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Father George's Letter

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Written by: Fr George

THE SAMARITAN  WOMAN.

 

“ The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

 

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, who was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

 

SUNDAY 22^ND MAY. The Samaritan Woman (Martyr Photeini). Holy Patriarchs of Constantinople. Martyr Vasiliskos of Comana. St. John-Vladimir, Ruler of Serbia. New Martyrs Demetrius and Paul of the Peloponnese.

 

St. Mark the Hermit. Feast Day 20^th May.

      St. Mark the Hermit may be two similar people with the same name confused in history. The main thing we need to know about him is the austerity and asceticism that he endured on his own. In holy icons he appears as a male version of St. Mary of Egypt being naked with unkempt beard and hair, having no thought for the delights of this passing world. We can’t all live like this, it is a life of the angels but we can try in some small measure to see the world as it is and not as we are encouraged to believe by secular concerns.

 

“A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.” Abba Pimen.

 

TODAY’S GOSPEL READING: JOHN 4:5-42. “ So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.................”

 

      In today’s Gospel we see Jesus by himself sitting by Jacob’s well, which is there to this day being an Orthodox shrine and place of pilgrimage. The dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is very revealing. The Samaritans were a mixed race, worshipping the God of the Jews and yet not being Jewish in practice and belief. The fact that Christ spoke to an unaccompanied lady and a heretic as well is truly remarkable as the disciples, on returning, were astonished at the spectacle. Christ tells the lady all about herself and, more importantly, tells her that He is indeed the Messiah. This revelation therefore can be seen as a reaching out to the Gentiles and to all the world for God is Spirit and Truth, earthly location being of secondary importance. In church tradition after the Resurrection the Samaritan Woman was baptised and given the name Photeini, meaning “enlightened one”. She was martyred along with her children for evangelizing.

      This is one of the occasions that, initially, we see Christ on His own without the disciples. How many other times in the Gospel do we hear of Christ going away on His own? Sometimes to pray, at other times as in the forty days in the wilderness to confront the evil one and other times when we do not know why or for what reason. This is the enigma, it would be enlightening to know what Christ was experiencing on these occasions. What was the truly Man and truly God manifesting on these solitary excursions to be alone with His Father. We may have a glimpse of this in the lives of hermits and solitary people in our church who receive the many gifts of insight, wisdom, prophecy and an awareness of the great love of God that most of us don’t even notice in our everyday lives. To be alone before God is to be one with all creation and all of our brothers and sisters.

 

                                                                           Much Love,

 

                                                                           Fr. George.

 

Please continue to pray for all in sickness and distress in this mad world of our own making. Lord have mercy!