samaritans” did not prevent God from wanting to love her and offer her the fullness of salvation. 

“He gives the highest revelation: He speaks to her of the Father, who is to be adored in spirit and truth,” he said. “He tells her: ‘I am he, the one who is speaking with you’ (cf. Jn 4:26).” 

“It is like a declaration of love: The one you are waiting for is me, the one who can finally respond to your desire to be loved,” the pope continued.

After the experience of feeling understood, welcomed, and forgiven by God, the woman runs to her village to tell others about her encounter with Jesus.

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“It is an image that should make us reflect on our search for new ways to evangelize,” the Holy Father said. 

“To go and proclaim the Gospel, we first need to set down the burden of our history at the feet of the Lord, to consign to him the weight of our past,” he said. “Only reconciled people can bring the Gospel.”

Encouraging people to not let their past prevent them from “setting out anew” in the journey of faith, the pope concluded his catechesis saying: “God is merciful and awaits us always!”

Kristina Millare is a freelance journalist with a professional communications background in the humanitarian aid and development sector, news journalism, entertainment marketing, politics and government, business and entrepreneurship.