2023.05.14 Orthros & Divine Liturgy In Commemoration Of The Samaritan Woman

In the gospel of Saint John, there is a tale of a weary traveler who found himself in the city of Samaria, near a well. It was noon, and the sun beat down mercilessly on the parched earth. Along came a Samaritan woman, seeking water from the well. Little did she know that her encounter with the stranger at the well would forever change her life.

The stranger, who happened to be Jesus, asked the woman for a drink of water. Startled by the request, she questioned why a Jew like him would even consider speaking to a Samaritan like her. But Jesus replied with a profound statement - if only she knew who was asking for water, she would ask him for living water.

Intrigued, the woman asked Jesus how he could provide this living water when he had nothing to draw water with. Jesus explained that the water he offered was not physical, but a spiritual water that would quench the thirst of her soul. The woman, yearning for something more than just physical sustenance, eagerly asked for this living water so that she would never be thirsty again.

A Revelation of the Heart

But Jesus did not stop there. He asked the woman to go and call her husband. She admitted that she had no husband, and Jesus revealed that he knew her truth - she had had five husbands, and the man she was currently with was not her husband. Instead of feeling ashamed or defensive, the woman recognized that Jesus was more than just a stranger at the well. He was a prophet who saw into the depths of her soul.

The True Place of Worship

As the conversation continued,