Why did that Samaritan woman go to the well at noon, right during the heat of the day? Because she heard a shipment of toilet paper had just arrived there…
Of all the responses to the Coronavirus, hoarding toilet paper has to be one of the craziest ones I’ve heard. Hoarding toilet paper! Really? But fear has a way of making us do crazy things.
Fear had a way of making this Samaritan woman do a crazy thing. She went to the well at noon, in the worst part of the day to be outside. But she goes there at that time precisely because she knows that no one will be there then. You see,
- She was a woman in a culture where women were little more than property.
- She was a Samaritan – hated by the Jews, cast out by a centuries’-old hatred, whose mere presence made one ritually unclean.
- With her marital status, she was an outcast in her own society. Only “THOSE” kind of people came at noon.
Everyone else came before the heat of the day. She came when she knew no one would be there to accuse her, to talk about her, to laugh at her. She came then to isolate herself from the shame.
John’s account tells us that “Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans. So she is surprised, not only to see someone there, but because that ‘someone’ engages with her, connects with her, breaks through her isolation. She meets in Jesus, someone who was not bound by the age old hatred. Jesus sees her. He loves her. In the world of Jesus, she is NOT excluded; not isolated. And in that inclusion, she is brought back to life. She knows that she no longer has to be apart, but that she is connected to each of her sisters and brothers. And, in that engaging love of Jesus that sets her free, she becomes a message of love to her town and to the world.
Is that not one of the things this pandemic opens our eyes to see? That we are never alone – that we are all in this together? In ways that most of us have never known in our lifetime, these days make clear just how inter-connected we are. And in that interconnection, we have the chance to show love. We have a chance to live a message of love by our choices to flatten the curve, to slow the progress of the disease.
We already know the simple parts of that sacrifice. Every hand that we don’t shake is an act of love. Every hug we avoid is an act of love. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another is an act of love. Every time we stay isolated, not because of fear and shame, but out of love for our sisters and brothers at risk, it is an act of love. Each time we buy ONLY enough toilet paper for our needs, it is an act of love. Each sports activity that is cancelled, each parade not attended, each fish fry we don’t conduct, if by these, we can delay the transmission of the disease, then we give our health care system the ability to absorb the sick and not be overwhelmed by them.
AND, that little space in-between -where there WAS physical closeness or a hug or handshake or a connection – that space invites us to create new possibilities for how to connect, how to help. Like Jesus at the well, we can reach out to all who feel alone and quarantined with a phone call, serious eye contact, verbal expressions of warmth or concern we sometimes skip.
Somebody asked me at the Play on Thursday night, “Father, are you scared?” I responded, “For myself, only just a tiny bit.” More, I’m worried about those most at risk, especially the poor and vulnerable who will likely suffer most. I worry about Fr. Johnson, and all those in the high risk category. I worry about those families already one missing paycheck away from financial crisis. And small business owners just trying to make it. Selfishly, I’m just sad that I won’t get to see all of you as much as I normally do.
At the same time, I am hopeful for what we can learn from all this: That we are ALL a part of a bigger world; we are in this together; that our lives are inter-connected; and what we do matters to all.
For some of us, work has intensified because of all of this. For many, life has given a pause. If that’s you, please take advantage of it. Maybe the choice is to make sure the time with family is quality time. A doctor posted that there are some amazing trails close by to be explored and shared.
No one knows for certain where this pandemic and its response will lead. But I do know this: Just as Jesus sought this woman in her brokenness, so does he seek us out again. He meets us, loves us, and again calls us to a deeper living, a deeper connection and sacrifice for each other. And like the woman, we are invited to bring the love we know in Jesus to our sisters and brothers by our choices and our sacrifices. Let us be intentional about how we live these days.
Oh, and if you have extra, share a roll or two of toilet paper…