Kultant jiltaqgħu skoss nies li ma tantx ikollhom x’jagħmlu, u mix-xejn joħolqu diskursata li, billi ssir fuq l-internet, iddum għaddejja jiem sħaħ, jekk mhux ġimgħat ukoll.
Mela dan l-aħħar, Adalġiża fettlilha titfa’ għajnejha fuq dar, kemxejn antika, f’tarf ta’ raħal li għal-lum ser insejħulu Wied Ġenoveffa. Ratha b’kumbinazzjoni, u għalhekk iffissat li “suppost” tixtriha, skont il-loġika kemxejn oriġinali tagħha. Imma ġieha ħsieb li taqqlilha moħħha.
Adalġiża tagħna ħadet drawwa li tmur xi mkien, ikun fejn ikun, bil-karozza, tipparkja, u tmur tiġri dawra mar-raħal jew belt li tkun. Darba minnhom it-triq kienet tieqaf ħesrem, mhux għax kienet sqaq iżda għax kien hemm ħajt għoli faċċata li “xi darba”, skont xiħa li kellmitha, kellu jaqa’ u “…jitla’ wieħed minn dawk is-supermarkitijiet”.
Fettlilha tieħu parir. Mhux mingħand perit – għax kieku kien ikollha tħallas. Qabel ma ċemplet wieħed mis-sitt numri li kien hemm imniżżla fuq it-tabella ta’ wara l-bieb, tefgħet mistoqsija fuq Facebook. “Hemm xi mezz kif tkun taf jekk f’xi dar, l-iżjed jekk tkun antika, ikunx hemm xi ħares?”
U kif jgħidu, billi hawn min ma jħallihiex ħelwa għal melħa, irċeviet erba’ suġġerimenti mhux ħażin.
Ma jistax jonqos li kien hemm min qalilha biex tqabbad lill-Ghostbusters jagħmlu r-riċerka, u billi hawn min ma jafx x’inhu sarkażmu, qabżu u qalulha li dawk mhux vera jeżistu, u biex tkun taf sew kellha bżonn tqabbad perit u nutar u avukat.
Hawn qabżu għadd ta’ nies li sostnew li l-kappillan u l-ġirien, jew saħansitra l-pulizija tal-lokal, jew fil-ħanut tal-inbid l-iżjed antik tar-raħal, tal-ħanut tal-merċa, jew forsi l-pustier ukoll, iżjed ikunu kapaċi jgħidulha minn avukat u perit u nutar, li meta jagħmel ir-riċerki suppost li jfittex dwar sidien u djun u mhux fuq l-iħirsa. Għax wisq probabbli min ikun ser ibigħ jew jikri ma jkunx irid jgħid, li ma jmurx jitlef il-flus.
Ħaġa żgħira biex l-għajdut jibdieh xi ħadd li wara li x-xerrej prospettiv iħassar il-konvenju, jiddeffes biex jixtri l-post hu. Jew forsi xi ħadd li għandu għas-sid beda l-qlajja’ biex jisfida.
Kor sħiħ ta’ referenzi għal films u kotba – What Lies Beneath, The Others, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Evictors, u oħrajn.
Tħallew ħafna referenzi – għall-parapsikologi, dawk li suppost ikellmu lill-erwieħ tal-antenati tagħna, u saħansita tal-psikjatri.
Qamu għadd ta’ mistoqsijiet dwar il-mistoqsija – allura din kienet qed tistaqsi għax rat, semgħet, jew ħasset xi ħaġa? Riedet tkun taf għax tgħarrfilha xi ħaġa xi ħadd?
Hekk jew hekk, jekk ikun hemm xi preżenza malinna fid-dar, din jgħidu li tkun tinħass, bħal meta min-naħa l-oħra, tidħol xi mkien u tħossok fil-paċi. Jgħidu li l-klieb “jaraw”, u għaldaqstant tajjeb li tieħu kelb miegħek – jekk m’għandekx wieħed, issellef – meta tmur tara dar bil-ħsieb li tixtriha.
Kienet tagħmel differenza jekk il-mewt kinetx waħda naturali jew xi traġedja jew xi qtil? Jew jekk mitetx persuna waħda jew tnejn jew iżjed? Din mid-dehra kienet qed tissuspetta li hemm xi ħaġa għaddejja minn taħt u li ħadd ma ried ikun hu li jikxef il-borom.
Kien hemm min qalilha biex tikri d-dar għal ġimgħa, biex tara tħossx xi preżenza, tajba jew ħażina, fid-dar. Oħrajn qalulha li kulma kellha tagħmel hu li ġġib qassis biex ibierek, u jekk ikun eżorċista tant aħjar. Għax hija ħaġa minn awl id-dinja li la Malta ilha abitata minn żmien il-preistorja, bilfors li hawn u hemm u fil-post l-ieħor xi darba miet xi ħadd; iżjed u iżjed meta ma kienx hemm oqbra u ċimiterji u kienu jħaffru ħofra mal-art u jitfgħu lill-mejjet fiha biex l-ispirtu tiegħu jistrieħ u l-ġisem tiegħu jirritorna lejn l-art u jiffertilizza l-uċuħ tar-raba’.
Ma jistax jonqos li kien hemm ħafna u ħafna li lil Adalġiża qalulha li trid tibża’ mill-ħajjin u mhux mill-mejtin – għax il-mejtin jagħtuk qatgħa imma l-ħajjin jagħmlulek il-ħsara.
U int – tmur toqgħod f’dar li fiha l-ħares, forsi ssib il-boqxiex?
Għamilt esperiment. Għamilt ġimgħa nitfa’ links bl-addoċċ fuq Facebook – diski, artikli, proverbji, siltiet minn kotba… kollha fuq il-paġna tiegħi, iżda nehmeż lil ħaddiehor, skont l-interessi tagħhom… ikel, politika, reliġjon, sport, annimali…
Kien hemm min għadda kumment. Kien hemm min ma qal xejn. Kien hemm min immarka li għoġbitu… u kien hemm min għandi nifhem li ma ħax gost biha, għax jew neħħewha jew ħbewha.
U din tatni idea oħra. Staqsejt li ċorma nies liema huma l-iżjed affarijiet li jdejquhom fuq is-siti soċjali. Ktibt il-mistoqsija u għamiltha copy-and-paste lil min kien qiegħed online, dak il-ħin, u tassew dħaqt bil-pingpinging tal-messaġġi dieħlin kollha f’daqqa.
Hawn min jaħseb li kulħadd jgħir għalih għax sabiħ, jew għax sinjur, jew għax intelliġenti. U hawn naraw li jew jiġu b’ħafna umiltà falza – ngħidu aħna, ritratt ta’ kejk imfattar u l-kumment “Kemm nixtieq kont naf insajjar daqs Dorothy #fjask #froġa”, jew inkella, ritratt tal-karozza l-ġdida bil-kumment “il-bejbi (sic) il-ġdida tiegħi”. Hawn ta’ min ifakkar li ma jaqbilx li tgħid li sejra ħmistax il-Karibew. U bilħaqq…. Ma nieħdux gost naraw affarijiet li aħjar isiru wara biebin magħluqa. U anqas nieħdu gost naqraw kemm tħobbu lil ħaninek.
Twitter għandu limitu ta’ ittri li tista’ tuża f’kull messaġġ. U hawn min juża Facebook bħallikieku kien Twitter. Sejra x-xogħol, xi dwejjaq. Kemm hawn min iħobb jitkessaħ, ajma. Illum ġurnata oħra – ħa naraw x’ġej. Xtrajt ħames kotba, issa naraw kemm ġejjin faċendi… eċċ eċċ.
Hawn min hu mdeffes f’elf ħaġa u waħda – u l-ħin kollu jgħidilna fejn għandna mmorru u lil minn għandna ngħinu.
U mbagħad hawn min dejjem għandu raġun; jikkmandana x’għandna naħsbu dwar il-veġetarjaniżmu, l-omossesswalità, in-Novus Ordo u l-iskejjel tal-Istat. Min jgħid li ma jaqbilx, jew jitneħħa minn “friend” jew jitwaqqa’ għaċ-ċajt minn sid il-wall u sħabu, tant li jista’ jkun li jispiċċa jitlaq hu minn jeddu.
U l-fotografi? Kull platt li jsajru, tarah sponut biex aħna ngħaddu xi kumment dwar kemm hu sabiħ jew min jaf kemm hu tajjeb. U hawn oħrajn li l-ħin kollu jiġbdu r-ritratti ta’ trabi, qtates, bini, sħab, toroq, membri tal-familja… u jitfugħhom wieħed f’wieħed u jħalluna bla nifs. In-narċissisti jitfgħu miljun ritrattt tagħhom stess, bejn dawn li semmejna.
Nies li jridu l-attenzjoni jagħmlu xi ritratt tagħhom, u jgħidu “ma ġiex tajjeb xagħri”, biex inti tgħidilhom kemm humma sbieħ. Inkella jġibu ritratti tagħhom u jgħiduek: “Ili sitt snin immur il-gym imma ma narax li għamel differenza,” biex int tgħidilhom kemm jidhru sew u b’saħħithom.
Inkella jagħmlu status dwar kemm huma mtaqqla u mdejqa, biex int tistaqsihom x’ġara. Kultant iżidu xi kumment dwar li huma twajba ż-żejjed, jew Ii daħħlu lifgħa f’ħobbhom.
Kultant niskanta kemm hawn min għandu ħin… żejjed. Kull logħba li jkun hemm, mhux talli jilagħbuha, talli jistiednuk biex tieħu sehem fiha magħhom. Oħrajn jivvintaw il-memes u jgħidulek biex ixxerridhom mal-erbat irjieħ tad-dinja.
Ta’ kull ġimgħa, ssib min jistaqsik x’tela’ Lottu, jew jekk hemmx Farmers’ Market, jew minn fejn tixtri l-ġelu lest, kemm tirrumblah. Issib min jistaqsi mistoqsijiet banali dwar kemm suppost (!) ikollha żmien tifla qabel ma ttaqbilha widnejha.
Kummenti krittiċi ssib bl-eluf. Ħa naraw issa x’ser jgħamel dak il-gustuż. Min ikun midħla tas-sitwazzjoni, ikun jaf li Kathleen qed tgħid għall eks-raġel tagħha. Għedtilha li kelli ngħdilha u ġibtha żibel. Mhux kulħadd ikun jaf li Fiona marret tkellem lill-Kap tal-Iskola.
Issib min irid iwaqqa’ kollox għaċ-ċajt, u ma jimpurtax jekk biex jagħmel hekk iżarrat xi żewġ ċajtiet doppju sens. U hawn l-intellettawali li jikkoreġulek kull sentenza li fiha tkun irrakuntajt fatt mhux eżatt kif hemm miktub fil-kotba tal-istorja.
Hawn min, meta isir famuż, u f’daqqa waħda jibgħatlek xi nota li tgħid “qed innaqqas in-numru ta’ ħbieb għax għandi wisq, imma jekk trid tista’ ssir Fan tal-page tiegħi…”
U xi ngħidu għar-ritratti personali? Xagħarhom perfett (meta anqas għadu l-istess kulur). Snienhom perfetti (meta fil-fatt m’humiex). Ġilda perfetta (u fejnhom il-felul u n-nemex?). Hawn min jitfa’ ritratti li jkun ħa ma’ nies importanti jew famużi, jew ritratti ta’ meta siefer.
Hemm il-moda l-ġdida li isem ta’ “persuna” jkun fil-fatt l-isem ta’ koppja mwaħħda (Maryluke, Annathomas, Paulakeith), u kutant, żewġ kunjomijiet. Qishom “ixtri wieħed, u ħu wieħed b’xejn”. Jgħidu li dan isir biex juru li m’hemmx sigrieti bejniethom… imma jista’ jkun li hemm mottivi oħrajn.
Int, ma’ liema kategorija tagħmel – ma dawk li jiddejqu, jew ma’ dawk li jdejqu?
“Is-sema pajjiżi,” ngħidu, filwaqt li naqilbu għajnejna u nagħtu tbissima mqanżha.
Imma biex tmur il-ġenna, mhux lakemm taqta’ biljett one way u tittama li ma jkunx hemm xi terrorist li jitfilek ix-xemgħa qabel ma tasal.
Illum ħsibt li niġbor ftit ħjiel minn hawn u minn hemm dwar kif dan jista’ jseħħ. Niftehmu, kultant ikun hemm bżonn iddaħħal idek fil-but ukoll. Dan mhux biex tikri s-siġġu, kif kienu jgħidu qabel għas-sitt ħabbiet li tagħti lis-sagristan, iżda għax “hekk hemm bżonn li jsir”.
Hi ħaġa minn awl id-dinja li tiftakar fl-Opri tal-Ħniena jekk trid pultruna komda għall-eternità. Għaldaqstant hu ovvju li trid tagħmel ħafna u ħafna karità.
Imma ma tiqafx hemm. Trid ukoll tiftaħar b’dak li tkun għamilt, tgħid kemm tajt, u lil min ukoll. B’hekk, imkaxkra mill-eżempju tiegħek, in-nies li jisimgħuk jagħmlu bħalek!
It-talb huwa importanti wkoll. Mela int trid tgħid lil kulhadd biex jitlob għalik. B’hekk, il-karus tat-talb tiegħek jimtela ferm iżjed malajr. Tinsiex li min ikanta, jitlob darbtejn. Mela kanta, kanta, u kanta… l-iżjed fis-sagħtejn ta’ wara nofsinhar, biex tpaxxi bil-vuċi melodjuża tiegħek lil dawk li jkunu qed jistrieħu. Wara kollox, la r-radjijiet jagħmlu programmi tal-mużika f’dawk il-ħinijiet, sinjal li qed jistednuk tkanta mad-diski li jdoqqu.
Tinsiex li trid tmur il-knisja bilfors, almenu nhar ta’ Ħadd. Hawn min jgħidlek li jħobb hekk għax jibqa’ barra għall-ikel. Imma għidli int, mhux aħjar tiffranka ftit flus u tixtri takeaway, jekk vera ma tkunx tiflaħ issajjar wara ġimgħa xogħol? Jekk tagħmel hekk, tkun tista’ tmur il-Quddiesa tal-parroċċa tiegħek, u kulħadd jarak – l-iżjed jekk tidħol tard u timxi lejn il-bankijiet ta’ quddiem, li x’aktarx ikunu vojta, apposta għalik. Li tkun se tiffranka mill-ikel, itfgħu fis-sassla, imma qis li min jiġbor, li x’aktarx ikun xi ħadd li tafu, jara kemm tfajt.
Ixtri Bibbja oħra. Din id-darba ixtri waħda b’ħafna stampi kbar u sbieħ. Hekk ma jkollokx għalfejn taqraha, għax meta tħares lejn l-istampi, tiftakar fl-istejjer tagħhom… u jkollok iżjed ħin biex tilgħab logħba darts iċ-Ċentru – għax kollox irid ikun. U ngħiduha kif inhi, min jarak iċ-Ċentru jammirak għax isir jaf li ssib il-ħin għal kollox daqskemm int bil-għaqal.
Kull meta tisma’ priedka, f’moħħok dur l-ismijiet ta’ ħbiebek u tal-kollegi, u ara għal min jgħoddu sew il-kliem li jkun qed jgħid il-qassis. Hekk, meta tarahom, tkun tista’ tgħaddilhom it-tagħlim li tkun ħadt int. Ikun aħjar jekk tieħu karta u lapes miegħek il-knisja, biex tagħmel xi noti, li ma tmurx tinsa xi ħaġa importanti. Kemm hu sabiħ li tkun tista’ thenni lin-nies bil-kliem ħlejju tiegħek.
U bilħaqq, tinsiex tmexxi l-kelma dwar il-ħarġiet sbieħ li torganizzaw – ġbir ta’ fondi, Arċikonfraternità, Terzjarji, Grupp tan-Nisa, Klabb Soċjali… dejjem hemm fejn tmur, kieku. Hi ħasra li hawn tant nies li jipretenduha, li jitolbuk tħallilhom il-biljett, imma ma jiġux għax imsieken jinqalalhom xi ħaġa!
Jekk ma jkollokx aptit tmur il-ħarġa, ċempel lil xi ħadd u qis li ġġibu f’pożizzjoni li jgħidlek kemm jixtieq jarak… u mur arah. Hekk għandek l-iskuża/raġuni lesta.
Ixtri ħafna u ħafna kotba reliġjuzi, biex meta jiġi t-tberik tkun tista’ turihom lill-qassis, u tistaqsih għandux dan, dak, u l-ieħor. Itfa’ xi santa ‘l hawn u ‘l hemm fihom, biex bħal timmarka l-paġna, biex jekk issellef il-ktieb lil xi ħadd, dan jara li almenu int qisek bdejt taqrah.
Trid tkun taf almenu sentenza jew tnejn minn dak li qalu San Atanasju, San Bażilju l-Kbir, San Girgor Nazianzju, u San Ġwann Kriżostmu, u tara kif iddeffsuhom f’kull konverzazzjoni li jkollok.
Jekk jorganizzaw xi safra għall-parruċċani qis li tmur, tkun fejn tkun id-destinazzjoni għax b’hekk turi s-sapport tiegħek lejn il-parroċċa.
Tbissem ħafna, biex in-nies ikunu jafu li int ta’ qalb ħelwa u umli… imma meta ma tkunx qed titbissem, tinsiex iżżomm ħarsa ta’ piena u tjieba fuq wiċċek, biex issaħħaħ din l-impressjoni.
Abbona fir-rivisti kollha li taf bihom, u saħansitra f’dawk li ma tafx bihom, u meta taqrahom, jew anki qabel, ħudhom il-knisja biex igawduhom l-oħrajn. Kif tkun fiż-żifna tista’ tixtri ftit santi bil-Kurunelli wkoll, u tqassamhom lin-nies.
Bi ftit sforz, int tista’ ssir qaddis. Jew qabar imbajjad!
Kulħadd jafha l-istorja ta’ meta x-xjaten għamlu laqgħa tal-Kunsill, u waslu għall-konkluzzzjoni li jekk aħna ma nemmnux li huma jeżistu, ikunu rebħu l-battalja.
Daqstant ieħor kulħadd jaf li x-xitan darba kien anġlu msejjaħ Luċifru, u li bil-qżies u l-kburija li kellu, tilef postu fis-smewwiet. Ġesù qalilna li Hu ra lil Satana jaqgħa bħal sajjetta mis-sema, u qalilna wkoll li l-missjoni tiegħU fuq l-art kienet biex jegħleb l-opri tax-xitan. U l-helwa hi li hawn minn jinnega dan kollu u jgħidlek li x-xitan ma jeżistix.
B’hekk, ikun qed jiċħad lix-xitan mhux għax ma jagħmilx il-ħażen, iżda għax jinnega l-eżistenza tiegħu.
L-Arċisqof Fulton J Sheen darba qal li filwaqt li l-isem t’Alla huwa Jien li Jien, ix-xitan jipprova jmaqdrU u jgħid “jien li m’inix”.
L-għadu tal-erwieħ irid ifixkel. Għandu tattika, li hi, fil-veru sens tal-kelma, ta’ barra minn hawn. Irid iġenninna, jirrabjana, jiffrustrana, jirritana… basta nitilfu l-paċi ta’ moħħna, ta’ qalbna, u ta’ ruħna. Iridna inkunu agressivi, egositi, u passivi fejn tidħol il-Fidi. Din hija r-rejalta, u iżjed ma nifhmuha malajr, iżjed ngħarfu nikumbattu l-ħażen. Ix-xitan irid jostakola l-ħidma tal-Ispirtu s-Santu fil-Knisja.
Fis-servizz tal-magħmudija taċ-Church of England, tneħħew ir-referenzi kollha għax-xitan. U ir-raġuni, jew aħjar, l-iskuża għal dan hi li ċ-ċerimonja b’hekk hija issir “iżjed sempliċi”.
U bilħaqq – ser tpaxxi wkoll lil dawk li kienu qishom jieħdu għalihom meta l-Pastor jirreferi għalihom bħala “midinbin”. Il-kleru, mhux jiġbed lin-nies lejn il-knisja jrid, wara kollox? U jħassra. Mhux kisra li tkellem lill-parrini u tgħajjarhom li huma midinbin, iżda li għa ndhom jagħmlu sforz u jgħinu lill-ġenituri jrabbu lit-tifel “sew” – mhux iżjed “fil-biża t’Alla”? Iżjed faċli tgħid kiem ħlejju li ma jfisser xejn.
Għax daż-żmien, hawn min ma jarax il-għala għandek taħli l-għodwa tal-Ħadd tara l-Quddiesa fuq it-televixin. La ma tistax tmur il-Knisja, mela, ħeqq… hemm id-dispensa, hux? U għaldaqstant, aħjar li ma tordnax lill-parrini biex jaraw li t-tifel jiffissa fuq ir-Reliġjon… basta jgħix ta’ bniedem tajjeb. Basta jgħinuh isaħħaħ ruħu; għax din hija knisja progressive u liberali, fejn m’għadx hemm bżonn li jirrikonoxxu l-ħtieġa li jirrinunzjaw lil Satana. Ngħallmuhom l-etika, għax aħjar milli ngħallmuhom il-Katekiżmu.
Minn-naħa l-oħra, il-knisja trid tkun “post ta’ merħba, fejn il-kleru jagħti sehmu biex jiggwidak tul it-triq tal-fidi.” Ngħidu aħna, meta mill-Belt trid tmur il-Blata-l-Bajda, u ma tridx tammetti li teżisti l-Floriana… u tgħaddi minn ħdejn Ta’ Liesse, taqbad ġirja waħda bla nifs, u la tħares ‘l hinn u l-anqas ‘l hawn, tgħaddi minn quddiem il-Waterfront, sakemm iddur għal Spencer Hill, sfinit, u tgħid… ara, mill-Belt wasalt il-Marsa u ma kienx hemm għalfejn ngħaddi mill-Floriana.
Għax daż-żmien moda li kulħadd jimxi skond il-kuxjenża tiegħu… u jekk din tkun bla limitazzjonijiet, daqstant ieħor jaġixxi, dak li jkun.
Il-kunċett ta’ dnub ma jibqax jeżisti, u int tħossok tajjeb għax, ngħidu aħna, tmajt lill-qtates tat-triq, u allura għamilt il-karita, u gibt ruħek ta’ nies. Imma jekk tiġġakbina lil xi ħadd fuq ix-xogħol… eh, ruħi, dak business. Mhux kulħadd hekk jagħmel?
Meta nħarsu lura, naraw xejriet simili hawn Malta wkoll. Dejjem tikber ix-xewqa ta’ liberazzjoni f’dinja sekulari; għax i-bniedem għandu bżonn jistrieħ… u dan isir billi wieħed jixrob, jew ipejjep, jew insomma jirrikreja ruħu kif ifettillu.
Naraw kif il-Qdusija tiegħu Franġisku I jgħid li Satana hu l-Prinċep ta’ din id-dinja, u missier it-nasbiet. Iwissina li l-frott tiegħu huma l-qerda, il-firda, il-mibegħda u l-kalunja.
Ħobb lil għajrek bħalek inniffsek… u mill-bqija, agħmel li trid.
The woman was looking around her furtively. She was feeling uncomfortable, knowing that she did not “belong” where she was. This woman was from Samaria, and Samaritans were the mixed race of the Assyrians and the Jews of the former northern kingdom. So they were neither one, nor the other.
She was a woman at a time when women were treated as second-class citizens. She was a foreigner, living in a strange country. She was not married, but she lived with a man, and this meant that the other women looked down upon her.
This is why we find her at the well in the oppressive noon heat, “the sixth hour”. This well was dug on the plot of ground that Jacob gave His son Joseph. The other women used to fetch the water in the early morning, or in the evening, when it was cool. So in order not to meet them, she used to go when the sun beat down mercilessly upon her; but at least she did not have to avoid the eyes of the others, knowing that their malicious whispers were gossip about her.
This story happened when Jesus was traveling to Samaria. Now we must realize that the Jews avoided all contact with the Samaritans, and even with their country, if at all possible. For a Jew to call another Jew “A Samaritan” was a grave insult – in fact, in the Gospel of John [8:42] we find how during a quarrel, some of His fellow countrymen told Jesus “You are a Samaritan, and you are possessed by a demon.”
Jesus could have taken another road, skirting past Samaria, but He did not. He wanted this event to happen. He and the disciples came to a town called Sychar.
So, imagine her surprise when a man comes to the well, and talks to her. From His clothes, she realized that He was a Jew – and at that time, men just didn’t walk up to women and engage them in conversation – not even if the women were related them and especially so if the women were foreigners.
So it is to be expected, somehow, that the conversation which follows is not one that would have occurred between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman. For instance, there was the quasi-theological discussion about where God prefers to be worshipped – in Jerusalem, or on Mount Gerizim.
Jesus tells her “Believe me; the hour is coming when we will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. Indeed, the hour is already here when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.”
Jesus, of course, knew all the answers. But He had a lesson to teach her – and us. That is why when the disciples had gone into the town to buy food, Jesus stayed behind.
He asked the woman to slake His thirst – and she was taken aback. This would entail her lending Him a cup – and that was unthinkable. “What? You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan!”
The Gospel explains that ‘Jews will not use the same cups or dishes that Samaritans use’, because Jews considered themselves as pure, whereas to them Samaritans were racially impure. Then He told her that He, too, had water, but His water was special because it gave eternal life.
She could not comprehend the deep meaning to His words. She stated the obvious – that He could not bring up water from the well, because He did not have a bucket. Perhaps with a bit of sarcasm in her voice, she asked whether He was greater than the forefather Jacob; who, it was said, had constructed the ancestral well, used by generations of people, each father and mother taking the children to it as a necessary part of tradition.
Then, she though better of it. How much better it would be to have the water that this person would give her, and never thirst again. Oh, this would mean she could steer clear of the well, and she would never, ever, have to see those women again.
Then, something inside her moved, and she realized that Jesus was special. She told Him, not asked Him, whether He was a prophet. She stated adamantly that she knew the Messiah was coming, and that when He came, He would make known all the things that until then would have been hidden. It is pertinent to note that the conversation between Jesus and the woman takes up nearly 40 verses in the Bible.
At this point, Jesus said the beautiful words that she treasured forever after: “I am He, the One who is speaking to you.”
Can you blame the woman for being so excited? She dropped everything – and this is an important thing – and ran into the village, telling everyone what had happened. She begged them to go to the well and meet Jesus. “He told me everything I have ever done!”
Later, when the disciples returned with food for Jesus, He told them He had food they didn’t know about. They assumed the woman had shared her lunch with Him.
Exactly because she was a Samaritan, people from her nation went to look for Jesus, something they might not have done if the Good News had been told by a Jew.
We do not know the name of this woman – but the Eastern Orthodox Church gives her the name Saint Photina (from the word for “light”), and celebrate her feast on February 28. The well is re-named as The Well of Jacob and Jesus.
The woman, like Saint Paul, is honored as an Apostle and as an Evangelist who spread The Good News, and there are apocryphal stories about her that say she went to Carthage and Smyrna in Asia Minor.
This is the hymn sung in her honor:By the well of Jacob, O holy one, thou didst find
The water of eternal and blessed life.
And having partaken thereof,
O wise Photina,
thou went forth proclaiming
Christ, the Anointed One and the light of the world.
Many people think that the daffodil is a flower that “for some reason” must be worn on the first of March. The reality is rather different.
The story is told that during a battle between the Welsh and the Saxons, it was difficult to tell from the clothes, or from the physiognomies of the fighters, who was friend or foe. The Saxons were counting on this, and they were actually gaining ground.
So David, who was a Monk, bent down and plucked the plant that was closest it happened to be a leek. He told his fellow countrymen, the Welsh, to wear a leek in their helmets so that it distinguish them from their enemies. It was a typical “lateral thinking” idea; a tiny one that made all the difference. The fact that he was a Man of The Cloth meant that the soldiers obeyed him, no questions asked.
Did this really happen? No one will ever know – but it may well have.
These days, on Saint David’s Day (Dydd Gyl) March 1, the day of his death, which is celebrated both as a patriotic and cultural festival by the Welsh around the world, and not only in Wales, people wear the stalk, flower, or a bit of leaf from a leek plant. It is not a moveable feast. However, 2006 was an exception: the feast was officially celebrated on February 28 by Roman Catholics and on March 2 by the Anglican Church in Wales, since ‘days are not celebrated on Ash Wednesday, a day of penitence and fasting’.
Saint David died in 589AD (some references give the date as 601AD). The reasons that a daffodil is used sometimes instead is because in March, these flowers (which are similar to those of the leek) are easier to find then leeks and anyway they smell slightly less pungent. However more importantly, one notes that the relationship between leeks and daffodils goes beyond mere similarity; they have like names in Welsh, Cenhinen (leek) and Cenhinen Bedr (daffodil, literally “Peter’s leek”). The date was declared a national day of celebration in the 18th century. Women and girls wear Welsh costumes; of a long woollen skirt, white blouse, woollen shawl and a typical Welsh hat. On the Menu is, of course leek soup.
The story of Saint David is a very interesting one. It is also said of him that he once raised a youth from the dead. There were several occasions when, when he walked, springs of water used to flow along previously arid ground. But that is not why he gained the name Aquaticus. He and the monks of his Order, based at Glyn Rhosyn (St David’s), in south-west Wales, were supposed to have drunk only water. Their Rule included hard work, study, and worship. They were also vegetarian.
They wore animal skins, and worked in the fields without oxen; “every man his own ox”. David made speaking severely restricted. Monks were to pray, silently if not aloud, at all times. After supper, the only meal of the day, they prayed for three hours before going to bed, then awoke at dawn.
David is said to have founded ten or twelve monasteries, including the famous Glastonbury (he was the first to build a chancel to Saint Joseph of Arimathea’s wattle church), Menevia, and Croyland. The first hagiography / biography of him was written by a son of Sulien, bishop of St. David’s, who was called Rhigyfarch, towards the end of the 11th century. This Welsh monk wrote Vita Davidis around 1094, five centuries after the Saint’s death.
David is buried in St David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. Pope Calictus II decreed to Medieval pilgrims that two pilgrimages to St David’s equalled one pilgrimage to Rome, and three pilgrimages to St David’s were the equivalent of one to Jerusalem.
David is said to have been born around 520AD, near the town that today is of course called Saint David’s. His mother was called Non. She is also known as Saint Nonna, and may have been the granddaughter of King Brychan. She was living as a nun when she was raped by Sant (or Xantus) his father, who was enthralled by her beauty. So David spent his early childhood in her convent, at Ty Gwyn, near Whitesand Bay. Non is the patron Saint of the sexually assaulted. Her feast Day is March 3. Some traditions hold that Non and Sant were married, and that she only became a nun when he died. David’s father was the son of Ceredig, King of Ceredigion.
David was educated in Cardiganshire, and later went on a pilgrimage through south Wales and the west of England. During the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi, held in the village of the same name, when he stood up to speak, one of the men in the milling crowd was heard to exclaim “But we won’t be able to see or hear him!” whereupon the patch of ground upon which David was standing became a tiny hillock, so that everyone could see him and hear him properly. A white dove came to sit on his shoulder (some say at his feet). On that occasion, he was unanimously elected primate of the Cambrian church, when the incumbent primate, Dubricius, resigned in his favour. To this day, Holy Pictures depict him in this stance; preaching on a hill, with long hair and a beard, and the dove perched on his shoulder. He holds a miniature cathedral in one hand, and a leek in the other.
He later went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, after a vision. He is said to have travelled with two companions, and the patriarch of Jerusalem, John III, consecrated him Archbishop.
There are many variants of the name Daviod, some of these are: Daffy, Daffyd, Dafydd, Dai, Daid, Dave, Daven, Davey, Davi, Davidde, Davide, Davidson, Davie, Daviel, Davies, Davin, Davis, Davon, Davvy, Davy, Davyd, Davydd, Davyn, Degui, Dewi, Dewid, Dewm, Dmui, and Taffy
The Welsh take Saint David’s Day very seriously. Children take part in school concerts, going by the generic name eisteddfodau. This is the plural form of eisteddfod, the umbrella term for a festival comprising literature, music, song, drama and other performances. The term derives from eistedd, “to sit”. This tradition dates back to at least the 12th century, to a poetry and music celebration held by Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth at his court in Cardigan in 1176. There was a time when this meant a half-day of school for children across the land; nowadays the custom varies according to the instructions set out by each school’s administration. Just for the day, girls are allowed to wear National Costume.
St. David is the only Welsh saint to be canonized in the Western Church to date, and he has been the patron saint of Wales since the 12th century. In South Wales there are more than fifty churches dedicated to him.
Highlights of his life include: His birth was foretold to Saint Patrick (about 373-464) by an angel 30 years in advance. An angel appeared to David’s father and told him that when he went hunting the next day, he would kill a stag and find a fish, and a beehive. The stag, said to eat snakes, represents Christianity’s conquering Satan (the serpent); the fish represents Saint David’s abstinence from alcohol; and the bees represent wisdom and spirituality. He was born during a storm that was so violent that a local ruler who planned to kill Saint David was afraid to make the journey to the place, overlooking Saint Bride’s Bay, south of today’s Saint David’s Cathedral. David was baptized at Porth Clais by Saint Ailbhe, who may have been Non’s nephew. He is said to be King Arthur’s Uncle. Movi, the blind monk holding David, had his sight restored as soon as the baby was baptised. He went to school at a monastery called Hen Vynyw, or Henfynyw, in Cardigan. One story tells how a golden dove was seen flying, with its beak to David’s lips, teaching him the Psalms. In Welsh he is known as ‘Dewi Ddyfrwr’ (David the Water Drinker). He was ordained a priest after studying under the Welsh scribe St Paulinus, a disciple of St Germanus of Auxerre, who was also the mentor of the Irish Saint Patrick.
There is a similar legend concerning that of Movi concerning Saint Paulinus, who had been blinded after crying for a long time; David touched his eyes gently and he could see again. David’s association with water is further indicated when it is said he cleansed the foetid water at Bath and turned it into warm, healing liquid. David presided over two synods. He is said to have fasted, subsisting on water only, for several days, very often. Out of jealousy, some monks tried to poison Saint David’s bread, but Saint Schuthyn rode out from Ireland on the back of a sea monster to warn him, and Saint David blessed the bread, counteracting the poison. He made his monks pray from evening on Friday until dawn on Sunday, with only an hour after Saturday Matins for rest. He devoted himself to works of mercy and practised frequent genuflexions.
One of his self-inflicted penances was immersion in cold water up to his neck, during which period he recited scripture. He is the Patron saint of doves, poets, and Wales. He was active in fighting against the Pelagian heresy (Pelagius was a British holy leader who denied the Catholic doctrine of original sin and was declared a heretic and excommunicated in 417 by Pope Innocent I). He remained at Menevia until his death. Pope Callixtus II canonised David as a Saint in 1120 Saint David is mentioned in an Irish Catalogue of the Saints of 730, and an Irish Martyrology of 800. The Flag of Saint David is black with a yellow cross.
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