Satisfied?!

Throughout this "best meal of all times", we saw the Host — Jesus — offering to the Samaritan woman (and also to you, dear Guest of Honor) some bread and water.

However, how can we be so sure that she did sit to dine with Jesus? How do we know that she actually drank the water and ate the bread? How do we know it was not just a random meeting, but that they actually "dined" together?

Well, at some point of the conversation, the woman was not able to hold back any longer. She left her jar behind and ran towards the town (John 4:28) in order to tell the Good News to everyone. Because she drank the water, this water became, in her, a spring of water welling up to eternal life, in such a way that the woman felt driven to share what she had tasted.

It would have been so easy for her to keep this encounter a secret, only known by herself and Jesus, thus avoiding the risk of being judged and becoming a subject of gossip. It would have been so easy to enjoy this living water by herself and never be thirsty again. But when she left her jar behind, she also left all that she had — the comfort of anonymity, all her fears and doubts — and allowed the water to quench her own thirst, but also to overflow through her, bringing life to the rest of the town.

Besides, she not only drank the water; she also ate the same bread Jesus said He ate: "to do the will of the One who sent her and finish His work". The last verses of this passage report that "many of the Samaritans of that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony" (John 4:39). Although the Scripture does not actually say that Jesus sent the woman to testify to the Samaritans, it's easy to imagine this was the will of God — that the people of that town would hear the Good News.

And it was because of the woman's testimony that the townspeople believed in Jesus. It was because of her testimony that the will of the Father was fulfilled and His work was done in that town. And the will of the Father, as Jesus describes in John 6:39-40, is that "everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life". This is the bread that Jesus would always eat, that this woman also ate, and that your Host is offering you.

Now, dear Guest of Honor, the table is set before you.

The Host is seated at your side.

He offers you water – living water, that will quench your thirst and will overflow through your own life, and bring life wherever you go.

He offers you bread – the Bread of life, which is to fulfill His will and do His work.

It's up to you to take up this invitation and partake of this "best meal" of bread and water. And, after you have eaten, to share it with others as well.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20; KJV)