St. Photina
One
Today is the Feast of St. Photina – the woman Jesus met at the well in John chapter four.
In John chapter four we hear, “Jesus journeyed to a city of Samaria, called Sy′char, (today it is Nablus)…Jacob’s well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”…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?...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.”
Then she said to Jesus, “I perceive that you are a prophet…I know that 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.”…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?” Then they went out of the city and were coming to him. Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.
Two
Photina
From Tradition we know the name of the Samaritan Woman. Her name is Photina.
She had five husbands and was living with a man who was not her husband. But then she meets Jesus. She has no theology degree, no professional training; she has never been trained in evangelization. But she knows Jesus is the One Savior of the World. So she goes immediately and tells her family and friends about Jesus and they go and meet Him for themselves. Then they believe.
A little more than thirty years later, around 66 AD, Photina and her grown children, being warned that Rome was about to put down the Jewish rebellion and conquer Israel, left and moved to Carthage in North Africa. Her son Victor became an officer in the Roman army. A government official and friend of his, named Sebastian wrote him, urging him and his mother to stop, to keep their faith in Jesus to themselves, keep their faith private. But as Sebastian was writing the letter, he fell blind for three days. On the fourth day, he declared, “The God of the Christians is the only true God.” He asked for Baptism, after which he immediately regained his sight. Reports of this miraculous event reached the Emperor Nero. Both Sebastian and Victor were arrested and taken to Rome.
Hearing this news, Photina and her family went to Rome, accompanied by many Christians. They too were arrested and brought before Nero, but they refused to renounce Jesus Christ and were imprisoned, where they continued to speak to their fellow prisoners about Jesus and converted many. Finally, they were tortured and put to death.
A relic of the skull of Photina resides in the Church of Jacob’s well in Nablus in the Holy Land. I have often stood before that relic of the Martyr, Photina, praying God give me and you the same love and courage as Photina.
Three
The Desire for God
When Jesus met Photina at the well, He offered her something completely new—a different kind of water. He spoke of Living Water that would satisfy every good desire she had ever carried in her heart. In response, she begged Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst…”
Photina had what is most essential: the right desire, the desire for God. She had already tried everything else the world had to offer and none of it could make her happy. Now, she wanted God.
Someone once asked St. Thomas Aquinas, “What does it take to become a saint?” His answer was simple and direct, “Want it. Desire it.”
That is the key ingredient, the desire for God. To say, “I want God.” You may feel like you’re not good enough, spiritually or morally. You may even feel like an imposter at times. But I’m telling you—you are not! You have the one thing God necessary, you want God. And that desire is the most important thing of all. Let that longing for God lead you to daily prayer, to receive Him often in the Eucharist, and to be washed clean in confession at least once a month.
Desire Him and let that desire draw you closer, every day.
Four
Courage
Another great virtue that Photina possessed was courage.
Fortitude, or courage, is the strength to overcome fear in order to do what is right. Photina was not ruled by fear. And fear always comes from the worry that we’ll lose something good or something we think is important.
When it comes to helping our family and friends grow closer to God, too often we become paralyzed by the fear that we’ll say or do the wrong thing, be rejected, and end up damaging the relationship. But courage must be guided by prudence. We aren’t meant to be pushy or reckless with our faith; we need wisdom to know how and when to speak. Unfortunately, in our desire not to come across as forceful, many of us have swung too far in the opposite direction. We’ve become so timid that hardly anyone dares to talk about faith, much less invite someone to experience God.
Our faith is meant to be personal but it was never meant to be private. Yes, you need prudence. But you also need to overcome your fear of what others will think or say. You need to speak the truth. And they need you to speak the truth. Unlike Photina, we’ve grown timid. It’s time to regain her courage.
Five
Through Friendship learn faith
St. Francis of Assisi once said to a brother who was struggling with doubts, “Do not be troubled, brother, but through friendship learn faith.”
Francis lived a simple, beautiful way of life and he invited others to share it with him. We have a simple way of life, too: Friendship, Good Conversation, and the Rosary. And we’re meant to invite people into it.
The first step is friendship. Friends share life together. They do good things together: share a meal, enjoy a drink or dessert, go for a walk, play cards, or relax at a park. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just be present with each other and enjoy something good together.
The second step is good conversation. Good conversation happens when you’re genuinely interested in another person. Ask them about their life, their experiences, their opinions. The goal is simple: to know them better, to understand them more deeply, and to appreciate who they are. And you can’t do this while staring at a screen. A screen steals your focus. Instead, give your attention to God and to others.
Wherever you live, create spaces of hospitality, your kitchen table, your living room, your deck, your garage, by the pool. Make those places welcoming with friendship and real conversation. Invite people in. Offer them something to drink or a bite to eat. Don’t worry about whether your home looks like something off Pinterest. In fact, if it’s too perfect, it can feel uninviting, like no one really lives there. Don’t let that kind of temptation stop you from hospitality. You don’t need to put out a fancy spread. Just offer what you have in your fridge or pantry. It’s about sharing your life, not impressing anyone.
The third step is the Rosary. And then, toward the end of your time together, you might simply say, “I pray the Rosary every day, and I haven’t yet today. Would you like to join me?”
Because it’s toward the end of the visit, they are free to stay and pray or to leave, either way is perfectly fine. This is our simple way of life: friendship, good conversation, and the Rosary. And all we’re doing is inviting people into it.
Suggested Resolutions:
Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
St. Photina was urged not to speak of Christ, but she had courage and went on sharing her testimony. This week, make an effort to speak of your relationship with God openly, especially when doing so seems daunting.
Even if you can’t yet convince others to listen to the Word of God, get to know them lovingly, as Jesus got to know St. Photina at the well. Be intentional about hospitality and pray for the opportunity to share the faith.