Give Me a Drink

Flávia Ghelardi shares a guided meditation on the Gospel story of Jesus and the woman at the well.

Today we continue our practical exercise on meditation, inspired by the method taught by Father Joseph Kentenich. We will keep on using a biblical text, because the Word of God is addressed to each of us individually, and it is the Holy Spirit who helps it reach our hearts as a message from the Father.  

Meditation is a personal encounter with God, to grow in love for Him. Because it is personal, each person will experience this encounter in a different way, in a unique way. Thus, each proposed exercise is intended only to present an example of what this conversation with the Father can be like, so that you can get an overview of the whole process.  

Opening Prayer 

We are in the place we have chosen to meditate, already prepared with some image that reminds us of the spiritual world, a lit candle, instrumental music; in short, whatever helps us most to concentrate on what we are about to do: have a personal encounter with God. 

We close our eyes, take a few deep breaths, and place ourselves in God's presence: 

Make the Sign of the Cross. 

My holy guardian angel, help me to meditate well so that this moment of prayer may transform my hard, fickle, selfish, and negligent heart into a pure heart, capable of loving and serving God with joy and generosity. 

We implore the help of the Holy Spirit: 

Holy Spirit, you are the soul of my soul. I humbly adore you. Enlighten me, strengthen me, guide me, comfort me. Reveal your wishes to me as far as this is in accordance with the will of the Eternal Father. Show me what Eternal Love wants of me. Show me what I should do. Show me what I should suffer. Show me what I should humbly and thoughtfully accept, bear and endure. Holy Spirit, show me your will and the will of the Father, for I want my whole life to be nothing else than a continuous, an everlasting yes to the wishes, to the will of God, the Eternal Father! (Father Joseph Kentenich, HW 639) 

Meditation Topic:  

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.  

The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)  

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (John 4: 7-10) 

Meditation Questions: 

What does the Father want to communicate to us by showing Jesus asking the Samaritan woman for water? 

Jesus is God, and because He is God, He is all-powerful. He needs nothing and no one. But He wanted to take on human nature. Out of love, He came to us to save us. He came to show us the Father. He came to tell us that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is through Him that we will reach the Father one day.  

By taking on human nature, He had the same biological needs as us. He was hungry, cold, tired, and thirsty. He was thirsty at Jacob's well. The water was there; He could have drawn it Himself and drunk it, but He wanted to ask the Samaritan woman.  

By talking to this woman, He broke down the barrier of prejudice. The initiative was His; He took the first step in making this contact. He asked for something simple, something she could give if she wanted to. And then He offered her something she could never have dreamed of obtaining: living water, salvation. All she had to do was ask Him!  

What do I say to myself based on this reality? 

How am I responding to Jesus' invitation? Every day, He seeks me out to give me His love, especially in the Eucharist. Do I go to meet Him, or do I choose to occupy myself with other things? Couldn't I, at least once a week (other than the Sunday obligation), set aside 30 minutes of my day to go to Holy Mass and receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus, becoming one flesh with Him?  

Even though I am so imperfect, inconsistent in my intentions, Jesus comes to me and asks me to give Him my soul, to give Him my love. “Give me a drink.”  

Jesus thirsts for my soul. He wants to save me. He wants to help me with my daily needs. He wants to give me living water so that I will never thirst again. He seeks me every day to meet with me, to show me His love for me. 

How do I answer the Lord? 

Thank you, Lord, for not giving up on me. For always being at my disposal in the tabernacle and in the confessional. Forgive me, Lord, for my ingratitude, for so often forgetting You and not responding to Your love.  

From today onward, I want to pay more attention to all Your gestures of love in my life. I want to give You my whole heart and soul to quench Your thirst for love for me. I want to meet You more often in the Eucharist and maybe someday spend a few minutes in Adoration in front of the tabernacle. I ask my guardian angel to help me see divine providence at work in my life.   

We conclude this moment of prayer by writing down the inspirations we have received in our personal notebooks. We give a brief thanksgiving for having been able to spend a few minutes talking with our Father. We can make a resolution to meditate again the next day and ask our holy guardian angel to remind us throughout the day of these brief moments we have spent together. 

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Copyright 2025 Flávia Ghelardi
Images: Canva