Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Christ is risen!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
During this joyous period our Holy Church proclaims the glad tidings of the mystic Pascha, the mystic passing over from sin and death unto eternal life. We hear again and again in the Stichera of Pascha, “A great Pascha [a passing over] that is Christ the redeemer.” Today’s gospel passage illustrates for us how we are to achieve this passing over, in Christ, from the things of earth to the things of heaven. Today we see the Samaritan woman who was in the darkness of sin and spiritual error, yet immediately upon encountering the Light of Christ, she crossed over from darkness to that Light in her worship and way of life, that is in her Ortho-doxia (true doctrine) and Ortho-praxia (true way of life).
Our Savior sat at Jacob’s well and a Samaritan woman came to him and he asked her to give him water to drink. She asked Him,How is it that Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
And our Savior replied, If you knew the gift of God, and Who it is that says to you, Give Me to drink; you would ask Him, and He would have given thee living water.
There are two interpretations of the words, “gift of God.” All things of this life are given by God and belong to God and we as His creatures are expected to share these gifts with our fellow creatures. The other interpretation is that the gift of God is the Incarnation of the God-Man.
The woman saith unto Him, Sir, Thou hast nought wherewith to draw, and the well is deep: from whence then hast Thou that living water? Art Thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst unto eternity; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.
The Gospel readings and the dismissal hymn of the Mid-feast of Pentecost, which we also continue to celebrate, refer to the gospel passage wherein our Savior cried out, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believeth in Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (this He spake concerning the Spirit, which they that believe in Him should receive: for the Holy Spirit was not yet given; for Jesus was not yet glorified). Thus we have another reference during these days of the well given by the God-Man that shall be in a man as a well of water springing up unto everlasting life, that is, the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Jews heard our Savior's words and marveled, but were not moved to believe. St. John Chrysostom made the observation that this marveling was filled with wickedness. They heard our Savior expound scripture and marveled with disdain and unbelief, saying, “how knoweth this man letters having never learned?” Alas, their envy and disbelief kept them from the grace of God, but not so this woman of Samaria.
The woman saith unto Him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
At this point the Samaritan woman is still limited to seeking the things of this world.
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: this hast thou said truly.
The woman saith unto Him, Sir, I perceive that Thou art a Prophet.
In other words, she received the rebuke as from one God inspired and did not run away or react with anger as did the Jews, but responded to this prophet who could enlighten her soul and inquired concerning doctrine.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
The Samaritans are the descendants of people from what is now modern day Iraq, chosen by the king of Babylon to replace the population of the Jews in Samaria after the Jews had been carried away into Babylon. They were originally from the same region Abraham dwelt in before he was called by God, and for this reason they would refer to Abraham as their father. When they first settled in Samaria God demonstrated to them that it was not out of weakness that He allowed the Jews to be carried away into Babylon by sending lions to afflict the new settlers. They sent a message to the king of Babylon that [we] know not the manner of the God of the land: and He has sent the lions against [us]. The king of Babylon responded by sending a Jewish priest to instruct them. They feared the God of Israel, but only accepted the first five books of Moses as their scripture and retained some of their pagan practices. (see 2 Kings 17).
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
That is, the worship of the old covenant provided a clear separation from idolatry and also was from whence came the prophecies concerning Christ and the new and everlasting covenant.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such that so worship Him. God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto Him, I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He.
If ever there was an age that needed to study and refer to this gospel passage it is now!
Our Savior did not say that we must pay homage to the indigenous methods of Samaritan worship or the contributions of this noble ethnic group to the rich tapestry of religious ideas. He did not say, as to many of the pseudo hierarchs of “world orthodoxy,” that all religions lead to the heavenly Father. Our Savior demonstrated a love for the Samaritans that is unto salvation.
It is all quite clear here: the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such that so worship Him. God is not indifferent to the distinction between truth and falsehood. There are those who worship correctly and achieve salvation and there are those that “know not what they worship” and have gone astray from the way of salvation.
Let us respond to our heavenly Father and Benefactor Who “seeks those that would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.” Let us imitate the Samaritan woman, Saint Photini, who, in her life taught us all the way to become partakers of that water that becomes in those that partake thereof a well of water springing up unto everlasting life.
What is that way? When we encounter God to remain true to Him. Saint Photini worshipped God, but not rightly. She did not live an upright life, and upon encountering our Savior and hearing the beginning of His discourse entreated Him for something that would help her in this life. Then, after she was drawn to a higher teaching she sought a spiritual gift. Our Savior brought her to recognition of her sins and as we know from her life she repented and completely changed her ways. When she found the Truth she ever sought to worship God in Spirit and in truth and by her deeds and words proclaimed our Christ even unto martyrdom.
There are forms of worship that fall short of worshipping in “spirit and in truth.” Many fail to accept the fullness of the doctrines handed down to us by the Holy Apostles. The words of our Savior apply to them, “ye know not what ye worship.” Salvation is of the New Covenant in Christ the God-Man. Ortho-doxia, true glory, true doctrine is inextricably linked to the Blood of the New Testament, that is, Baptism and Eucharist found in the priesthood established by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at Pentecost. This is the ultimate source of the water that springs up unto everlasting life.
We are called to worship in spirit and in truth in the worship of the inner man, in the depths of the heart. This is Ortho-praxia, the true way of life. The idolaters of old were concerned with only the external animal sacrifice, whole burnt offerings and the like in their worship. Purity of heart was of no concern to them. As Christians we are called to worship God in “spirit and in truth” and to accomplish this we must cleanse our hearts. This is the renewal of the inner man. It begins with self-examination and taking ownership for our sins. As it is written, “a broken and humble heart God will not despise…”
Every time we approach our parish Church we make a choice to worship either in pretense or in spirit and in truth. It is not enough to simply show up and kiss a few icons and light a few candles or perform outward works without inward sacrifice.
Do we outwardly worship and at the same time harbor anger against our brother? Do we claim to worship Truth incarnate and spread lies and slander about our brother or sister? Do we do the work of the evil one and create division in the Body of Christ? If so, we are worse than the idolaters. At least the idolaters of old attended to outward ritual, but we in the sanctuary of the heart sin against God and offend Him offering a defiled sacrifice.
Outward ritual is an important part of our worship and extremely helpful, but only if it is an expression of the center of our being, the heart.
God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
In the dread day of judgment many will be put to confusion because they thought that it was enough to perform outward works even to the point of adorning Churches or publishing books. God sees the heart. A man can deceive himself into thinking that he serves God, when he is just manipulating the things of the Church to serve himself. If something is done for vainglory or some ulterior motive, all is lost. Saint John Chrysostom comments:
>O new calamity! this strange passion. Where moth corrupts not, nor thief breaks through, vainglory scatters. This [vainglory] is the moth of those treasures there; this [vainglory] the thief of our wealth in heaven; this steals away the riches that cannot be spoiled; this mars and corrupts all. For because the devil saw that that place is impregnable to thieves and to the worm, and the other plots against them, he by vainglory steals away the wealth. (Homily 71 on the Gospel of Saint Matthew.)
There are many facets to the words of our Savior, “God is Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
Let us be wise and not only remain steadfast in the doctrines that our Savior has given us through the teachings of the Apostles, but also let us attend to the sacrifice of the heart and ever seek to worship our God in spirit and in truth and thus cross over and become partakers of participation in God unto eternity.
Christ is risen! Amen.
From the Second Book of Kings:
17:24 And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon the men of Chutha, [and men] from Aia, and from Aemath, and Seppharvaim, and they were settled in the cities of Samaria in the place of the children of Israel: and they inherited Samaria, and were settled in its cities.17:25 And it was so at the beginning of their establishment there [that] they feared not the Lord, and the Lord sent lions among them, and they slew some of them.
17:26 And they spoke to the king of the Assyrians, saying, The nations whom thou hast removed and substituted in the cities of Samaria [for the Israelites], know not the manner of the God of the land: and he has sent the lions against them, and, behold, they are slaying them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land.
17:27 And the king of the Assyrians commanded, saying, Bring some [Israelites] thence, and let them go and dwell there, and they shall teach them the manner of the God of the land.
17:28 And they brought one of the priests whom they had removed from Samaria, and he settled in Baethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.
17:29 But the nations made each their own gods, and put them in the house of the high places which the Samaritans [had] made, each nation in the cities in which they dwelt.
17:30 And the men of Babylon made Socchoth Benith, and the men of Chuth made Ergel, and the men of Haemath made Asimath.
17:31 And the Evites made Eblazer and Tharthac, and the [inhabitant] of Seppharvaim [did evil] when they burnt their sons in the fire to Adramelech and Anemelech, the gods of Seppharvaim.
17:32 And they feared the Lord, yet they established their abominations in the houses of the high places which they made in Samaria, each nation in the city in which they dwelt: and they feared the Lord, and they made for themselves priests of the high places, and sacrificed for themselves in the house of the high places.
17:33 And they feared the Lord, and served their gods according to the manner of the nations, whence [their lords] brought them.
17:34 Until this day they did according to their manner: they fear [the Lord], and they do according to their customs, and according to their manner, and according to the law, and according to the commandment which the Lord commanded the sons of Jacob, whose name he made Israel.
17:35 And the Lord made a covenant with them, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, neither shall ye worship them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them:
17:36 but only to the Lord, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great strength and with a high arm: him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship; to him shall ye sacrifice.
17:37 Ye shall observe continually the ordinances, and the judgments, and the law, and the commandments which he wrote for you to do; and ye shall not fear other gods.
17:38 Neither shall ye forget the covenant which he made with you: and ye shall not fear other gods.
17:39 But ye shall fear the Lord your God, and he shall deliver you from all your enemies.
17:40 Neither shall ye comply with their practice, which they follow.
17:41 So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images: yea, their sons and their son's sons do until this day even as their fathers did.