Today’s Lesson: Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
For the entire family
Tips for using music at home
Learn Hymns at Home - "Hymn-Singing for Young People"
“Music as a Ministry” by Gigi Baba Shadid, via the Center for Family Care
Sing-Along with Gigi Shadid #7 (May 12, 2020 via Y2am)
For children of all ages
Lesson and craft
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman »
From Let Us Live Orthodoxy, Volume 3 by Fr. Dean and Pres. Georget Photos
Preschool
Bible story and coloring sheet
A Woman Brings Others to Meet Jesus - pages 1–2 from Let Us Attend »
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Department of Religious Education
Elementary school
Bible story
A Woman Brings Others to Meet Jesus - page 3 for grade K–2 or page 4 for grades 3–5 »
From Let Us Attend, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Department of Religious Education
Discussion questions
What was the name of the well?
Answer: Jacob’s WellWhat did Jesus ask the woman to do? Answer:
To give him a drink of waterWhen Jesus said that a person will never thirst again if they drink from the water that he gives them, was he talking about actual water?
Answer: Not exactly - He was using water as a kind of symbol, a metaphor
Activity
Jesus is the Lord and Savior of all people. During His life on earth, He talked to and showed love to everyone, not just other men, not just other Jews, not just other adults, not just other healthy people.
Think of a person in your daily life who you don’t have much in common with. It could be an older relative, a worker at the grocery store, or a neighbor you don’t know well. Is it hard to talk to him or her? Do you think you could find a way to start a conversation this week? If that sounds like too much, maybe you can just smile and say hello!
Middle school
Discussion questions
What was the name of the well?
Answer: Jacob’s WellWhat did Jesus ask the woman to do?
Answer: To give him a drink of waterWhy was this surprising?
Answer: Because Jesus was a Jew and she was Samaritan, and their groups didn’t normally interactWhen Jesus said that a person will never thirst again if they drink from the water that he gives them, was he talking about actual water?
Answer: Not exactly — He was using water as a metaphorWhat would happen if they drink it?
Answer: They would have eternal lifeAfter encountering Christ, the woman shared the news and many Samaritans became believers. Do you share the things that Christ does for you?
Answer: various answers
Action item for the week
This week, whenever you are hungry or have a craving for something, practice saying a short prayer before eating. It’s easy to focus on our physical hunger and thirst, but remember this Gospel lesson and the importance of attending to our spiritual needs as well.
High school
Discussion questions
Why was it controversial for Jesus to ask the Samaritan woman for a drink?
Answer: Because Jesus was a Jew and she was Samaritan, and their groups didn’t normally interactWhat did Jesus say about the water that he can offer?
Answer: "...but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."What did he mean by this?
Answer: That he is offering eternal life to those who followed himWhy did the disciples marvel that Jesus was speaking to her?
Answer: At that time, it was uncommon and frowned upon for a man to speak to a womanAfter this, why did many Samaritans become believers in Christ?
Answer: When the woman went into the city, she shared the news of what Jesus had spoken to herDo you share the things that God has done for you? Why or why not?
Journal topic
Have you ever felt like you weren’t good enough? Jesus chooses an unlikely person to help the people in her city believe in Him, because as a man and a Jew it was considered inappropriate for him to interact with her.The Samaritan woman, who we know as St. Photine, went on to spread the Gospel in many places and ultimately became a martyr for the Church. What does this passage tell you about how God chooses people to do his will, and who the Gospel is for?
Action item
Read and answer the questions from the “Breaking Barriers” section of the young adult Bible study (Chapter 5 of A Year of the Lord Liturgical Bible Studies, Volume 4: Easter to Pentecost, by Rev. Dr. Ted Stylianopoulos)
Strict stay-at-home orders are beginning to be relaxed now. Do you think the “new normal” will result in new prejudices and biases? What is one prejudice or bias you have recognized in yourself? What can you do this week to work or continue working to overcome it?
Before you end your Sunday School session
Light a candle and pray for those who are sick and suffering; those who are needy; those who are well; and our church family, that we may all be together again soon to worship in our beautiful church
Gospel Reading
John 4:5–42
At that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he."
Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him.
Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."