“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 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.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the cistern is deep’. . . .’Give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’”  John 4: 9-11, 15

In both the woman and Jesus we see an openness to engaging with a person each of them could have considered someone to be kept at a distance.  Their openness led them to a conversation that was a life-transforming encounter for the woman and surely a joyful experience for Jesus.

Let us open ourselves to meet – truly, engagingly meet – the next person who appears to be someone to be kept at a distance.