2005 Reflections - "Woman Caught in Adultery" Illumination with Scripture Passages

First Reading

Exodus 17:3-7 — Give us water to drink.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 — “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

Second Reading

Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 — The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Gospel

John 4:5-42 — The water that I shall give will become a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.

Overview

This long story of the Samaritan woman dates back to the early church, and, as now, it was then used to prepare people for the Sacrament of Baptism.
When the life and laws of the church can seem restrictive and uninviting, the fascinating story of Jesus’ conversation with this bold woman supplies consolation. She had had five husbands, and the man she was with as Jesus talked to her what not a husband. Perhaps to the surprise of us in the church today, this socially complex woman did not keep Jesus from passing time with her at the well. Her example prompts us to think about the balance of the social witness of Jesus and the social teachings of the church. (Martin Connell, Asst. Professor, School of Theology, Saint John's University)

Find a quiet and comfortable place.  Light a candle and ready yourself to slowly and deliberately read the gospel.    John 4:5 - 42.  Jesus and the Woman of Samaria. 

Some Thoughts on the Reading

What happens in this passage is encounter. Jesus is left alone with the woman standing before him. There are no other people in the scene (reminiscent of the Samaritan woman). He is speaking directly to her.  There is no judgment here, but there is still this face to face encounter where Jesus is aware of her sinfulness and is getting her to go to the next level.

We are meant to identify with the hypocrites and with her.

How would you visually represent the story of Jesus and the Woman of Samaria? 

What connections do you personally make with the woman in the story?

From what perspective would you choose to represent this passage? 

How would you handle the stones? 

There must be ways to represent the concept more abstractly by not sticking with visual imagery of the story.

Could there be an abstract quality of the shadows of two people speaking?

In the story, are there elements that would have grabbed your imagination more deeply? Are these engagements the fruit of your own experience? How so or how not so?

Before viewing the Woman Caught in Adultery illumination from The Saint John's Bible, take some time to bring your thoughts on this passage to life. Make a simple drawing or write some notes about what you would do. Let your mind free associate and explore many possibilities. Consider creating your own full artwork to accompany this passage. If you wish, share your interpretation with another person. Invite someone else to do the same.

Click this link to view the Woman Caught in Adultery.

Aidan Hart illustrates this story of a woman caught in adultery in the stylized genre of icons. In the manner of icons, the viewer is invited to participate in the scene depicted. Two panels narrate successive moments, Jesus writing in the sand while the woman’s accusers look on, and Jesus’ encounter with the woman after all have drifted away.

In the first panel the man holding a tone out of the borders of the image hints that we are all complicit in the condemnation of the woman. We are invited to identify with the hypocrites. Jesus, absorbed in writing in the sand, distances himself from the agitation of the accusers.

In the second panel the emphasis is on the intensity of the personal encounter. Jesus is left alone with the woman standing before him. There are no other people in the scene (reminiscent of the Samaritan woman). The pile of stones at her feet indicates that there is no judgment here. Jesus is speaking directly to her. In this face to face encounter Jesus is aware of her sinfulness and is inviting her into a relationship with him in which she will sin no more. In this panel the viewer is invited to identify with the woman. (Susan Wood, Sisters of Charity, Leavenworth, Professor/Associate Dean, School of Theology, Saint John's University)

Some Connections

Like many of the sacramental signs, water is a fundamental element of human existence. If it did not exist in nature, we would not exist. So too with the waters of baptism; had we not been brought into the church by the waters of baptism, our orientation in the world would be dashed. Think about the ordinary and extraordinary uses of water in life, and how these help you appreciate it as a sign of salvation. (Martin Connell, Asst. Professor, School of Theology, Saint John's University)

Some Things to Do

As you shower or bathe after hearing the story of Jesus and the woman of Samaria, thank God for the simple gift of water, for its contribution to sustaining the natural world, for its cleansing and refreshing qualities, and for its symbolic use in the sacrament of Baptism, by which we were brought into the Church. (Martin Connell, Asst. Professor, School of Theology, Saint John's University)

News & Events  |  People & Places  |  See & Hear  |  Why & How  |  Educator's Forum  |  Participate

Search  |  Contacts  |  FAQ  |  Gift Shop  |  Donate  | Home

Copyright © 2005 Saint John's University
All rights reserved.