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3 Lent A: March 23, 2014
Exodus 17:1-7
Romans 5: 1-11
Psalm 95
Jon 4:5-42
The Very Rev. David R. Wilt
This Gospel lesson today is certainly “long”. And yet, despite its length I think we will be able to say when we are done here today that there are still four words that were left out of this text.
Many homilies on this text turn to the obvious message of inclusivity. Here is Jesus at the well when this person. who to a devout Jew is about the worst combination of things a person could be, both a woman and a Samaritan approaches. And, Jesus engages her in conversation and even asks her for a drink of water.
The lesson obviously for us in these homilies is to put ourselves in Jesus’ place when we meet others who don’t fit in with society or with our place in society, and it nudges us into conversation and communion where it would not otherwise exist. But perhaps there is another side of this story which better addresses our situations and makes us understand how important what Jesus does is.
Imagine yourself being called to go to a banquet, but there is no time to get ready, you must come right now just as you are. And oh by the way, you have just been cleaning the house or working out in the yard. And, when you get there suddenly you see in the room the Pope, the President of the United States, Steve Spurrier, Bobby Bowden (we have got to keep the attention of the Gators and the Noles) and Queen Elizabeth.
Just imagine your feelings upon entering that room. Would you feel inadequate, intimidated perhaps? Would you feel inappropriately dressed? Would you anticipate that in any way, other than perhaps an occasional glare, that you would be approached or even noticed?
Would you imagine that the President might interrupt his conversation with the Pope and come over and chat with you, or even, that the Pope or the Queen might even want to engage us in conversation.
So many people from their first memories are taught or learn by experience that there are just certain places where they don’t fit in or a blatantly unwelcome. They may even be met with scorn and rudeness should they dare to enter one of those forbidden territories.
Those people know and even perhaps expect to be shunned or ignored, but even the most comfortable person among us would upon walking into such a room be taken aback and would probably have twinges of anxiety, inadequacy and be at the very least tempted to sneak off into the corner until an unnoticed escape could be executed.
Now, just to make things really uncomfortable let’s pretend that the Pope, The President, the Queen and Bobby Bowden and Steve Spurrier have been briefed in every aspect and event and detail of our lives. Now you are really going to want to be invisible..
We have all been in those situations where we are the stranger in the midstand it’s not very comfortable.
This is the 21st Century scenario of the Samaritan woman walking up to the well where here sits this Jewish man. She is in the wrong place at the wrong time, by herself, which is indicative of her place in the community by the fact that there were not other women with her, when suddenly, this Jewish man speaks to her, “Give me a drin,.” and then engages her in conversation where he reveals that he knows far more about her than she would like him to know. They talk as if she is the only and most important person in the world and has every right to be standing and talking to this Jewish man.
Remember that feeling we have when we are are included in the conversation and not made the topic of the conversation. This is the elation and relief that the Samaritan woman must have felt at that very moment after years of scorn and ridicule.
This Samaritan woman runs back into her village, urging everyone to come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done.”
So what are the four words that are missing from this already quite lengthy story?
They are “And loved me anyway.”
“Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done and loved me anyway.”
Those are freeing words to us. How wonderful if in describing any or all of our friendships we could end every encounter with ,”and loves me anyway.”
There is another interesting aspect of this Gospel. It was Jesus who was thirsty. Metephorically thirsty for what? Mere conversation?
It is the woman who has the bucket. If his thirst is to be quenched he needs her. He may be the Son of God but he needs her. She has the bucket, she is ultimately more important than she can imagine.
Thirsty for what?
Thirsty to put aside forever her feelings of inadequacy or shamefulness, to make her feel good about herself. Thirsty to make her know that she is loved.
Here is Jesus and here is the woma, here we stand and there stands someone who is feeling really uncomfortable in their skin. Wouldn’t most of us reach out. I think one on one we would most likely do just what Jesus did.
But let’s add one final wrinkle to the story and ask ourselves if we would still act like Jesus.
See, in the story Jesus was alone with the woman. The disciples were off buying food.
His disciples were never as open and embracing as Jesus was. In all likelihood had they been around when the woman approached the well one or more of them would have been quick to remind her of her place. One or more would have certainly reminded her that she wasn’t welcome there. In fact, one or more would have chastised Jesus, as they did on other occasions, when he struck up a conversation with the woman. Remember this is the same crew that was shooing the little children away from Jesus.
So perhaps for this gospel to be relevant for us we not only have to empathize with the uncomfortable nature of the Samaritan woman, which should be pretty easy for us to do since most of us have probably found ourselves in similarly awkward and uncomfortable situations.
We not only have to be willing to embrace her and let her know that yes like Jesus, we love her anyway, “ we also need to take that third step, because while Jesus didn’t flee disciples, which we are, have been known to change their stories and run and hide.
So I guess to fully understand this story we have to ask ourselves if we, while surrounded by our peers, who may not be as open and understanding as we are, would still be just as committed to welcoming the stranger in our midst. Would we, while surrounded by our peers. who may not be as open and understanding as we are send, this stranger in our midst joyfully back to their home or village or street corner saying,“I met this person who told me everything I have ever done and loves me anyway.”