March 15, 2020 Sermon by Pastor Derr

Though we don't commune in person today, we can still share the Good News. Here is Pastor Derr's sermon for this Sunday, the Third Sunday in Lent.

March 15, 2020
Saint John 4: 3-43

The Samaritan Woman meets Jesus at Jacob's Well

In nomine Jesu!

She is the biblical poster child for "self-quarantine" and "social distancing." And like we're supposed to be doing right now, she does this for her own protection. She comes — alone — to Jacob's well in the heat of the day, "about the sixth hour," aka high noon. Nobody else goes for water at this hour, unless they have to. This means she's probably avoiding everybody else lest they hurt her with their stares, or words, or with those proverbial but very real "sticks and stones" (just in case they think she is a prostitute). She is isolated; she goes alone to get what she knows she needs. Self-quarantined. Socially distanced.

And she runs smack dab into Jesus.

A male — already critical of all women. A Jew — already dismissive of all Samaritans. A rabbi — already scrupulous about whom to speak with and whom to shun. If anyone is going to engage in "social distancing," it will be he.

Or so she thinks.

He makes no greeting. No 'fist' or 'elbow bump." No proper liturgical bow. Jesus bridges the gap, her social distancing and what she supposes to be his by simply asking a question; simply asking for help. What proceeds from Jesus' question bridges every gap, closes every distance between Jesus and the woman, between the woman and her neighbors, between Samaritans and Jews, between everyone self-quarantined and God. In the person of Jesus, God, the almighty one, asks an outcast, socially-distanced woman for help. The Helper of all admits to being helpless (or as the woman puts it, "with nothing to draw water with") and that changes everything and everyone's relationship with one another and with God. The woman quickly realizes that, far from being critical, dismissive and distant, God in Jesus, the one her neighbors will soon label "the Messiah, the Savior of the world" was one of them. That God, in the person of Jesus, was in their situation with them. Not to dismiss, distance or judge them, but to be fully and completely with them.
And us.

These days we are all quickly — and for some of us — painfully learning the agony of quarantine and 'social distancing.' We, who gave often preferred social media to socializing; we, who have often allowed our Facebook 'friends' to supplant our face-to-face friends; we, who have voluntarily replaced human community with virtual community are now learning the pain such distancing enacts on us and on the church, the city and the world we share.

Just like the Samaritan woman did.

And, just like her, also, we've professed to like it this way.

Until now.

When we are forced to do some of the very things we volunteered to do.

Now, when forced to self-quarantine, we find ourselves longing for "the others."

It's now, in that longing, that we, like the Samaritan woman, run smack dab into Jesus.

Jesus, who this day reminds us that God, in the person of Jesus, is in this with us. Not to end our longing, but to complete it. Not to end our isolation, but to share it with us and to point us to what a joyful reunion lies before us "when we meet again." Beloved (and I mean that in every sense of the word) of God and of one another: I am convinced that God is at workin theses days of enforced separation, forced social distancing and self-quarantine. I am convinced that in the midst of this crisis we're each going to find ourselves running smack dab into Jesus. Seeking what we think we need, we, like the Samaritan woman, are going to run right into God, with us in Christ. And just like that wonderful woman, we are going to not only find Jesus, but we're also going to find one another in New, more personal, more tangible ways. And like that wonderful Samaritan woman, we are going to run back to the city and find those whom we have left behind and tell them, no, better, ASK them, if this can be the one, and the way, God saves the world.

I have never been a fan of those self-isolating "me and Jesus" hymns such as "I go to the garden alone," "Lord Jesus think on me," or the like. I have never willingly sung them. But these days I will, not by choice but by necessity; mourning distance, longing for community, pining to speak and eat and drink and sing and pray together. We can, and many of us will, "worship remotely." But the day will soon come when, like that Samaritan woman, we too will run to the city to meet together. To restore community. To embrace and commune together. What a marvelous day that will be! God make it come soon!

But in the meantime, in these mean times, Jesus is waiting with us, not at Jacob's well, but as our well of life.

As we pray at every jazz Prayer Around the Cross each Sunday: "YOU are in my heart. And in the heart of God."

Peace and Joy —— and Courage!
Amandus J. Derr