Homily of His Grace, Bishop Parthenius of Antania, Abbot of the Sacred Monastery of Bigorski, delivered on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, during the Divine Liturgy, following the reading of the Holy Gospel, May 14, 2023 A.D.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
Beloved, today’s Gospel reading recounts the extraordinary conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, near the Samaritan city of Sychar. As Church tradition teaches, after her encounter with Christ, this woman—initially despised as a sinner—was transformed, becoming an apostle and ultimately crowned with the martyr’s crown for the sake of Christ. Today, the Church venerates her as a saint, under the name of Saint Photina.
God alone knows the hearts of people. He alone understands the best way to call each person, to send the right message to the heart, so that they might be transformed and sanctified. From the Gospel narrative, we learn that the Samaritan woman led a sinful life—she had five husbands, and the one she lived with at the time was not her husband. I believe many of you are familiar with the beautiful dialogue that takes place between Christ and this woman by Jacob’s well. It is deeply moving to see how our gentle Lord, our beloved Savior, approaches us with such kindness, humility, and love, doing everything for our salvation. Though He is the perfect God, self-sufficient in His divinity and lacking nothing, He still stands by Jacob’s well as a tired, thirsty man. He sits down and asks this sinful, foreign woman for a drink. In doing so, He seeks not only to quench His physical thirst but to open her heart, to offer her the living water that flows into eternal life—His saving teaching.
The woman, confused, wonders what kind of water Christ is speaking of, and she remarks that He has no vessel to draw water from the well. And the Lord replies: “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. The water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:13-14).
Though this woman was a sinner and condemned by others, within her there stirred a longing for truth. She thirsted for something spiritual, something eternal. We can see this from the dialogue, as she asks Christ theological questions—discussing the differences between Samaritan and Jewish worship. Her heart sought the truth. She was not content with the life she had lived and desired something higher. Recognizing Christ as a prophet, she questions Him. And the Lord, who knows the depths of every heart, willingly initiates this conversation. He chooses her—despised by the Jews for her Samaritan heritage and mocked by her own people for her immoral life. Rejected by society, she came alone to draw water, avoiding the company of other women. But it is to her that the One who knows all hearts draws near and engages in conversation, knowing that this daughter of God would repent, be transformed, and become an apostle—proclaiming the Resurrection and the grace of God.
Do you see, beloved? Our merciful God does not condemn people but calls everyone to Himself. That is why He commands us not to judge others, for we do not know their inner lives, the circumstances in which they have grown and live, nor the moment they might repent and turn to God. We also do not know the sorrow or loneliness some may carry within themselves because of the sinful lives they lead. We cannot see their struggles or the longing to become better. But God sees and knows everything. Therefore, He uses various means—sending people or allowing situations to arise—so that all may come to repentance.
Moreover, He sends us, His followers, as His messengers, expecting us to be examples to those around us with love, kindness, and patience, quietly inspiring repentance in others. Remember, it is only love that has the power to transform others. This is what our Savior teaches us, and this is the example He left for us. Today’s Gospel event is one of many such examples. And throughout the Gospel and the entire history of Christianity, we see that God draws people to Himself through love. There is nothing greater, nobler, or more joyful than showing someone the path of salvation through love. Christ has done precisely this—He opened the way to salvation for all of us through love. He did not condemn us but chose to be judged for our sins. He did not punish us but allowed Himself to be punished, crucified on the Cross for our transgressions.
The Lord chose love as the path to attaining the Kingdom of Heaven. I am certain that all of us have felt His gentle and healing presence in our lives. In moments of abandonment or despair, He has approached us in a mysterious way, calling our hearts. Some are called early, in their youth, while others are called later in life, but the timing does not matter for the outcome. What matters is that we respond to His call and remain faithful to it. It is truly moving to reflect on the fact that the Son of God became weary and thirsty to save fallen humanity. He sat by the well and said to the Samaritan woman, “Give Me a drink” (John 4:7). Although He was physically thirsty, like any human being, His deeper thirst was for the salvation of souls. Out of that thirst for love, He came into the world.
Now that the voice of God has called us, and we have become Christians, let us also strive to be streams of living water for others, as the Samaritan woman was after her encounter with Christ. She accepted His teaching, believed in Him, and loved Him, becoming His apostle. Though previously a sinner with no moral authority, she ran into the city, proclaiming the Messiah with fervor. We heard how she was able to bring her entire city to meet the Savior. She became a faithful disciple and apostle of Christ, eventually suffering martyrdom for Him in Carthage, along with her children.
Beloved, let us follow the example of Saint Photina. Since God has called us and spoken to our hearts—since we find ourselves within His Kingdom, participating in the Divine Liturgy, communing with Him, and experiencing the joy of fellowship with Him—let us also strive to witness Christ, crucified and risen, to others through kindness, generosity, forgiveness, love, and compassion. Let us not be discouraged by the many trials, accusations, and obstacles we may encounter, for the path of Christ is not easy. Yet His grace and help are abundant. Christ is always with those who believe in Him, supporting and strengthening them.
It is essential that we surrender our hearts to Him in love, just as the Samaritan woman did today, opening her heart to Christ and becoming a light. Likewise, let us remain faithful to His call and share the living water that Christ gives us—through communion with Him, the Sacraments of the Church, and the Holy Eucharist—with others. Let us all be His faithful children, apostles, and bearers of His light.
Amen!
