(ANS – Rome) – On the afternoon of July 15, 2026, the Salesians of the Sacred Heart Community – Generalate participated in their monthly recollection led by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome and Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Attendance

The recollection was attended by Fr. Fabio Attard, Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Stefano Martoglio, Vicar of the Rector Major, members of the General Council, and the other Salesians serving at Salesian Central Headquarters.

The Theme of the Meditation

Cardinal Reina based his reflection on the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, recounted in Chapter 4 of the Gospel of John, presenting human needs as the key to understanding the passage.

He invited those present to “come down from their pedestals” and honestly examine their own wounded humanity without judgment. He recalled that Jesus takes the initiative in his dialogue with the woman, making her need his own even before she expresses it.

From Human Need to the Longing for God

In the second part of his meditation, the Cardinal explained that Jesus never ignores human needs but elevates them to a higher level, transforming ordinary water into “living water.”

He encouraged the priests not to separate the emotional dimension from the spiritual one, emphasizing that within the human desire for love and recognition there is already “a seed of divinity.” Cardinal Reina recalled that priestly life is called to be generative and fruitful at all times, not only through liturgical celebrations. He pointed to the example of priests who, although their names may not appear in history books, have transformed the lives of others through a simple glance or an authentic word.

The Demand for Truth

The third point of the reflection focused on the need to live in truth, beginning with the Gospel passage in which Jesus asks the Samaritan woman about her marital situation.

The Cardinal offered a profound interpretation of the invitation to “take up one’s cross,” explaining that it does not refer only to external difficulties but also to those parts of oneself that are difficult to accept and may even cause shame.

He invited the Salesians to ask themselves who their own “five husbands” might be—that is, the areas of their lives that still need healing and reconciliation. He reminded them that only by bringing this truth before God can one experience authentic worship “in spirit and truth.”

The Missionary Dimension

In his concluding remarks, Cardinal Reina emphasized that the Samaritan woman, freed from shame, became a credible witness among her fellow citizens precisely because her testimony came from personal experience rather than from a theoretical message.

The Cardinal extended this reflection to priestly ministry, encouraging those present not to be afraid to acknowledge their own sinfulness before others, since authentic evangelization always begins with a life that has truly been touched by grace.

He also highlighted a common challenge among priests: the difficulty of sharing their own weaknesses within the community. He noted that priests can sometimes be more inclined to judge others than to entrust their own struggles to prayer and fraternal support.