September 28, 2023

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Beauty What Else

Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman – Homilies

[*]

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of The usa

Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral

Houston, Texas

May well 30, 2021

 

My pricey Sisters and Brothers in the Risen Lord,

Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη!        [and in response: Ἀληθῶς Ἀνέστη!]

Christ is Risen!          [and in response: Truly He is Risen!]

I am delighted to be with this beloved Cathedral, specially on the fiftieth anniversary of the Annunciation Orthodox Faculty. It certainly is the delight of the total Archdiocese, and you should all just take deep satisfaction in the accomplishment of your group. You are a welcoming and inclusive community that is escalating – a lot like the town of the Samaritans that arrived running out to meet the Lord Jesus in today’s Gospel Reading through.

Remaining with a variety of constituencies of your community, this weekend has been notably inspiring for me. Annunciation has genuinely embraced its contacting to be the Body of Christ here in Houston. You established a marvelous instance for the whole Metropolis of Denver and, in fact, for the countrywide Church.

In today’s Gospel – the second of the a few Sundays of the Pentecostarion that converse of the secret of Baptism, mainly because of the h2o references – we see the enthusiasm of a town of outsiders, the Samaritans, for the Lord.

And this girl, whom Tradition reveals as Photini, “the enlightened 1,” was an “outsider’s outsider” to the Lord. She was a Samaritan He was a Jew. She was a girl He was a guy. She was 5 moments married, properly outside of the ethical restrict in her culture, and dwelling with a guy who was not her partner! The Lord was acknowledged to be a Rabbi, with whom this sort of a girl as the Samaritan Girl would hardly ever affiliate, or even have interaction in the slightest way. In actuality, when the Disciples returned from their errand to discover foodstuff, and observed the Lord speaking with her, they had been scandalized and even shocked. The Gospel suggests:

They ended up surprised that Jesus was talking to a lady. (On the other hand, nobody explained, “What were being you wanting for?” or “Why ended up you talking with her?”)[*]

         But in their encounter at the Well of Jacob, our Lord did not reject her, or stay clear of her, or condemn her. Instead, he dialogued with her He recognized her as she was and He permitted her to mature in self-know-how, to the place where by she even forgot the water that she had come to Jacob’s well to attract. And then she preferred to share her experience of Christ with others.

         This, my beloved brother and sisters, is the effect that acceptance, listening, real truth and really like have on men and women – even when their lives have become based on lies. And this is how we are named to stay in the light of the Resurrection.

The Lord Jesus violated quite a few social norms to have this face with the Samaritan Lady. By reaching out over and above the conventions of society, He led her – with patience and comprehension – to come to her personal conclusions about her life. And what did she do? She went to her fellow townspeople and explained to them:

“Come on! See a person who instructed me everything I have ever accomplished! Is it possible that this gentleman is the Christ?” [†]

She was remodeled from a town pariah to the town preacher – even the city Evangelist! See the gentleness in how she strategies other folks devoid of requires for she would like them to see for by themselves.

What a amazing example for each Christian and for each individual parish to follow! Pay attention compassionately to a single an additional, with persistence and understanding, without the need of judgment or condemnation. And make space for discussion about the religion, that is open up and accepting of other folks, just as we all want to be acknowledged right before God.

For when we are living our faith like this – like the Samaritan Female – we will see what the Disciples themselves observed: 

How individuals were being operating out of the city, and were coming to Jesus. [‡]

         So shall it be with you, my pricey devoted. So shall it be for your amazing Cathedral. And so shall it be for your wonderful School. 

May perhaps the Lord bless you usually.

May possibly the Lord carry up the light-weight of His Divine Countenance on you, your family members and all that you love.

And may perhaps the Lord grant you abiding peace – the pretty peace of head and coronary heart that surpasses all human expectation and knowledge.

Now and permanently, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! [Ἀληθῶς Ἀνέστη!]