John 4:1-6: a reflection

1Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself didn’t baptize, but his disciples), 3he left Judea and departed into Galilee. 4He needed to pass through Samaria. 5So he came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

As Jesus travels through Samaria, John gives us a small but telling detail: Jesus, being tired from his journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. The Son of God, wearied by his journey, sat down to rest, tired as any traveler would be. It is a simple picture, but a profound one: the God who became truly human grew tired, felt the weariness of the road, needed to sit and rest. He did not merely appear to be human; he truly shared our human condition, weariness and all.

Notice the true humanity of Jesus in this small detail: he grew tired. He was not above weariness, untouched by the strain of the journey; he was tired, and sat down to rest, as any weary traveler would. The Son of God, in becoming human, truly shared our human weakness and limitation; he knew tiredness, felt the weariness of the road. His humanity was real, not a mere appearance; he entered fully into our condition, including its weariness. The God who made all things sat down, tired, by a well.

That true humanity of Jesus is worth taking to heart, for it means Christ knows and understands our weariness from within. We can feel that God, being God, cannot really understand what it is to be tired, weak, worn out by life's demands; but Jesus grew tired, sat down weary by the well. He knows our weariness from within, having shared it. When you are tired, worn out, weary from the demands of life, remember that Christ knows this from the inside; he grew tired too, and understands your weariness. Do not imagine that Christ cannot understand your tiredness and weakness; he became truly human, and knew weariness himself, sitting down tired by the well. Bring your weariness to the Christ who understands it from within, who grew tired as you do, and knows the weariness of the human condition he fully shared, having sat down, worn from his journey, by Jacob's well.

Lord Jesus, as you travel through Samaria, John gives us a small but telling detail: you, being tired from your journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. The Son of God, wearied by his journey, sat down to rest, tired as any traveler would be. It is a simple picture, but a profound one: the God who became truly human grew tired, felt the weariness of the road, needed to sit and rest. You did not merely appear to be human; you truly shared our human condition, weariness and all. Show me your true humanity in this small detail: you grew tired. You were not above weariness, untouched by the strain of the journey; you were tired, and sat down to rest. In becoming human, you truly shared our human weakness and limitation; you knew tiredness. Your humanity was real, not a mere appearance. Take that true humanity to my heart, for it means you know and understand my weariness from within. I can feel that God, being God, cannot really understand what it is to be tired, weak, worn out by life's demands; but you grew tired, sat down weary by the well. You know my weariness from within, having shared it. When I am tired, worn out, weary from the demands of life, help me remember that you know this from the inside; you grew tired too. Keep me from imagining that you cannot understand my tiredness and weakness; you became truly human, Lord. Help me bring my weariness to the Christ who understands it from within.