God is Spirit

Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’ John 4:16-26

As Indigenous people of this continent, we have always understood that God is Spirit and we refer to God as Great Spirit, Creator of all.  Jesus continued to talk with the woman, considered an outsider, an alien and of ill repute. The promises and recognition of the spirit always come from strange, hidden places and unexpected people. Jesus went to the people, the ones who were considered unwashed and unwanted. Many of us were considered unwashed and unwanted, and the federal government once had plans to get rid of us all. And yet many of us embraced the teaching of Jesus and recognize ourselves among the Samaritans of his time. He told this rejected woman that he was the Messiah, long before he spoke that clearly to his disciples. May we be ready to embrace the Spirit wherever we find it and from whom we hear it.

Wondrous Creator, you are Spirit and light

you spread love to all corners of this earth

and speak to every language and culture.

When we assume we are righteous

yet we reject the stranger and the outcast

we are not living in or receiving your spirit.

Come Holy Spirit of the living God and renew us

wipe out all the boundaries and fear we hide behind

and make us your people who love and live your spirit. Amen