Learning the art of hospitality

This week's scripture passages teach us about God's great hospitality.  Inspired by the example of Abraham and the lessons taught to Martha and her sister Mary, I shared the following reflection with those who came to pray with us this week.

Lessons in the art of hospitality

The biblical passages that we have just heard remind us of the importance of hospitality in the lives of all people.  All of us know that when someone else greets us and extends a warm welcome to us, we are more at home and we want to spend more time in that person’s presence.  Like all of God’s gifts, hospitality is an art that we learn through experience, but it is also an art that we must learn to extend to others.

Hospitality has been an essential part of the lives of nomadic people for centuries.  Today’s first reading from the Book of Genesis recalls a moment in time when Abraham, our father in faith, was visited by strangers and extended hospitality to them.  He was sitting at the entrance of his tent (resting, perhaps in prayer, no doubt reflecting) … when he looked up and saw three men standing nearby (Gen 18:1).  This is the way it often happens for us too.  We are preoccupied with our own concerns and then someone appears, someone who needs our help, someone who is counting on our willingness to extend a welcome.

If he were living today, perhaps Abraham could have ignored the passers-by, choosing to remain focused on his own musings, (how often have we done such a thing?), but hospitality is so ingrained in the desert-dweller's soul that he hastened into the tent and asked Sarah (his wife) to prepare a meal ... and he implored these strangers to allow him the pleasure of offering them a chance to rest and be refreshed before they continued on their way (cf Gn 18:3-7).  Oh that such a response were equally embedded in our souls as well!

Martha and Mary knew the importance of providing hospitality for their guests.  This is the reason why it would not have been surprising that they welcomed Jesus and his disciples into their home (Lk 10:38).  It would almost have been second nature for Martha to immediately busy herself, preparing refreshments for her guests.  Isn’t this the way it is with us too, especially when we receive unexpected visitors?  Yet, the lesson that Jesus taught that day, the lesson he wants to teach each of us, is that although it can be so easy for us to get caught up with the tasks that sometimes distract us, we must learn to sit at his feet - to be present to our guests - like Mary did, to listen to his words in prayer and to allow his gentle voice to echo in our hearts so that we can learn from him the true art of divine hospitality.

Earlier this week, we heard the news of a senseless attack that took place in Nice (France).  What should have been a day of great rejoicing and celebration turned into a day of horror, but this too offers us an opportunity to extend hospitality: an occasion for us, who are at a safe distance from the place where such an unspeakable attack took place to pray for the repose of the souls of those who have died and for those who have been wounded, as well as those who are now grieving the loss of their loved ones.  We can also pray that God’s wisdom will inspire all those who are assisting the wounded and the political leaders who now must chart a response to this terrible attack.  Let us ask Our Lady to intercede for all of them, and to help us to be people of faith: Hail Mary …

Saint Paul reminds us today that he became a servant of the Church … in order to make the word of God fully known (Col 1:25).  This is the task that every disciple must accept: to share the good news of Jesus Christ that we have heard and experienced with others, to show them the compassion of our God made visible through our willingness to be compassionate toward others.

Jesus came from heaven to live among us, to bring us the good news that God loves us, to reassure us that there is a place for each of us in God’s house, a place where God himself is waiting to extend hospitality to us.   Throughout the week ahead, let us ask Jesus to help us, who have experienced the hospitality that is offered by our heavenly Father, to find ways to extend hospitality and welcome in his name to those we meet.