In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Christ is Risen!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.5,3). This claim of our Saviour, no matter how familiar and common it seems to us, in fact, is “a stone of stumbling and offences” (Rom. 9.33). It turns out that the Kingdom of God is a lot of defeated but not victors. Heaven abodes of the Father are for those who have lost the race here on the earth. The first who comes into the Kingdom of God is a bandit and a murderer; the first who learns that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the Son of God is an indecent woman, the whore of Samaria. Where is the common sense, where is the logic, where is the human justice? It may seem that if they deserve something, it is first of all condemnation and damnation. However, Christ the Saviour as if mocking at human notions about justice “eats with tax-gatherers and sinners” (Mt. 9,11), says to greedy tax-gatherers “today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19,5), and entrusts the greatest mystery about Himself to the whore: “I am the Messiah”, He says to her.

So, the logic of the Evangel is quite different from the logic of our everyday life. And the one who has come to the church, must forget justice, because instead of the law “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Lev. 24, 20), there is quite another rule: “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt. 5,44).

But of course in order God might visit the greatest sinner, confide to us, a very important thing is necessary: our consent with Him, with our God. If I agree that I am sinful and find ways to be cured of the sin, God will help, because according to Him “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician but those who are sick” (Mt. 9, 12). But if I am sure that I needn’t  to be cured of any sin simply because I have no sins, then even God won’t be able to help, as a person is free and this freedom given by God is unbroken. God can’t save us against our will, God can’t forgive us our sin if we don’t ask Him for forgiveness, God can’t give us to drink water of eternal life if we clench our teeth. As in everyday life in order to drink water, it is necessary to do some work, so in spiritual life in order to commune the water of life, it is necessary to repent sins as it was done by a sinful woman from a Samarian city Sychar.

In this Evangel episode we, modern people, after the Samarian woman, are amazed by the wonder of propheticality of the Saviour. We think just the same as she does that the most wonderful thing in this story is that the Lord knows everything about unrighteous life of the woman from Sychar. Though, in fact, we must have been amazed by quite another thing: surprising, incomprehensible humility of the woman with whom God was talking, at Jacob’s well. In order to understand how great, how unexpected and so wonderful the humility of that Samarian woman, it is simply enough to imagine how any of our acquaintances or friends will accuse each of us of our real sin, our shameful passion, which however you try to conceal, you won’t be able to conceal all the same. Won’t our soul stir up from offence and indignation against the exposer? Won’t we find at once a dozen of reasons apologizing us? Won’t a hot wave of offence against the truth flow over us?

And what about the woman of Samaria? Did she take offence, feel hurt, begin to justify herself? Or as we often do, she might say with angry: “That is not your affair to count my husbands!” No, in answer to exposure her in fornication this kind woman became happy! She threw away her water-carrier, she forgot what for she had come from the city to the well, she ran back to the city and said to people, “Come, see a man who told me all the things I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” (John, 4,29). Just think, there is neither false shame, nor hurt pride, only joy!

Thus, true repentance leads to joy, thus, sincere wish of a new life makes a person light, flying, having wings. Why is this woman so glad? What makes her so happy? I think only about one thing: a resolution to live a new life. And pay attention to the fact that she isn’t ashamed at all. She has nothing to be ashamed of because her former life is in the past and in the past forever! Isn’t it a miracle! Isn’t it joy!

Every day the Church gives us a chance to experience the joy of repentance and renovation, and it only depends on us if we will take this amazing chance and live through this miracle of renovation again and again, as the woman from a Samarian city Sychar did. Amen.