Homily on the 5th Sunday of Pascha
In today's gospel, we have heard the recount of Jesus and the Samaritan woman Photini at the well.
In Jesus’ time, the people of Samaria were considered to be an abomination for the simple fact that they (Samaritans) according to the Jews were half-bloods! They were not fully Jewish due to the fact that they came from diverse heritage. Hence, using the Levitical law as a means of their justification which has always seeked the condemnation of people, rather than giving a good example on how one should live out their life in a Godly manner; these poor people along with the many other tribes; were regarded as the equivalent of wild animals!
And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “what do you seek?” or “why are you talking with her?” Jn 4:27
We read that even the apostles found it difficult to fathom that a Jew (Jesus) was talking to a Samaritan; even harder for them to comprehend was the fact that it was a woman! For again in those days and even up until a few decades ago, women were meant to be seen and not to be heard! (A completely Derailed, egoistic and repulsive attitude to harbor considering that the one whom God chose to dwell in was a woman! (Theotokos)
Thus, the Lord asked the woman to, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” Jn 4:16 At which she answered “I have no husband.” Jn 4:17
The woman like many in the world had a passion for the flesh and used it as a means for financial benefits. (Prostitution)
Hence, at her reply the Lord reveled to her all events of her life resulting in her believing Him (Jesus) to be a prophet; further explaining that she is awaiting the Messiah; the one who will come and tell us all things Jn 4:25 Thus , the Lord revealed to her that “I who speak am He.” Jn 4:26
“Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” Jn 4:13-14
At Holy Theophany, we commemorate our Lord immersing Himself into the waters of the Jorden in order to sanctify them; those who are baptized in them and in His name (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) become living members of His mystical body! (the Church)
At Holy Theophany, we partake of that which not many other heterodox Christians dare do in fear of contamination. We drink of the sanctified waters, in which bring spiritual and bodily healing to those who sincerely believe them to be the very waters in which Christ immersed Himself in for He is the living water!
Furthermore, from a young age we have known what happened at the crucifixion in which Christ conquered death by His mortal death. Hence, shortly after our Savior drew His last breath, they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and WATER came out! Jn 19:33-34
Moreover, the day after our Lord calmed the seas and fed the five thousand, when He was in the company of His apostles he said onto them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His BLOOD, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My BLOOD (Which was mingled with WATER) has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn 6:53-54
Thus, the living water that our Savior speaks of is not only the waters of baptism in which we are reborn in Him, but the water that was mingled in His precious blood in which we partake of at each Divine Liturgy!
Then the woman left the water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men (people) “Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did”. Jn 4:28-29
The woman then believed that Jesus was the Messiah! The Christ! The awaited one! Hence, she with most people from her village followed and believed in Him.
And with many others words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his words were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. Acts 2:40-41
On the day of Pentecost three thousand people were baptized by the apostles; amongst them where the Samaritan woman, her sisters and her two sons. As we know when we baptize a child, we give them a Christian name so that when they grow, they have someone they can turn to for discernment and to intercede for them throughout the course of their lives!
The Samaritan woman which was the eldest of the sisters was given the name Photini.(Illuminata) Her sons were named Photinos and Joses. Photini’s sisters were named Anatole, Phtoto, Photis, Paraskeve and Kyriaki.
Thus, after their conversion, the family spread the gospel of the Lord for the next thirty years, across the land of Samaria and later on extending it to Carthage. St Photini was well regarded amongst the people; she was then and is now regarded as equal to the apostles.
May I stress that the term equal to the apostles, does not mean that St Photini was bestowed the grace of the fullness of the priesthood; (Apostleship) but rather she was filled with the Holy Spirit just as the apostles were on the day of Pentecost to evangelize not liturgize!
In those days, the Emperor Nero was in power; persecuting Christians for the faith they professed in the risen Christ! (Saints Peter and Paul were killed under Nero’s rule.) When Nero heard of Photini along with her sisters and her sons, he made them an offer; the riches of the world would be bestowed them if they make an offering to the Pagan gods or they face the consequences of dying via professing Christ! Yet, filled with the Holy Spirit and immovable faith, they stood their ground and renounced Nero’s offer!
In addition, Nero filled with raging anger ordered that their fingers and toes were to be cut off. Undeterred, they continued to profess their faith at which Nero ordered the slaughter of St Photini’s sisters and sons. They were burned alive, ripped apart, beheaded and sliced in quarters all whilst St Photini was made to watch these horrors unfold; still she cried more the louder in professing the risen Christ!
Yet again, Nero offered St Photini one last chance to render a sacrifice onto the Pagan gods in order that her life be spared. St Photini replied by spitting at him and acclaiming, “O most impious of the blind, you profligate and stupid man! Do you think me so deluded that I would consent to renounce my Lord Christ and instead offer sacrifice to idols as blind as you?”
Finally, on hearing her response Nero gave enraged orders that she be thrown into the well where she came to rest in the Lord; the very well(Jacobs well) that she met Christ; the well where she learnt of the life-giving waters (Jesus) where the Saint entered streams of His currents - into life everlasting! Paradise
Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.” Jn 4:42
Kontakion — Tone 8
The Samaritan Woman came to the well in faith; / She saw You, the Water of Wisdom, and drank abundantly / She inherited the Kingdom on High and is ever glorified!
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