Comments on: The conversation of Christ with the soul. Sunday of the Samaritan Woman http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/05/14/the-conversation-of-christ-with-the-soul-sunday-of-the-samaritan-woman/ McKinney TX Homilies, scripture commentary, spiritual reflections Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:12:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: Stones Cry Out - If they keep silent… » Things Heard: e67v5 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/05/14/the-conversation-of-christ-with-the-soul-sunday-of-the-samaritan-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-1832 Stones Cry Out - If they keep silent… » Things Heard: e67v5 Fri, 15 May 2009 14:02:53 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=871#comment-1832 [...] homily for Photina, or the Samaritan woman … which is the designated reading for this Sunday in the Pascha -> [...] [...] homily for Photina, or the Samaritan woman … which is the designated reading for this Sunday in the Pascha -> [...]

]]> By: Natalia Arzhantseva http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/05/14/the-conversation-of-christ-with-the-soul-sunday-of-the-samaritan-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-1829 Natalia Arzhantseva Fri, 15 May 2009 06:23:05 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=871#comment-1829 Christ really comes to us in the heat of the day of our life. At the peak of our thirst, when it seems we cannot stand any more the spinning circumstances & bear the extreme tension of troubles that fall on us from every corner. Remembering this episode, we should always realize that the Saviour is with us, that He talks to us, and loves us. This episode teaches us also that no one can give us understanding & consolation but He Himself. That He is our real resurrection & joy. That His Water cleans all our sins & sorrows, even - yes - our past. If we come to Him with sincere & humble heart with which the Samaritan Woman came. She had something that allowed her to hear God, something that many of us do not have - it is humility. We are really surrounded by not five - hundreds of "husbands" - our thoughts, passions, prejudices, dislikes...doing nothing to "bury" these "husbands", to get rid of them. And we try to speak to Christ & beg Him to listen to us, speaking simultaneously with all these "husbands" - which belong to this secular world, having nothing in common with life in Christ. What's the use of making physical efforts "for Christ", if in our inner world we remain secular? As Father said some time ago - what we do does not matter much in comparison with what we become. If we do but not become - what's the use of our activity? For us & our salvation...We always talk. Even if we are silent - we continue talking. We always continue our inner polemics, during which our soul condemns, exasperates, derides, takes offence, feels indignation...in other words - injures itself, causes pain to itself, averts itself from God's grace. This creates uproar in our soull & head, but Christ's voice - how can it be heard in all this mess? Thank you Father, bless Christ really comes to us in the heat of the day of our life. At the peak of our thirst, when it seems we cannot stand any more the spinning circumstances & bear the extreme tension of troubles that fall on us from every corner. Remembering this episode, we should always realize that the Saviour is with us, that He talks to us, and loves us. This episode teaches us also that no one can give us understanding & consolation but He Himself. That He is our real resurrection & joy. That His Water cleans all our sins & sorrows, even – yes – our past. If we come to Him with sincere & humble heart with which the Samaritan Woman came. She had something that allowed her to hear God, something that many of us do not have – it is humility. We are really surrounded by not five – hundreds of “husbands” – our thoughts, passions, prejudices, dislikes…doing nothing to “bury” these “husbands”, to get rid of them. And we try to speak to Christ & beg Him to listen to us, speaking simultaneously with all these “husbands” – which belong to this secular world, having nothing in common with life in Christ. What’s the use of making physical efforts “for Christ”, if in our inner world we remain secular? As Father said some time ago – what we do does not matter much in comparison with what we become. If we do but not become – what’s the use of our activity? For us & our salvation…We always talk. Even if we are silent – we continue talking. We always continue our inner polemics, during which our soul condemns, exasperates, derides, takes offence, feels indignation…in other words – injures itself, causes pain to itself, averts itself from God’s grace. This creates uproar in our soull & head, but Christ’s voice – how can it be heard in all this mess?

Thank you Father, bless

]]> By: Natalia Arzhantseva http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/05/14/the-conversation-of-christ-with-the-soul-sunday-of-the-samaritan-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-1828 Natalia Arzhantseva Fri, 15 May 2009 05:38:06 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=871#comment-1828 Deborah, this is even fantastic...and - your perception is so actual! Many of us felt in our lives loneliness, misunderstanding by the society, felt unusual & maladjusted. People around were laughing, talking, sharing much in common (even their righteousness - it happens!), neglecting us, and we felt outcast. In those moments our meeting with Christ takes place. When we learn to hear stillness. We feel out of place & out of time. And here comes our Saviour to save us, to show us what is worthy cherishing & Whom we'd listen to. In this state of desolation we recognize Him, we understand that He loves us, even if the whole world averts from us for whatever - sins, strangeness, problems, mistakes... Your explanation is very personal to me, and I understand very well what you say about. Deborah, this is even fantastic…and – your perception is so actual! Many of us felt in our lives loneliness, misunderstanding by the society, felt unusual & maladjusted. People around were laughing, talking, sharing much in common (even their righteousness – it happens!), neglecting us, and we felt outcast. In those moments our meeting with Christ takes place. When we learn to hear stillness. We feel out of place & out of time. And here comes our Saviour to save us, to show us what is worthy cherishing & Whom we’d listen to. In this state of desolation we recognize Him, we understand that He loves us, even if the whole world averts from us for whatever – sins, strangeness, problems, mistakes…
Your explanation is very personal to me, and I understand very well what you say about.

]]> By: Deborah http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/05/14/the-conversation-of-christ-with-the-soul-sunday-of-the-samaritan-woman/comment-page-1/#comment-1825 Deborah Thu, 14 May 2009 18:28:21 +0000 http://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/?p=871#comment-1825 Someone once told me that it was very unusual for women to go to draw water alone, in the heat of the day and that this was an indication of her status as a social outcast. The speculation is that she could not go to the well when all the women gathered to draw water together in the cool morning, to laugh together, encourage one another and perhaps exchange the latest gossip--because she was the unwanted and rejected subject of much of the gossip. She had had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Perhaps her previous husbands were not even dead... So she is alone, perhaps rejected and outcast. She is surprised that anyone would talk to her, much less a Jewish man. But if she had not been alone, would she have had this opportunity to talk one-on-one with the Savior in the heat of the day when everyone else was busy about their work in their houses or in the fields? If she had not been rejected by all, thirsty for human kindness and contact, would she have been so receptive to the Lord's surprising and socially radical request for water from her? Perhaps her whole, sorry, sad and sinful life was the prologue to this divine, transforming moment. I am not suggesting that we should live sinful, oblivious lives in hopes that one day in our self-made Hell the Savior will come to us (and that we will recognize Him when He comes). But it is reassuring to know that our precious Savior redeems not only are present and future, but in His hands, even the past is transformed into an instrument of our salvation. Truly He does restore to us "the years the locusts hath eaten." Joel 2:25 Someone once told me that it was very unusual for women to go to draw water alone, in the heat of the day and that this was an indication of her status as a social outcast. The speculation is that she could not go to the well when all the women gathered to draw water together in the cool morning, to laugh together, encourage one another and perhaps exchange the latest gossip–because she was the unwanted and rejected subject of much of the gossip. She had had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Perhaps her previous husbands were not even dead…

So she is alone, perhaps rejected and outcast. She is surprised that anyone would talk to her, much less a Jewish man. But if she had not been alone, would she have had this opportunity to talk one-on-one with the Savior in the heat of the day when everyone else was busy about their work in their houses or in the fields? If she had not been rejected by all, thirsty for human kindness and contact, would she have been so receptive to the Lord’s surprising and socially radical request for water from her? Perhaps her whole, sorry, sad and sinful life was the prologue to this divine, transforming moment.

I am not suggesting that we should live sinful, oblivious lives in hopes that one day in our self-made Hell the Savior will come to us (and that we will recognize Him when He comes). But it is reassuring to know that our precious Savior redeems not only are present and future, but in His hands, even the past is transformed into an instrument of our salvation. Truly He does restore to us “the years the locusts hath eaten.” Joel 2:25

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