Jesus breaks down barriers
27 March 2011
Jesus breaks down barriers
John 4 5-42
It occurs to me that reading the Bible is like watching American Football.
[OK, I’m not sure how this analogy is going to work – but stick with me!]
I’ve been watching American Football for quite a while now, and I think that I understand a lot about the game and what’s going on.
• I know the difference between a touch-down and a touch-back;
• I can tell a Nose Tackle from an Offensive Tackle,
• a Full Back from a Tight End.
• I even know that a “Hail Mary” in football is different from a “Hail Mary” in church – although not that different: they both involve praying!
But sometimes during a game, something happens that I really don’t understand. (I am English, after all!)
Fortunately, because of the wonders of the Internet, I’m in touch with quite a few fans of my team – the Green Bay Packers [by the way, did I mention that we won the Superbowl this year?!]
These are fans who know all there is to know about the team, and who have grown up watching and playing the game. If there’s anything I need to know, they can explain it to me!
• You see, sometimes, however much you think you know, the only way to fully understand something is to be part of the culture.
• And that’s where our gospel reading this morning comes in: the story of Jesus and the Woman at the Well.
It’s a remarkable story, but it needed footnotes even at the time it was first written down. The writer explains in v 9 that “Jews do not associate with Samaritans”.
That, as they say, is an understatement!
By Jesus’ time, and for hundreds of years before, there was an intense, historic hatred between Jews and Samaritans. We can’t really understand what Jesus was doing – unless we realise that.
In fact, you have to have grown up in the culture to appreciate the power of what was happening. We like to joke a bit about the rivalry between Yorkshire and Lancashire (at least, I think it’s a joke!) but think how things were just after the Wars of the Roses.
And more than that, Jesus was taking on another social taboo. The woman was … well … a woman!
She, herself, is astounded. She says to Jesus:
“You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (Jn 4:9)
There is so much in this passage from John’s gospel, but perhaps nothing is more remarkable than the very fact that the encounter takes place at all!
The disciples certainly get the point – notice what happens when they come back.
“Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no-one asked, ‘What do you want?’ or ‘Why are you talking with her?’” (Jn 4:27)
They were obviously used to Jesus doing this sort of thing – defying social convention. They may have muttered to each other “There he goes again”, but they certainly didn’t challenge him.
But there’s one more thing about this encounter which makes it even more remarkable: Jesus knows that the woman is an outcast, even among Samaritans.
She has come to the well in the heat of the day. It would have been normal for the women to gather together early in the morning, or in the cool of the evening, when the work wouldn’t have been quite so hard. But she comes to the well at noon, when she can be sure to be alone.
She was accustomed to the whispering wherever she went, having been used and discarded by so many men of the village – and this in a culture in which there was little if any privacy, and gossip spread quickly. And yet, see how Jesus treats her.
As Sarah Dylan Breuer notes:
“Jesus addresses her in the same terms as he addressed his mother [earlier in John’s gospel]. He meets a woman who couldn't be more of an outsider, and he receives her as an insider, an intimate, who has no cause for shame. He brings up her past, and her present, not to shame her, but to take away their power, … showing how little they affect how Jesus and the God he proclaims receive her.”
The living water that Jesus offers the woman, and all those who follow him, is powerful stuff! It makes possible fullness of life – a new quality of life and relationships. Where Jesus is present, barriers are broken down.
Which is all well and good in the culture of 1st century Palestine – but what about us? Jesus is present with us, today. We are his followers – what is our experience?
Well, we are no different to people anywhere at any time. We know who our friends are; we tend to relate most easily to “people like us” – I know I do!
That’s quite natural, of course: there’s a level of comfort and security in that. But we all tend to define ourselves in comparison to others who are “not like us”. And the church behaves very much like the rest of society in that respect.
I think it’s immensely sad that the church, the followers of that same Jesus who met the woman at the well, is actually known far better for keeping barriers up than for breaking them down.
• We are known for our difficulty in accepting certain people.
• We are seen as those who claim exemption from equality laws,
• who put people into different categories,
• rather than doing as Jesus did – accepting everyone as human, created and loved by God.
That’s an exaggeration, of course. I suspect that no-one is quite as they are presented in the media.
But we do need to be careful that, however good our motives might be, we don’t manage to frustrate God’s persistent, transforming love for all people – the sort of love Jesus showed that Samaritan woman, who, by rights, he shouldn’t even have been talking to.
Inclusiveness is at the heart of the new way that Jesus calls us to.
That living water, that practical, accepting love shown by Jesus transformed the woman at the well. From being an outcast, she went back into her village and started telling all and sundry about her amazing man she’d met. “Could this be the Christ?” (v29). And she brought crowds of people back with her to meet him.
That same love can transform all our relationships – transform our churches, our communities, our world.
• Jesus sees each one of us, as he saw that woman – not judging us, but understanding and accepting us;
• and he makes it possible for us to share his love with others
• whatever the barriers might be.
See Sarah Dylan Breuer's Lectionary Blog for this reading: http://www.sarahlaughed.net/lectionary/2005/02/third_sunday_in.html
and also Walter Brueggemann, Charles B Cousar, Beverly R Gaventa, James D Newsome Texts for Preaching – Year A Westminster/John Knox Press 1995 p208
Labels: American Football, Church, Media, Theology
A Golden Age in Sport!
I was thinking only the other day that this is a remarkable time for those teams and individuals I follow in sport.
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club are the County Champions!
Europe has retained the Ryder Cup!
England has retained the Ashes - winning them in Australia for the first time in years!
Lee Westwood is the world's number 1 golfer!
The Green Bay Packers have won the Superbowl!
I mention this because Lee is about to lose his number 1 status - temporarily I trust - to his Ryder Cup Colleague Martin Kaymer.
But this is indeed a Golden Age! It's important to remember times like these, because it isn't always so ...
Labels: American Football, Cricket, Golf
Welcome home Brett?!
Another story to produce a (this time wry) smile is the request by the mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin for appropriate ways to mark the "homecoming" of former Packers' great Brett Favre. Having said (many times) that he would never play for anyone else but the Pack, having said (many times) that he was retiring, Favre is due to QB the Pack's despised rivals the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field in a fortnight. Two early suggestions are reported on the NFL's website (full story here):"One suggestion calls for making the world's largest waffle in the shape of No. 4, Favre's jersey number. It's a playful jab at Favre's indecisive approach to retirement.
"One Packers site, cheeseheadtv.com, already has weighed in with a list of suggestions to mark the occasion. Among them: creating a video montage of Favre's interceptions and showing it before the game."I want to be able to say the Packer Nation responded to Favre's return with class, but the temptation is certainly there ..."We miss you, Brent!"I hope the Packers' Defense is preparing its own special welcome! Labels: American Football, Fun stuff
Packer People
I spent some time this afternoon doing something I could never have imagined not so many years ago. “Back in the day …”, that is when I was a lot younger than I am now, speaking to someone “abroad” on the telephone was difficult and expensive! The lines were often poor and, all in all, there was just too much cost and effort involved. Yet today – through the wonders of Skype – I’ve been chatting to a guy from Dubuque, Iowa, who is actually a very familiar voice – Ross Janes.
Ross and his friend Wes produce an excellent podcast called Packershow – and many of us Packer fans listen every week to their extremely informed, sometimes controversial, always entertaining views about the Green Bay Packers. Ross and Wes are always keen to involve their listeners in the show – one of them, Patrick Castleberg, produces a regular comment piece every week – and so Ross is exploring ways of recording interviews with the Packershow faithful. Hence our conversation today.
Whether my interview comes to anything is by the by. The real joy was talking to Ross about some of the things we share: the Packers, of course, but also our faith and our families and our different, but related lives. In short, Ross is a real class act, and it was a privilege to get to know him a little better! (Ross' blog is here, by the way.)
The Packershow community is growing – you can find out more at http://packershow.com/ The shows are available every week during the season, and on other key occasions in the off-season, like before the NFL draft. You can get them from the site, or subscribe using iTunes. 
The guys have promised a discussion soon of the impending defensive changes for the Pack, so if (like me) you really need to learn more about the 3-4 defense and who Dom Capers is – tune in to Packershow! Or if you just want to hear some enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans talking about their favourite (favorite!) team - go to http://packershow.com/
When he was appointed as Head Coach of the Packers, Mike McCarthy talked of his wish to attract to the team not just good players, but “Packer People”. Ross and Wes and Patrick - and so many more new friends – are truly Packer People!
Labels: American Football, Fun stuff
Who would think ...?
Well, where did those months go?!Just 2 days before Christmas, I would like to share with you ... not my latest rantings about the England cricket team - including the entirely predictable (and predicted!) failures of its "wicket-keeper" - nor even a slice of humble pie about the extremely successful season enjoyed by the Green Bay Packers - I never doubted them for a moment! - but just the words of a carol I have especially enjoyed singing this year.Who would think that what was neededto transform and save the earthmight not be a plan or army,proud in purpose, proved in worth?Who would think, despite derision,that a child should lead the way?God surprises earth with heaven,coming here on Christmas day.Shepherds watch and wise men wonder,monarchs scorn and angels sing;such a place as none would reckonhosts a holy helpless thing;stable beasts and by-passed strangerswatch a baby laid in hay:God surprises earth with heaven,coming here on Christmas day.Centuries of skill and sciencespan the past from which we move,yet experience questions whether,with such progress, we improve.While the human lot we ponder,lest our hopes and humour fray,God surprises earth with heaven,coming here on Christmas day.John L Bell and Graham Maule, of the Iona Community.A very happy, hopeful and even humourous Christmas to you all!Labels: American Football, Church, Cricket, Theology
Catching up!
I knew I hadn’t blogged for a while, but I was surprised to find my last entry was back
in the middle of March! It’s been busy since then, but surely not
that busy?!
What have I been up to? Well, 17 March was the
first anniversary of my Dad’s death, and as you can imagine, there was a whole lot of emotion around that time. But I don’t know if I can really reflect coherently about that. As with other bereavements, I’m very much
up and down. The biggest things I can sometimes carry off, whilst the smallest things “get me”! A familiar pattern.
I have taken on some responsibilities within the
Diocesan Readers’ Association, including a role in
our Archdeaconry, which is interesting and stimulating, but demanding too.
Sometimes I don’t cope so well with “demanding”! It is literally years and years since I took on a new job!
Of course, there has been
Easter – and
Easter holidays! We managed a few days in London, including a trip to the theatre to see
Stomp! I also managed to see the
Cabinet War Rooms again – I’d been wanting to see the new
Churchill Museum there, which is excellent, but I had
seriously underestimated the time I would need to go round it all, so I ended up rushing. (Those who know me would probably say that one can
never underestimate the time I take in museums …!) Actually my best trip to London was an indulgent day to see
Richard Schiff – yes,
Toby in
The West Wing – in a one-man tour de force
Underneath The Lintel. I even got to hang around at the stage door and meet him after the performance! (I
know …!)
My wife arranged for a group of us to see
African Snow at York Theatre Royal, so I’ve been to the theatre more times in the last couple of months than I usually manage in years. That, too, was a remarkable presentation. I have been
greatly affected by what I have learnt around the anniversary of the Abolition of the
Slave Trade Act. In reality, that whole era of slavery is
a Holocaust we British are responsible for – I’d never really thought about it before. We saw
Amazing Grace at the cimema too – a superb film, well worth seeing.
What else? In football, Free Agency and the NFL Draft, of course.
The Packers are still re-building – no big acquisitions and some impatience from us fans – and from
the franchise Quarterback too, by all accounts. And looking back, it’s surprising how many
friends have dropped in – or attempted to – which rather makes me wonder why I sometimes feel isolated, happy as we are in our “new” place.
So, that’s a
very quick sketch – am I up to date? Haven't even mentioned the prospect of a
new Prime Minister, the
replacement of the England Cricket Coach … What have I been thinking about all of that??
As for blogging - must try harder!
Labels: American Football, History, Ministry
Just a fan
When
Chris Read was belatedly recalled to the England cricket team in August, the BBC’s Jonathan Agnew wrote:
“It is to be hoped that [Read’s] return comes with the similarly generous guarantee of an extended run that Jones was given in Antigua."
Which I thought was
admirably even-handed of him, and I said so in one of my earlier rants!
Yesterday, after Chris Read had played 3 and a half Tests, Agnew wrote:
“[Read] is not a number seven batsman at this level”.What price generosity and even-handedness?
Of course, I berated him on the Test Match Special blog – but in truth,
I have to wonder if he is right. Ready’s scores of
3, 26 not out, 2 & 4 in this woeful Ashes series can hardly be characterised as a man seizing his opportunity – even though
his wicket-keeping has, of course, been world class.
Chris Read’s misfortune in coming up against
one of the truly great test sides, at the top of their
devastating form, reminds me of the fate which befell many England batsmen in the
1970s, when granted the dubious privilege of
a tour to the West Indies!
The truth is that, in almost every department – including management and preparation – this England team has been
soundly beaten by the best team in the world. What this tells us long term about the abilities of the players involved is
difficult to say. They have played well against lesser Test sides, and
it may be harsh to discount them on the evidence of this hammering, embarrassing as it has been.
My fear is that the customary rush to judgement will be unfair on many of them – Chris Read included.Anyone wondering about
my record as a sports pundit might also like to know that,
after my early and vehement criticism (see
September 06 archive), my beloved
Green Bay Packers managed a record of
8-8 in the NFL regular season and
very nearly made the playoffs. Their season, which began with a 26-0 shutout loss to their old rivals the Chicago Bears, ended with a 26-7 win at the Bears. Symmetry and
hope for continued improvement – hope deferred if legendary QB
Brett Favre does not return for another year!
After all, in Football as in Cricket,
what do I know? I’m just a fan!Labels: American Football, Cricket
Packer People
You may have noticed a link on the right-hand side of the page to the
Green Bay Packers' Website. You will
not however have noticed any blog entries about the Packers - until now! This is because this season already has all the makings of a
truly terrible one, and it's difficult to know where to start with my comments!
A singularly lacklustre pre-season has now been succeeded by the embarassment of a
26-0 home shutout by our greatest rivals, the
Chicago Bears, in the regular season opener. The response of General Manager
Ted Thompson and his new Head Coach
Mike McCarthy has been underwhelming - signing
troubled WR Koren Robinson (under threat of an NFL suspension for repeated alcohol abuse), the cutting of FB
Vonta Leach, and now the trading of RB
Samkon Gado who, despite doing great things last year, had apparently not managed to pick up Coach McCarthy's new blocking scheme.
On his arrival, McCarthy made much of his desire to work with what he called "
Packer People". Now, I am all in favour of second chances - even though Robinson is on his (2+n)th chance by now. He may become a reformed character and a key part of the Packers' regeneration. After all, QB Brett Favre himself beat addiction to pain-killers to become one of the truly great ones.
But I am bound to ask, with
the cutting of Leach (a model citizen) to make room for Robinson, and now the departure of Gado - for whom no-one (not even Thompson) has an unkind word ...
just what exactly do "Packer People" look like?!It's going to be a very, very long season - and even Ted Thompson may end up feeling the heat.
Labels: American Football, Rant
