Voices Found: She declared his glory!

Voices Found #150, verse 2

Declare his glory among all nations;

and his wonders among all peoples.

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;

let the whole earth tremble before him.

Tell it out among the nations: the Lord is King;

he will judge the peoples with equity.

Declare his glory among all nations;

and his wonders among all peoples!

Words and music: Carol Gallagher and Michael Plunkett

para. Psalm 96

Bishop Gallagher's Native American chant declares the good  news that Jesus's salvation is for all nations and all peoples. Her music itself is a blend of Native  and traditional Anglican chant. It embodies the message of Jesus embracing all peoples.  He revealed himself as Messiah to a Samaritan woman, an alien to the Jews of Israel, unwelcome as a foreigner.  Nevertheless, the nameless woman proclaimed God's miracle: Messiah for all!

John 4:27-29, 39-42 and 1 Peter 5:6-11 are appointed for Proper 18B (Closest to September 7) in The Women's Lectionary for the Whole Church, by Wilda C. Gafney

After Jesus had said to the Samaritan woman, "I am, the one who is speaking to you," ...she left her water jar and went back to the city and she said to the people, "Come right now and see a person who told me all, everything I ever did.  Is this not the Messiah?" John 4:27-29, tr. Gafney

St. John does not name this woman,  but he does tell us that many Samaritans believed in Jesus  because of her testimony.  

According to Eastern Orthodox tradition,  after the Resurrection,  this Samaritan woman was baptized by the Apostles who named her  Photine. She became a fervent evangelist.  With her family, she traveled as far as Rome to share news of Messiah for all nations. She successfully converted many Romans.   However, Emperor Nero ordered her to be  silent.  He ordered her to worship his gods.  She refused to bow down to Roman gods.   Nero ordered her to be tortured and executed.  Eastern Orthodox Christians venerate her as St. Photine.

Reflection: a hymn for Photine

Kontakion (Tone 1) – 

O Almighty Saviour, Who did pour forth water for the Hebrews from a solid rock:

You did come to the Land of Samaria, and addressed a woman,

whom You did attract to faith in You,

and she has now attained life in the heavens everlastingly.

By permission of the Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)

Meditation

Humble yourselves so under the mighty hand of God, that God may exalt you all in due time.  All your anxiety, cast on God, because God cares for you all.  Be sober, keep alert: Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil, goes around seeking someone to devour.  Resist it, firm in your faith, for you all know the same sufferings that are throughout the world your sisters and brothers are experiencing.  And the God of all grace, who has called you to God's eternal glory in Christ, will Godself, after you all have suffered for a little while, restore, support, strengthen, and establish you all.  To God be the power forever and ever.  Amen.

1Peter 5:6-11 (tr. Gafney)

Voices Found # 88

Nada te turbe

Nada te espante:

quien a Dos tiene nada le falta.

Nada te turbe, nada te espante: solo Dios basta.

Translation:

Let nothing worry or upset you:

whoever has God needs fear nothing.

Let nothing worry or upset you:

God alone is enough.

Words: Jacques Berthier (1923-1994), adapt Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Music: Jacques Berthier

Mothering God,   Help me to trust you, and to cast all my anxiety on you.  Help me to know that I need fear nothing and that you alone are enough.

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