SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #122
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria, to draw water. Jesus saith to her: "Give me to drink." (John 4:6-7)
CORRESPONDENCE WITH GRACE: We can see by the case of the woman of Samaria, how only those obtain salvation who correspond with grace. The first or prevenient grace which the woman received, consisted in being asked by Jesus to render Him a service of love. She might have refused our Lord's request and said: "You Jews are never civil to us: you hate and despise us!" But she overcame her national antipathy and proffered to our Lord the service He asked for. As a reward for this our Lord entered into conversation with her, and spoke to her about the wonderful living water. The woman believed that He could give her such water and asked Him for some. She was ashamed and humbled herself, when He reminded her of her sins. She accepted the hard truth, and acknowledged her guilt without excusing it. Then Jesus gave her further grace and revealed Himself to her as the Messiah. She believed and with an apostolic spirit tried to spread the faith among her townsfolk.
[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)
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